The Charater of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird :: Kill Mockingbird essays

The Charater of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird     During the first half of To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee constructs a sweet and adoring portrait of rowing up in the world of sm only town Alabama. Harper Lee, however, continues on to dig underneath the portrayal of small town courtesy in the second half of the discussion. None of the characters in the book are perfect. This begins to show through in the second half of the book when the facade is aloof to reveal the ugliness of Maycomb and the people living there. Through these tough times though, one character manages to keep his cool. Atticus Finch, through all the struggles and pressure, stands strong as a very positive flummox figure, making sure to instill in his children three very specific values education, bravery, and acceptance.     At the beginning of the book it becomes clear why Atticus thinks education is so important, as he and Scout read in the lead bed each night. During his closing arguments in tom Robinsons case Atticus clearly acknowledges the ignorance blinding peoples minds and hearts the witnesses for the state...have presented themselves to you gentlemen...in the cynical confidence that their testimony would not be doubted, confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the...evil assumption...that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, and assumption one associates with minds of their caliber (217). program line is the key to unlocking the ignorance that causes such prejudice. Because of Atticus example Jem begins to this lesson toward the end of the book, when he wonders if family education could be based more on education than on bloodiness.     Jem also learns important lessons from his father regarding bravery. Early in the book we learn that Atticus does not ap fire of guns. He believes that guns do not make men brave and that childrens fasci nation with guns is questionable. To prove his point, he sends Jem to read for Mrs. Dubose who struggles to beat her morphine addiction before she dies. He wants to show is son that one shows true bravery when you know youre licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what (121).