Atticus Finch Character Analysis in To Kill a Mockingbird

Imagine sitting in a courtroom with more than half of the room saying you're guilty of something you didn't do. You only have one chance to be proven unguilty. Your only chance is a white man. You on the other hand are a black man being accused of raping a young white woman. This all took place during the 1930s. Atticus Finch is the man who defends Tom Robinson. Atticus isn't your typical white man in the 30s who is racist. Atticus instead defends Tom as if he was white with the same equality. In the book “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, Atticus is demonstrated as a courageous man because he is willing to teach his family right and wrong, to never give up, and do not to believe someone because of their skin color. 

In the town of Maycomb, Alabama, Atticus is assigned to be the lawyer of a black man accused of raping a white woman. Atticus knows it's a lost cause from the start, but he has the evidence of Tom being unguilty. Scout and Jem (Atticus’s children) question why he tries if he knows he's gonna lose the case, but Atticus believes everyone should be treated equally.``It’s when you [Scout] know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.” (Lee 103)Atticus says this to Scout about what courage is what he did for Tom Robinson. Atticus knows it's a lost cause but he begins anyways. He is a courageous man by proving Tom was unguilty for the rape of a white female. That may have been his job, but he didn't treat him like most white males would have. He treated Tom fairly with the equality he deserved. The older you grow the more of it you’ll [Scout and Jem] see. The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box. 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 207) This quote from To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee describes to Scout and Jem why he treats people of color with the same liability (no bigger or smaller) than any other human being. Atticus has lots of courage to do this because this novel took place in 1933-1935 during the great depression which was a dreadful time for all Americans but especially blacks. Black people were put as lower class and treated as if they are your server. Atticus wanted Tom to be treated with equality and not like trash. So, when Atticus tried his hardest to prove Tom Robinson's unguilty it proved Atticus to be a courageous man.

Atticus, as a lawyer, has to defend Tom. Most people in the town assume Atticus wouldn't try because Tom is black and people who are black are “always wrong”. Atticus knows the truth and does not do Tom dirty and tries his hardest because he has courage. Atticus didn’t judge Tom by his skin color, for he treated him like an equal. “I'm not the kind of person who comes here to say what you like. I'm going to tell you the truth whether you like it or not.” (Malcolm X BOTB) Malcolm X says this perfectly. Atticus knows the truth and he wants everyone else to know. Atticus doesn't let skin color get in the way of facts and racism in Maycomb. He knows it's not what others expect of him, but he wants to do the right thing which isn't always easy.“all too many others have been more cautious than courageous and have remained silent behind the anesthetizing security of stained glass windows.” (MLK 27) MLK says you should speak up rather than remain silent which is something Atticus believes in. Using your mind over your physical actions or silence. Atticus could have figured out the truth and not have said anything because Tom was black. Atticus instead spoke up and he believes he could have had a strong chance of winning the case. These acts of bravery from him show his bravery and righteous morals for equality. Atticus was not a racist like the majority of his town, instead, he defended him like any other person.

Atticus should not be considered a moderate because he doesn't do what the majority would have done. His actions were strongly influenced by his morals and he wanted to spread them to his kids. “Whether you are a Christian, or a Muslim, or a Nationalist, we all have the same problem. They don’t hang you because you’re a Baptist; they hang you ‘cause you’re black.” (Malcolm X 7)Being black gave them less advantage already. They could have done nothing wrong like Tom Robinson, but in the end, the race always took over the truth because too many people assumed being black meant you were lesser. Atticus on the other hand did not believe that if you were black you were less. He believed that you deserve to be treated as no different than your neighbor." Atticus, are we going to win it?  No, honey[Scout]. Then, why— ? Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win," (Lee 75) Atticus knows because of America and how African Americans were treated during this time there was the smallest chance to win the case. He gave it all he could even though most wouldn't have. Atticus was more than a moderate, he had righteous morals and wanted to make sure his family would grow up with the morals he had.

Tom lost the trial even when proven innocent by Atticus. Atticus knew it was a lost cause, but he never seemed to give up. He always had some sort of courage. It's frustrating to see someone get accused without any evidence and then to decide because of the color of one’s skin. If you're treating someone like trash because of their race, you are trash. MLK says,” all too many others have been more cautious than courageous.” Atticus was one of the few to be courageous, using his voice to try his hardest to prove Tom innocent, teaching his kids why someone's skin color doesn't mean you should treat them with less respect. The book To Kill A Mockingbird took place in the 1930s. To this day we still struggle with hatred and disrespect towards people of color. Atticus is someone we all need in our lives. A courageous person who doesn't believe your skin changes your value as a human being.