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To Kill A Mockingbird: A Virtuous Character Study

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A Study in Virtue How does a person become virtuous? In the words of Plato, A potentially virtuous person learns when young to love and take pleasure in virtuous actions, but must wait until late in life to develop the understanding that explains why what he loves is good. Once he has learned what the good is, his informed love of the good explains why he acts as he does and why his actions are virtuous. (Homiak, 2015) Through the development of characters, To Kill a Mockingbird does an extraordinary job of illustrating how a virtuous character is a learned trait. If this is true, it leads us to question how do virtuous actions and virtuous character differ, is a virtuous character needed in order to live ethically, and can a person do a morally right action for reasons that do not demonstrate good moral character? …show more content…

Atticus, a lawyer and father, is asked to represent an African American, Tom Robinson, who is accused of beating and raping a white woman. Even though the entire town of Maycomb, Alabama, judged Tom guilty even before his trial began, Atticus knew Tom had the constitutional right to a fair trial and refused to withdraw from the case even after receiving threats towards himself and family. Atticus had a strong sense of right and wrong that he strived to pass on to his children. He applied his sense of right and wrong to his daily life by performing actions that coincided with his beliefs. For example, the night Atticus was warned that numerous towns people were headed to the jail to murder Tom. All night he sat on the front steps of the jail refusing to let anyone pass even when he was physically threatened. He allowed his children to witness this scene as well as many others that taught them it is not enough to have a virtuous character if it is not backed up by virtuous actions (Mulligan,

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He puts his leadership efforts on display to make a change in his community by defending a black man in court, which was often frowned upon in the 1900s: “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to win” (Lee 87). With this in mind, defending an African-American man in court shows that he does not care much for the ‘normal’ in society. As a result, an angry mob attempts to lynch Tom at the jailhouse, but Atticus stays put, sticking to his beliefs about a fair trial. Atticus’s defense of Tom Robinson represents his leadership and perseverance; most people disagreed with him and even knew the verdict before it was announced, but Atticus kept fighting diligently. An angry mob attempts to lynch Tom, but Atticus stays put, sticking to his beliefs about a fair trial.

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Like most places, Maycomb County, Alabama was full of hardworking people of integrity, as well as dishonest, indolent citizens. Atticus, a distinguished lawyer, raised his two kids, Scout and Jem, to be disciplined youth, practicing honest morals. Everyone in Maycomb admired Atticus for his respectable character, just as they all abhorred the Ewell family, for their cheating and lying ways. However, Atticus’ prominent role in town was suddenly challenged when he was chosen to defend in court Tom Robinson, a black man whom Mayella Ewell accused him of taking advantage of her. Eyes that once looked up to Atticus with deep admiration, now glared at him in disgust.

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Not to mention, he takes the case without outwardly pleading it is a hopeless cause. To show, Atticus defends Tom Robinson as he would defend any white man, and makes it his civil duty to do this man right. Coupled with Atticus’s personal beliefs, he never shows regret in his obligation to Tom Robinson and his family. In another instance, Atticus respected these citizens even before the case. Though the residents of Maycomb did not agree with him, Atticus stuck to his belief all men are created equal.

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