TO KILL A
MOCKINGBIRD
Character Revision
Atticus Finch
• Atticus Finch is a single parent
and nearly fifty years old
when we meet him.
• We learn his approach to
bringing up his children when
Scout says “he played with us,
read to us, and treated us
with courteous detachment”
• Aunt Alexandra does not
agree with his parenting,
particularly with Scout who is
far too masculine for her
liking.
Atticus Finch
• Atticus believes in being honest and straightforward with
Jem and Scout, always listening to their opinion and
answering difficult questions, even the embarrassing ones.
• He treats them with respect, even allowing them to come
back to hear the trial verdict, even though he must realise
that there may be implications later.
• Originally they are slightly embarrassed by him because he
does not act like their friends’ fathers, but through his
shooting of the dog and his defending of Tom, they eventually
gain respect for him.
• Scout and Jem consequently learn to respect him for being a
constant, principled and sympathetic figure.
Atticus Finch
• Miss Maudie comments on his consistency of
character, whether privately at home or in public. His
conduct is always gentlemanly despite provocation.
• Atticus’s maxim (a short statement proposing model
human behaviour) follows that if you attempt to
stand in another’s shoes or another’s skin you will be
able to see their point of view and there will be an
understanding and tolerance and therefore no
prejudice.
Atticus Finch
• This is repeated to the
children and demonstrated by
Atticus.
• For instance when he tries to
sympathise with Mrs Dubose
and understand Robert
Ewell’s anger.
• Scout and Jem learn to do so
in their assessment of Mayella
Ewell and Boo Radley.
Atticus Finch
• Atticus’ self respect and pride demand that he makes sure
Tom Robinson gets a fair trial. His case is ordered and his
oratory is admired.
• His language reflects his personality: courteous, formal and
straightforward
• His views are enlightened and he is a man of extreme
courage, fighting against the prejudice of his community.
Atticus Finch
• Atticus could be considered the
main character of the novel.
• He embodies the themes of
justice, tolerance, goodness and
courage.
• He is a man of extreme integrity
and it is through his mouth that
Harper Lee expresses her moral
philosophy.
What does Atticus do in the novel?
1. Atticus teaches his children important lessons such as
understanding other people’s viewpoints (Chapter 3)
2. Atticus shoots a mad dog to protect the community
(Chapter 10)
3. Atticus sits outside the Maycomb jail to protect Tom
Robinson from a lynch mob (Chapter 15)
4. Atticus defends Tom Robinson, a black man accused of
raping a white woman (Chapters 17-21)
5. Atticus agrees to keep quiet about the details of the
incident with Bob Ewell (Chapter 30)
How is Atticus described and what does it mean?
Quotation
Meaning
“We were….. free to interrupt Atticus for a
translation”
Atticus uses formal language but is patient and
happy to explain things. He believes in being
honest, respectful and straightforward with his
children.
“Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is
on the public streets”
Atticus is always consistent and courteous. This
is usually a good thing, but his ideas and
principles can put him and his family at risk in
society.
“He sat in the living room and read”
He is a studious lawyer, not young and active.
He does not conform to society’s view of what
it is to be a Southern gentleman and is
something of a loner.
“He’s the only man in these parts who can
keep a jury out so long”
A persuasive lawyer, he is determined that Tom
Robinson gets a fair trial. Racial prejudice
means he can’t win, but he will try to change
things.
The Qualities of Atticus
• Atticus is a lawyer but he doesn’t just do the job for financial
reasons – he cares about his clients and accepts things like
hickory nuts as payment from poorer people.
• He is also honourable and unselfish. He does his best to
defend Tom Robinson even though that he knows a lot of
people in Maycomb won’t like him for it. He says there’s been
talk in the town that he “shouldn’t do much about defending
this man”.
• Defending Tom Robinson shows how important Atticus’ job is
to his sense of self-worth – he says that if he didn’t try his best
he wouldn’t be able to “hold up my head in town”.
The Qualities of Atticus
• He is also a good father. He teaches Scout and Jem to accept
people’s social and racial differences and not to judge people
because of them.
• He is always honest with his children and tries to answer their
questions truthfully. He spends time with them – reading,
kicking a ball around and talking to them; this would have
been unusual for fathers of that time.
• Atticus contrasts with the other fathers in the book – Dill’s
father isn’t interested in him, Bob Ewell mistreats his children
and Mr Radley tries to keep Boo indoors.
The Qualities of Atticus
• Atticus earns everyone’s respect by respecting everyone.
Atticus is courteous to everybody, regardless of their race,
social class or behaviour towards him. He sees the good in
everybody and tries to encourage his children to do the same.
• For example, even though Mrs Dubose says offensive things
about Atticus, he is still courteous to her. He is polite to
everyone.
• He isn’t hypocritical and doesn’t have double standards,
unlike most of the people of Maycomb. He practices what he
preaches. He teaches his children to be honest, empathic and
fair – just like he is.
The Qualities of Atticus
• He provides a voice for the black community when he takes on Tom
Robinson’s case.
• But he also recognises when he needs a black person to
communicate for him – for example when he takes Calpurnia with
him to tell Helen Robinson that her husband is dead.
• He is different to the rest of the men in Maycomb. At the start of
the book, Jem and Scout don’t appreciate their father because they
think he is “feeble” as he is “nearly fifty”. But Atticus isn’t afraid to
be different from the rest of Maycomb’s men – he’s academic, he
doesn’t drink and he spends his evenings reading with his family.
• In Maycomb, people are judged for being different but because the
town respects Atticus, they accept the way he is.
The Weakness’ of Atticus
• However, he is still human. Sometimes, he loses his temper or gets
angry like when he “fusses” or has a “fierce discussion” with Aunt
Alexandra.
• He is disheartened when he loses the trial – “If I don’t wake up in
the morning, don’t call me”.
• He misjudges Bob Ewell’s threats: “What on earth could Ewell do to
me, sister?”
• His faith is people almost get his children killed. Though his
weakness’ are those of an idealist, he does take undue risk with his
own life and the lives of his children in the name of justice.
Exam Question: 2012 Q.1
From the short stories and novel you have
studied, choose either a character you like OR a
character you dislike.
Identify one or more incidents from the text
that particularly influenced your feelings
towards this character and explain why your
chosen incident(s) influenced you to either like
him or her.
(30 marks)
Tackling the Question!
• The Studied Fiction section of the paper accounts for 30 marks. You
should spend no more than 25 minutes on this section.
• Ensure that you are familiar with a wide range of references and
quotations from the novel. This will help you to support your view.
• Be careful answering the question. Underline the important words
and phrases in the question to establish exactly what you have
been asked to do.
• Do NOT merely summarise the book – an honours level candidate is
expected to do much more than that.
Sample Answer
I have been very fortunate to study the novel ‘To Kill a Mocking Bird’ by
Harper Lee. The novel describes the life of the Finch family in the south of
America in the nineteen thirties. A character that I especially liked in the
novel was the head of this family, Atticus Finch.
Atticus was a lawyer and single parent. He was “nearly fifty” and “was
related by blood or marriage to nearly every family in Maycomb.” Atticus
impressed me because he was a very strong, compassionate and fair man.
He is a brilliant father and frequently dispenses valuable advice to his
children. He tells Scout, “You never really understand a person until you
consider things from his point of view.”
The main thing that influenced my feelings towards Atticus was his
decision to defend Tom Robinson even though he knows it will impact on
him negatively. I think this is an extremely brave thing to do. It is obvious
that Atticus is not racist like so many of the Maycomb inhabitants. He tells
Scout not to use the word “nigger” because it is “common”. He tries his
best to defend and protect Tom Robinson. He even risks personal danger
outside the jailhouse when the “mob” comes to lynch Tom.
Sample Answer
I was also impressed with the compassion Atticus showed Mayella
Ewell. He realised that she was to be pitied rather than condemned
despite her cruel treatment of Tom Robinson. After the trial, Bob
Ewell spits in the lawyer’s face. He remained incredibly calm and
told Scout, “If spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella
Ewell an extra beating, that’s something I’d gladly take.” I think this
statement shows what a caring man Atticus was and it made me
like him even more.
Atticus was “always courteous to everybody”. He had great
patience and was even polite to the dreaded Miss Dubois. Mayella
Ewell thought he was mocking her when he addressed her as a
woman deserving respect. As Scout says, “I never heard Atticus
raise his voice in my life, except to a deaf woman.” His ability to be
polite to everyone regardless of their character is very admirable.
Sample Answer
There is much to admire in Atticus but he is not a one-dimensional
character. His character would be tedious if he was merely a saintly
character with no real depth. Fortunately, there is more to Atticus.
He is a real man who can get angry or frustrated at times. The
tiresome Aunt Alexandra frequently irritates him. He also has a very
sharp, dry sense of humour. I enjoyed his witty one-liners
throughout the novel.
I really liked the character of Atticus Finch. His character definitely
enhanced my enjoyment of the novel and caused me to reflect on
my own behaviour.