Atticus Finch Defending

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the importance of defending and protecting the defenseless is very prominent throughout the entire story. To Kill a Mockingbird is about two children, Jean Louise Finch, who is referred to as Scout, and her older brother Jeremy Atticus Finch, who is referred to as Jem. They both live with their father, Atticus Finch, in the small, dull town of Maycomb. The novel showcases the events and timeline of Scout and Jem’s journey into maturity, as they learn about the importance of protecting the innocent and defending the defenseless. Harper Lee examines the importance of protecting the vulnerable members of society, as is shown through the characters of Tom Robinson, Arthur Radley, and Walter Cunningham. Tom
Atticus also comments on this issue when he is conversing with Jem: “There’s something in our world that makes men lose their heads—they couldn’t be fair if they tried. In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins. They’re ugly, but those are the facts of life.” This explains that Tom Robinson’s miserable fate was rather instantaneously sealed the moment he was accused by a member of the white community, and he had no method or means of effectively defending himself, simply because of the enormous extent of racism that exists in the hearts of white Maycomb residents. Tom’s honesty is utterly useless when pitted against the likes of the white ethnic group, and even a white man’s lies and corruption will supersede a black man’s righteousness. Although Tom is defenseless due to his racial group, this is not the only factor that contributes to total vulnerability, as is displayed through the character of Arthur