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What Is Atticus Finch's Defense Of The Tom Robinson Trial

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In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch, lawyer and father of Scout and Jem Finch, has chosen to take on the defense of the Tom Robinson trial. This decision by Atticus was very excellent and beneficial to help teach his kids very valuable lessons in life. For example, Atticus wants his kids to become familiar with, and attached to the ideals presented within law, and all of the aspects, or consequences that come with law. In the novel, it states, " 'This is their home, sister,' said Atticus. 'We've made it this way for them, they might as well learn to cope with it ' " (Lee 285). Atticus realizes that he is a big influence, and part of both of his children's' lives. With Jem, Atticus is a bigger influence because Jem looks up to Atticus for everything, including simple answers, to learn all that he can from Atticus. …show more content…

This includes teaching Scout about how social statuses, and backgrounds aren't supposed to mean anything, however, with what is happening with the trial that is taking place, and with already existing racial tension, these two things already seem to exist. In addition, Atticus wants to teach his kids that no matter how much you go against the majority, or who tells you to do otherwise, you should always do the thing that is right. In the novel, it states, " 'His colored friends for one thing, and people like us. People like Judge Taylor. People like Mr. Heck Tate. Stop eating and start thinking,

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247 Words | 1 Pages

Atticus was a white male lawyer who took the case of a African American man named Tom Robinson while today that would be normal but in the 1930’s it was not. Despite it not being normal in that time period Mr. Atticus Finch took the Tom Robinson case and tried his best to defend him. At the end of court the jury voted the defendant Tom Robinson guilty later Tom Robinson was shot 17 times because he tried to “run away”. The prosecutor Bob Ewell was mad at Atticus for defending an African American man and threatened him and his family, later he attacked Jem and scout, Atticus’s children, only to be saved by a mysterious Mr. Arthur Radley. The real question is was Atticus Finch wise to defend Tom Robinson even though the drawbacks for his children.

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547 Words | 3 Pages

Court Case Essay 16-21 By: Taylar Stueven Atticus put up a fight during the Tom Robinson case. Giving great arguments and counter arguments to prove that Tom Robinson isn’t guilty, also Atticus had a really well thought out closing argument. If I were Atticus during the trial I would have changed up his closing statement, otherwise everything else I would have kept the same and if I were a juror I wouldn’t have decided that Tom was guilty. Atticus had a really well thought out closing argument. He puts Tom Robinson’s life in their hands and lets them know that you are the one making the decision.

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646 Words | 3 Pages

Scout when her classmates are making fun of Atticus for defending a black man , and Jem when he believed Nathan Radley when he cemented the tree because it was “ill”. Scout hears her classmates saying terrible things about Atticus because he's defending a black man, but she doesn't see the wrong in what her father is doing. Atticus explains to her that it's not really a bad thing, but some people see it that way. Scout is too young to understand prejudice and injustice. Atticus tries to preserve this innocence by raising her to believe that there is nothing wrong with defending a black man.

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901 Words | 4 Pages

Father, lawyer, and friend, the gentlemanly Atticus Finch hopes to shape the character of his children. The novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, is the story of the childhood of a young girl named Jean Louise “Scout” Finch. Throughout the book, Scout’s father, Atticus, tries his best to raise her and her brother, Jem, the right way as a single parent. To Kill a Mockingbird exemplifies the way the character of Atticus Finch either uses ritual or abandons it in order to develop certain character qualities within his children. He specifically focuses on the development of honesty, courage, and humility.

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659 Words | 3 Pages

Scout learned to treat everybody equally. Atticus led a great example for Scout by taking Tom Robinsons case; He tried to win just as hard as he would have for a white man. Anytime Scout would ask questions or make comments about other people, Atticus would remind her not to judge others. For example, when Scout asks Atticus if he's a “nigger lover” he responds "I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody....

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811 Words | 4 Pages

In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Jem grows from a little boy to an intelligent young man. Throughout the book, he discerns many things that shape his personality. As Jem grows, he learns how bad society is and that not everyone is perfect. Fortunately for Jem, this ends up helping him and he finds out that Atticus is a hero and that he should look up to Atticus. Through Atticus and the trial, Jem loses his innocence by learning about prejudice, bravery, and that the justice system is crippled.

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452 Words | 2 Pages

Even though Some people, like Aunt Alexandra thinks Atticus is raising scout wrong because she doesn't like to wear girly clothes. Atticus acts like a teacher to his children, he teaches them wondrous things. Atticus punishes his kids when the deserve it. Jem and Scout are shown to be respectful and treat people the same.

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647 Words | 3 Pages

In the story Atticus states “As you grow older, you 'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don 't you forget it- whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash”. Since Scout is hearing this from such a young age it gives the reader a better understanding of how Scouts life is being affected since she is so young. If in this case it was in Atticus’s shoes the reader wouldn 't learn as much as from Scout 's eyes because Atticus is very smart and doesn 't need to learn these type of things again, therefore we the reader wouldn 't learn anything moral. Another advantage that Harper Lee had when writing To Kill a Mockingbird is that when Scout says “I think there 's one kind of folks. Folks”, she is able to portray more of her child like innocence, whereas if this was Atticus saying it, it wouldn 't really make sense considering he 's a grown man who knew a lot of and about the world.

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865 Words | 4 Pages

The novel “To Kill a MockingBird”, written by Harper Lee, consists of many characters with many ambiguous decisions. Characters such as Atticus, the strong-willed father, Mayella Ewell, the lonely young women, and Jem, the older brother of Scout, made consequential choices, with unclear motivations. However, by recognizing their backgrounds and understanding their current situations, their motives becomes more clear. For reasons, such as maintaining their own sense of justice and self respect, family love, and the desire to have company, led these characters to make questionable decisions. In order to uphold his sense of justice and self respect, Atticus voluntarily chose to defend Tom Robinson at the jail and the court case.

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Atticus has molded his children by exposing them to people in the town of Maycomb who have questionable morals in order to teach his children acceptance. Jem and Scout live in a primarily racist society and learn quickly that the children's

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1200 Words | 5 Pages

Scout herself learns from Atticus, her father, that “[y]ou never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb in his skin and walk around in it.” (Lee 39) Throughout the novel, Scouts truly learns about racism, how it affects everyone, and how unfair it was toward the African community. We still have much to learn because there is very much still racism in today’s society. By using books like To

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1027 Words | 5 Pages

A father plays a crucial role in the life of his children. One modern adage expresses a touching thought about fathers, stating, “Dad, a son’s first hero and a daughter’s first love.” This quote embraces the relationship of Atticus Finch and his children, Jem and Scout, in Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Jeremy, the older of the Finch kids, holds his father in extremely high regard and depends on his guidance in life while his younger sister, Jean Louise, trusts Atticus whole-heartedly and adores him despite her occasional indifference toward him. During the three years in which To Kill a Mockingbird takes place, the author grants a glimpse of Atticus’ method of upbringing.

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751 Words | 4 Pages

TITLE “Sometimes I think I’m a total failure as a parent, but I’m all they’ve got. Before Jem looks at anyone else he looks at me, and I’ve tried to live so I can look squarely back at him…” Atticus is the teacher figure for his children, Jem and Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

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794 Words | 4 Pages

Growing up for Scout means learning courage, racism and empathy. The first way Atticus teaches his kids courage was when he took the Tom Robinson case. Taking this case was a risky move for him, his family and his career. After he tells Scout that he is taking the case, she asks why. To this he responds, “For a number of reasons," said Atticus.

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980 Words | 4 Pages

Atticus became not only a role model for Scout and Jem but a role model for the whole town. He taught you not to be so quick to judge everything. From Boo Radley to Walter Cunningham, he shows how to accept people for who they are and to get know them before you judge them. “Because that is they only way he can pay me, he has no money” (Lee 21). When Scout saw the Cunninghams paying in different things like Hickory nuts and Stovewood, she was quick to question the payment.

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