I Wont Be Able to Face My Kids Again Atticus Finch

Atticus Finch

You lot know all those stereotypes virtually lawyers existence nasty, money-grubbing people? Well, run into Atticus, giving lawyers (and dads) a good name since 1960. If you read this and thought that he was too good to be true—you're right. He'south fictional. Only we sure wish he weren't.

Atticus as Father

Neither of the Finch kids ever calls their father "Dad"; he's always Atticus. Weird, right? Particularly for kids in the rural South. But we get the feeling that it's their mode of showing him respect, just like he shows them respect. For i affair, he doesn't dumb downward his language to what he thinks is their level, only he also is willing to explicate patiently whenever they have questions.

"I'g afraid our activities would be received with considerable disapprobation by the more than learned authorities."

Jem and I were accustomed to our begetter's last-will-and-testament diction, and we were at all times complimentary to interrupt Atticus for a translation when it was beyond our understanding.

"Huh, sir?"

"I never went to school," he said, "simply I have a feeling that if you tell Miss Caroline nosotros read every night she'll go after me, and I wouldn't want her after me." (3.108-113)

When Scout doesn't want to go back to school, Atticus doesn't only tell her that she has to go and that'south that; instead, he listens to Scout's explanation of why she's upset, and tries to make her come across her teacher'due south side of things earlier coming upwardly with a compromise that makes Scout happier.

The passage higher up also suggests that Atticus's courtroom language creeps into the manner that he talks to his kids, then does his judicial business organization with fairness. As Watch tells Uncle Jack, "When Jem an' I fuss Atticus doesn't always simply listen to Jem'southward side of it, he hears mine too" (nine.46). Lookout man also tells Miss Maudie, "Atticus don't ever practise anything to Jem and me in the house that he don't exercise in the yard" (5.53). Atticus runs his family like a judge: he's the one in charge, and has a clear ready of rules that he expects his kids to follow, simply he makes sure that both sides have their say.

Judge Atticus

Atticus doesn't expect his kids to respect him just considering he's their father, but because he acts in a way that deserves respect. His honesty with his children means that they trust him, and wait to him for guidance.

"Don't worry, Scout, it ain't time to worry yet," said Jem. He pointed. "Looka yonder."

In a group of neighbors, Atticus was standing with his hands in his overcoat pockets. He might take been watching a football game. Miss Maudie was beside him.

"Run across there, he's non worried withal," said Jem. (viii.105-107)

Atticus is the opposite of a hypocrite: he says what he means, and lives how he thinks. In raising his children, he tries to get them to understand not only how they should bear, but why they should conduct that style. This parenting attitude works most of the time, simply causes problems when the kids employ Atticus'south principles in ways he doesn't look.

Nosotros were accustomed to prompt, if non always cheerful acquiescence to Atticus'south instructions, but from the way he stood Jem was not thinking of budging.

"Go abode, I said."

Jem shook his head. As Atticus's fists went to his hips, and then did Jem's, and every bit they faced each other I could see little resemblance between them: Jem'south soft dark-brown pilus and optics, his oval face and snug-plumbing equipment ears were our female parent's, contrasting oddly with Atticus's graying black hair and square-cutting features, just they were somehow akin. Mutual defiance made them alike. (15.97-99)

Merely as Atticus is standing by Tom to protect him, Jem wants to do the same for Atticus. While Atticus isn't scared of the mob for his own sake, he is afraid that they'll hurt his kids. In the end, withal, information technology's Scout'south following her father'due south advice (talking to people nearly what they care about) that gets them out of their ready. While Atticus tries through his parenting to save his kids from Maycomb's intolerance, he's likewise giving them the same ideas that lead to him facing off with a mob and receiving decease threats.

So, is he protecting his kids, or putting them in danger?

Life Lessons

Well… yes. To both questions. Atticus believes that shielding his kids in the brusque term doesn't exercise them any favors in the long run. This becomes specially clear when he thinks Jem is the one who stabbed Bob Ewell.

"Thank you lot from the lesser of my heart, merely I don't desire my boy starting out with something like this over his head. Best fashion to clear the air is to have it all out in the open. Let the county come and bring sandwiches. I don't desire him growing upwards with a whisper about him, I don't want everyone maxim, 'Jem Finch... his daddy paid a mint to go him out of that.' Sooner nosotros get this over with the improve." (thirty.34)

Atticus would rather his son underwent the momentary discomfort and hazard of existence open up about his "criminal offence" than face a lifetime of second-guessing. This is, after all, the style he himself lives, doing right by Tom Robinson and getting called a few names (and, uh, having his kids attacked) rather than suffer the shame of having supported injustice.

While Atticus holds his kids to the same loftier standards every bit he holds himself, he's there for them when they demand him. Cheque out the very last judgement of the book: "He turned out the low-cal and went into Jem'due south room. He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning" (31.56).

Fifty-fifty when Jem's unconscious and has no way of knowing what's going on, Atticus is at that place for him—considering it's the right thing to do, even if no i's watching? That would fit with what we know nearly Atticus, merely perhaps there's a simpler reason: love.

Now that's a #1 Dad.

In the Courtroom

Of grade Lookout man's dad has the be the one honest lawyer in, well, peradventure the whole South. And it sure causes his family a lot of grief. Atticus tries to explain to Picket why he's doing what he'southward doing in this case.

"If you lot shouldn't be defendin' him, then why are you lot doin' it?"

"For a number of reasons," said Atticus. "The main one is, if I didn't I couldn't hold upward my head in town, I couldn't represent this county in the legislature, I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do something again. […] Scout, merely by the nature of the piece of work, every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one's mine, I guess." (9.16-21)

For Atticus, being a lawyer isn't just a job, it's a personal commitment to justice, and to solving problems through the law rather than through violence. (Hint, hint, Spotter.) Oh, also, he had no choice: Judge Taylor assigned him to the example.

"Lemme tell yous somethin' now, Billy," a third said, "you know the court appointed him to defend this north*****." "Yeah, merely Atticus aims to defend him. That'south what I don't similar about it."

This was news, news that put a dissimilar light on things: Atticus had to, whether he wanted to or not. I thought it odd that he hadn't said annihilation to u.s. about it—we could accept used it many times in defending him and ourselves. He had to, that's why he was doing it, equaled fewer fights and less fussing. But did that explain the town'due south attitude? The court appointed Atticus to defend him. Atticus aimed to defend him. That's what they didn't like almost it. Information technology was confusing. (16.92)

Why doesn't Atticus tell Watch this, when information technology could take given her a adept excuse to get out of fights? Well, for ane, it's non really an excuse. The trouble isn't that he's defending Tom, simply that he'southward planning on doing it to the best of his ability. (About people in the town think fair trials are only for white people.) But nosotros think Atticus doesn't mention it considering he doesn't want Scout to defend him with a cop-out. Mayhap Atticus was appointed, but he likewise thinks it's the right thing to practise.

Southern Admirer

And Atticus chooses not only to really defend Tom, rather than kinda-sorta defending him, but too to treat even the horrible Ewells with respect in court. Dill notices that Mr. Gilmer doesn't return the compliment for Tom:

"Well, Mr. Finch didn't human activity that way to Mayella and old man Ewell when he cross-examined them. The fashion that man called him 'boy' all the time an' sneered at him, an' looked around at the jury every fourth dimension he answered-" (19.163)

Mr. Gilmer is willing to utilize any tools at his disposal to win his case, including taking advantage of the jury's racism. Atticus, on the other hand, appeals to the jury'southward sense of justice and equality. If the roles were reversed, if Atticus had been assigned the prosecution instead of the defense, would he accept acted any differently? Would he take even taken the case? What part of Atticus's character does Mr. Gilmer lack, to brand him able to act and then differently from his legal opponent?

Proud to Be an American?

In the end, Atticus stands for truth, fairness, and—he hopes—the American legal system. He says equally much in his endmost remarks:

"I'thousand no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and in the jury system—that is no ideal to me, it is a living, working reality. Gentlemen, a court is no better than each human of you sitting before me on this jury. A court is simply every bit sound as its jury, and a jury is simply every bit sound as the men who brand information technology up. I am confident that you lot gentlemen volition review without passion the evidence you have heard, come up to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. In the proper noun of God, practice your duty." (twenty.52)

For Atticus, Tom's trial means more than the fate of a single man. It even means more than a referendum on racism in Maycomb. The example is nigh the fairness of the American legal organisation, which means it'southward nigh the fairness of American people. In his closing remarks, Atticus argues for large principles like equality and duty, but he doesn't for a moment lose sight of the fact that in the finish it's human beings and their choices that make equality stand or fall—and in this case, autumn.

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Source: https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/to-kill-a-mockingbird/atticus-finch

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