Atticus Values

Have you ever been reading a book and wondered, “How does this character's’ beliefs and values reflect on how they act or the relationships they have with others?”
The book is called “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. In the book a man named Atticus helps a man named Tom Robinson who is guilty. They go to court to see if he really is guilty or someone is of the crime that has been done. Atticus has two kids named Scout and Jem, he is a lawyer in Macomb County. He is also a single parent but has a little help with their housemaid Calpurnia and Aunt Alexandria who come to live with Finch family. Atticus’ actions, thoughts and relationships reflect his beliefs and values of equality, his job, and how much he cares about his family.
Atticus’ actions of equality reflects his beliefs of him agreeing to be Tom Robinson’s lawyer. He didn’t have to be his lawyer but he did it anyways, even Tom being colored. Not many others would’ve done it but Atticus not being a judgmental person did. This is important because everyone was calling Atticus names and being rude to him, he ignored all of it because he knew what he was doing was the right thing. Everyone told him that he shouldn’t help him and he kept doing it. In the end he ended up almost winning the case. Towards the end of the book everyone heard what would happen with Tom. Most of the courtroom didn’t agree and thought it wasn’t fair, but they couldn’t do anything about it. The reason most of them didn’t think it was fair because half of the reason Tom got what he got was because he was colored. If he wasn’t colored then his punishment wouldn’t have been as bad as it was. Not many people in Maycomb would have been willing to take Tom Robinson's’ case but Atticus believed everyone deserved a chance so that’s what he did with Robinson. Atticus’ job had an affect on the relationship he has with others. He has a strong relationship with his kids because he shares the things from work, and also his kids ask questions about his job too. Atticus is also an understanding person which he probably developed from his job. Since Atticus has the quality of understanding he is able to connect with others in which most others wouldn’t be able to do this.In the book Atticus, “The main one is if I didn’t, I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature…” (Lee 100). This quote shows how much he cares about his job. You could say if he didn’t take the case then he would be ashamed to show his face around the town. When all the men showed up at Atticus’ office that night showed how his job can have negative relationships too. If the kids hadn’t been there when they were, Atticus would’ve been there longer and the men wouldn’t have left.That event was important because it partially explains how some jobs can have negative and positive relationships, also experiences in the situation with Atticus. He wasn’t looking for a fight, they more than likely were, but Scout had talked to one of them and changed that person’s mind. Atticus values his job and he has learned many things from it, he also teaches those things to his kids. Even though his job has negative and positive things, he still does what he’s been doing and enjoys it.
Throughout the book you can see how much Atticus values his family.
His relationship with his family reflects on the way he talks to them and cares, also his actions are being there even when it's been a long day. In the novel Jem says, “She wants me to come afternoon after school and Saturday and read to her out loud for two hours” (Lee 140). Most adults would more than likely let Jem go with what he did to Mrs. Dubose’s yard and put it off like it was nothing. Atticus made him go read because he knew that Jem would learn a lesson, he also knew Dubose was sick and needed something to keep her busy. Atticus said, “Nobody’s about to make you go anywhere but to bed pretty soon. I’m just going over to tell Miss Rachel you’re here…” (Lee 88). Atticus could’ve easily called Dill’s parents and sent him back home but since he treats Dill as a son of his own and he knew how much it meant to all of them that Dill could stay. There are many other events in the book that shows how Atticus values his family but those are just a few. His family is probably the most important thing to him next to his job.
Equality, Atticus’ job, and his family are a couple of beliefs and values that are reflected of his actions, thoughts, and relationships. The main points of the essay were Atticus and how much he values his family, the importance of his job, and Atticus’ belief in equality. Atticus is a man that has many things that reflect on how he acts around others like the way he communicates to people. The thoughts he has are very clear and easy to understand. Atticus has many relationships throughout the small town of Macomb which all relationships are close and explained thoroughly in the
book.