How can a single individual make a difference in our mercenary world? Is it even possible to maintain morals?, In Harper Lee’s award-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, young Scout Finch discovers the bristles of racism, the corruption of society, and uncovers the mystery of a perplexing “ghost” living in Maycomb. Through all of this mess, Scout’s father, Atticus Finch, graces the town with his admirable characteristics and inspires his kids to act differently than the majority of residents in Maycomb. Similarly, Rudyard Kipling’s motivating poem “If” describes the importance of commendable character and demeanor. In society, there’s a lack of adamance, humility and rectitude. However, through the novel and the poem, these values are described and presented as a reminder of good character. Atticus has many of the positive attributes …show more content…
Atticus, no matter what, continuously keeps his morals and virtue. His goodness is appreciated by many of the residents in Maycomb and he never changes his beliefs just because they might be the opposition to what everyone else believes. When Scout was asking Miss Maudie about Boo Radley, they shifted to the topic of Atticus. Miss Maudie told Scout that Atticus is the “same in his house as he is on the public streets” (61). Regardless of who he is with or where he is, Atticus is still parallel to his character, his beliefs and his personality. Whether he is with his children, his neighbors, or defending Tom Robinson in court, Atticus is stable with what he believes in and refuses to be persuaded by popular opinion. Atticus can “talk with crowds and keep [his] virtue” to an admirable extent. Our society struggles to keep morals and often falls into peer pressure instead. It’s almost impossible to maintain your virtue and values in such a world we live in, but it makes all the difference in the