Atticus Finch as a Mockingbird Essay Example

Along with Boo Radley, his neighbor Atticus Finch is also a mockingbird because he represents a kind, purehearted, understanding man who was willing to see the world from a fair perspective. One of Atticus’s principles is to never judge a person, and instead “consider things from his point of view”(Lee 33). However, due to this, Atticus received the blunt misjudgment and oppression from the Maycomb society that was fueled by racism. This is first shown through the perspective of Scout, and her experiences of being faced with negative comments towards Atticus. Throughout her first year of school, she faces the comment that Atticus is a “n***** lover” a derogatory term referring to people who weren’t prejudiced to African Americans during the time. Due to the fact that Scout didn’t know what the term meant, she went to Atticus and asked him if he was a “n***** Lover” and Atticus responded with “ I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody…I’m hard put sometimes-baby,  it’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how the poor that person is doesn’t hurt you”(Lee pg 124). This represents Atticus’s good morality and willingness to comprehend that he isn’t the problem, and instead it is the Maycomb people’s poor opinion. Atticus is also a mockingbird because he faces physical confrontation from people who dislike him. The first time this happened is when “Mr Bob Ewell stopped Atticus on the post office corner, spat in his face, and told him he’d get him if it took the rest of this life”(Lee page 247). This interaction shows how Atticus is being alienated as his innocence is being destroyed due to prejudice and racism. However, despite these actions Atticus is still a good man and says that he would deal with these interactions because if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take”(Lee 249). This shows how Atticus truly is a compassionate man, and that he is being misjudged and painted poorly because of his empathy. Lastly, Atticus is a Mockingbird because of his ability to do believe what is right, despite being alienated by others. This is shows when Atticus tells Jem and Scout “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, that white man is trash.”(Lee 252).