How does Atticus Relate to Justice: Representation of Leadership

Introduction

When someone thinks of a hero, Martin Luther King Jr., Malala Yousafzai, or Rosa Parks might come to mind. Their hard work, dedication, and standing up for what they believe in that is what defines them as heroes. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the hero is Atticus Finch. The novel, based in Maycomb County, Alabama, takes you through extreme times of segregation, social inequality, and bravery during the 1930s. During a time when blacks were not as equal to whites, Atticus Finch was proved to be a hero by standing up and supporting the black man in court.

“ You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.. until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” ( Lee,30 ). Throughout hard times in the book, Atticus shows in many ways how he is a hero. Atticus Finch represents the qualities of a hero because he cares for everyone equally despite someone’s race, shows maturity in hard situations, and is a role model to Jem and Scout.

Body

Atticus’ Equalitarian Ethos

Atticus Finch shows the role of a leader partially because of how he cares for someone despite their race. An example of this is when he is supporting Tom in court. He is supporting to prove not only to his children but to the county of Maycomb. Even though Tom is black, it doesn’t give him a reason not to support him. This shows that Atticus can lead by example and help spread awareness to his kids and his county of the right things to do. He wants to show his kids that he believes in equality for all and that discrimination is not ok. Even though one is black, they still deserve rightness in court. Atticus, throughout this part of the book, makes it clear what his true morals are. Atticus always knew that Tom could never have committed the crime. As soon as he saw Tom’s bad hand, he knew he would not have been capable of raping Mayella. How could he have done that if he had been injured? “ The main one is, if I didn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again.” (Lee,78) This quote describes Atticus talking to his daughter about why he would support Tom. Atticus knew that it was the right thing to do even though he could get a lot of hate from living in such a prejudiced society. He knew Tom was innocent, and he wasn’t going to allow someone to make Tom be found guilty. Throughout this part of the book, Atticus shows how he cares for people even though they are black and show leadership through doing it.

Throughout the book, there are many times that Atticus shows maturity in hard situations. The one that shows the most is when Bob Ewell spits in his face. When Atticus went to the post office that morning, Bob approached him and spat in his face. He also used foul language against him in the way to express his anger. The reason why Bob was so mad was because he was humiliated during the court case that Atticus was a part of. He blamed him for being humiliated by Atticus. Most people in this situation would have fought back, yelled back, and would have tried to defend themselves. Instead of Atticus doing something to make the situation worse, he wiped the spit off of his face and walked away. Atticus shows extreme maturity in the situation and gives his kids a good representation of what to do in a hard situation.” Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell’s shoes for a minute. I destroyed his last shred of credibility at that trial, if he had any, to begin with. The mad had to have some kind of comeback; his kind always does. So, if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody, and I’d rather it be me than that houseful of children. You understand?” ( Lee, 292) This quote shares Atticus talking to his kids about the situation he was in. He shares why he did what he did. Atticus always puts others first. As the quote shares, he would have rather it been him than the houseful of children.

Atticus as a Parental Role Model

Lastly, in the novel, Atticus shows how he is a leader by representing one to his kids. Being a good leader also means you are a good role model for the ones you lead. Atticus shows in many ways how he is a role model to Jem and Scout. Atticus is a very successful man. He works hard for what he wants and also has a job that, at times, can be challenging at times. He is not racist or judgemental. In court, he supported a black man. He also discusses with his kids the different aspects of the justice system. In Maycomb, when all was against him, he still supported them and told his kids that they were still all good people. He has a nonjudgmental attitude towards many things, which earns him respect. Even during tough times, Atticus sticks by his kids and gives them help and comfort whenever it is needed. Many of these ways demonstrate how Atticus is a role model to his kids; he does many things that give the kids someone to look up to.

Conclusion

In life, being a leader doesn’t just mean being kind; there are so many character traits that are needed for someone to be considered a leader. Being a leader means that you are a role model whom people can look up to, someone who cares for someone, and someone who is mature. This is why in real life, people consider our present as our leaders because they show so many important aspects of being a leader. Some might argue that Atticus isn’t the leader in the novel, but there are also many ways how he is. Harper Lee gives Atticus many situations and areas where he could either fail or show true leadership qualities and win at any obstacle. Atticus has wonderful morals that he lives by that reflect on his kids. He has taught them many important life lessons and many things that will help them through life. He shows that he wants equality for all, and he shows his maturity through hard situations. This is why in To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is the leader.

References

1. Lee, H. (1960). To Kill a Mockingbird. J.B. Lippincott & Co.

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