Atticus the Philospher

Atticus the Philosopher Atticus is a great father who sets a good example for his children. He practices what he preaches. Throughout the book, Atticus teaches Jem and Scout three important lessons, to keep your head up, have courage, and to not judge people. Atticus teaches his children these lessons through words of encouragement and his actions. During the novel Atticus teaches his and his children to keep their heads up high. He teaches them this because he knows during the Tom Robinson case that people in Maycomb will talk about them and himself. There is evidence to support that this lesson is mostly for scout, because at such a young age she does not understand what the comments mean. This is evident in chapter nine when Cecil Jacobs announces to the class that Atticus defends niggers. The first suggestion of this is when Scout and Jem are walking home from school that day and she asks “What’d he mean sayin’ that?” referring to Cecil’s comment, indicating she did not actually understand his attack, only that it was meant to be hurtful. Later that night she asks Atticus if he defend niggers. This shows that even though she denied the comment made at school, she was not sure if it was true. The third piece of evidence that points to this lesson being mostly for Scout is in chapter 9 when the family is at the Finch Landing for Christmas. While there, her second cousin Francis calls Atticus a “nigger lover”. Later when Uncle Jack comes into talk to Scout about the licking he gave her, she explains that he does not know children and that he was unfair. She tells him that he did not give her a chance to tell her side of the story and that she was provoked into using obscene language and violence when Francis calls Atticus a name. When he asks for the name she answers “A nigger lover. I ain’t very sure what it means but the way Francis said it…” showing again that she does not understand the meaning of these words only that it is meant to attack her.