What Is Atticus Finch Courageous

Atticus Finch is one of the major characters in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird written in 1960. Atticus is a lawyer in Maycomb, the representative of Alabama in the State Legislator and the father of Scout and Jeremy Finch. The major themes and ideas Lee emphasizes in the novel are social inequality and intolerance, education, legal justice and bravery are represented in one way or another through this character. Atticus Finch is a man of principles who is consistent in his views and deeds throughout the novel. He has an arguable type of personality because many people back then would call him ignorant, but he still fought against his doubters. Although he is criticized and mocked by many characters in the novel for his tolerant attitude
However, he believes that real courage is not manifested in "a man with a gun in his hand". Although he once has been the best shooter in the town, his children have never seen him using a gun before the dog incident. Moreover, Atticus is too courageous and righteous to abide by the norms of the pride white people in his town. He defends a black man, Tom Robinson accused of raping a white young girl, against his white opponent. Atticus believes from the very beginning that he is to lose his case. However, he withstands people's insults to himself and his children for the sake of the color-blind law he aims to achieve. Also, Atticus' courage makes him ready to present his own son to be punished when he thought he killed Bob Ewelld whereas Sheriff Tate tries to defend Jem. Atticus' frequent courageous defense of his principles has had an impact on his children's conception of courage. Scout says “I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to any wars, was the bravest man who ever lived". Atticus does not abide by the norms of the white community pride. Not only does he defend Tom Robinson, but he also chooses to go himself to his wife to tell her about his death. The agony and pity of the late prisoner’s wife and not her color is what mattered to him. Atticus has chosen to defend his morals and his belief of justice regardless to the ethnic associations of Tom Robinson’s case. Unlike other characters in the novel, Atticus perceives the
Unlike his brother, Atticus is an expert in dealing with little children. His wise and firm opinions and deeds have had great influence on the characters of Jem and Scout as the novel proceeds. Miss Maudie says that “Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets”. He deals with Scout and Jem as if they are adults. For instance, he does not hesitate to answer Scout's question about the meaning of "rape", and he makes deals with his children and is committed to them. At the same time, Atticus understands that Jem and Scout are still children and they are bound to make childish mistakes. He finds excuses for their bad deeds and that makes him more patient with them than his sister Alexandra. For example, he says to her when she criticizes the language Scout uses that "bad language is a stage all children go through, and it dies with time when they learn they're not attracting attention with it." Atticus is eager to teach his children good values and practices through people’s mistakes and poor behaviour and their own mistakes in real life situations rather than by giving them instructions. He does not rebuke or punish Jem and Scout for attending the trial of Robison or for secretly following him to the jail where Robinson was kept. He is always aware of what his children secretly do. For example, he has known that it was Jem at whom Mr. Radely once shot his gun. Yet, he frequently draws their