To Kill a Mockingbird

Atticus Takes the Case
Imagine being a person that is highly admired and respected. To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel by Harper Lee, tells the tale of prejudice in a place named Maycomb County during the 1930’s. The story is told by the narrator, Scout Finch, who is the daughter of Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch is a lawyer that represents Maycomb County. In Maycomb County, Atticus Finch is a respected citizen because he is a good father to his children, hard working, and not prejudiced. Atticus Finch is a good father because he tries to teach Jem and Scout ways to grow up responsibly and with morals. After Scout’s horrible first day of school, she tells Atticus she doesn’t want to attend school anymore. “‘You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view- until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it’” (Lee 30). Atticus was explaining to Scout to try to understand other people’s perspectives. She had to try to understand others circumstances and not only her own. Atticus giving her this advice would help her be more open minded into others’ situations. Jem and Scout received air riffles as gifts from Uncle Jack for Christmas. “‘Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird’” (Lee 90). Clearly, Atticus is a good father because he’s teaching them more lessons. He indicated that it would be a sin to harm the mockingbirds because they do no harm. All they do is provide us with lovely music. They are innocent and should be left alone.
Additionally, Atticus Finch is hard working because he puts effort into his job. Even though he doesn’t have a big change of winning the Tom Robinson case, he still tried to help prove him innocent. “‘Before I’m through, I intend to jar the jury a bit. I think we’ll have a reasonable chance on appeal though’” (Lee 117). Atticus is determined to help Tom Robinson. Despite the high chance of losing the case, he still puts his best effort to help prove him innocent. Finch is a great, intelligent lawyer and does his best to find evidence. He tries his hardest to defend Robinson, and did an excellent job defending him at court.
Moreover, Atticus Finch is not prejudiced because he doesn’t care about one’s skin color and believes that everyone should be treated equally. Atticus is trying to indoctrinate the jury to think long and hard about this case and not to rule Tom guilty because he was African American. “‘You know the truth is this. Some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, some Negro men are not to be trusted around women-black or white. But this is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of men’” (Lee 273). This proves that he is not prejudice because he believes that it doesn’t matter if someone is white or black. The truth applied to everyone. Atticus conversed to Jem about the Tom Robinson case. “‘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, he is trash’”(Lee 224). Atticus had discussed to Jem that someone’s background didn’t matter. If that person insults another, even if it’s a black man, they are not a good person.
Atticus Finch is an amazing father, hard working, and is not prejudiced. Due to this, he is a highly respected citizen in Maycomb County. As a good father, he presents morals and ethics to his children. As a hard working lawyer, he puts in his best efforts into the Tom Robinson case. As an unprejudiced man, he believes in equality. Respect is something that is earned. To be favored or respected, one should show reasons to be respected.