Preview

Man vs Society

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
413 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Man vs Society
Man vs. Society

In today’s world, days are sometimes based upon whether one will be accepted into society by their actions, but for many, it’s about standing out from the rest. Though these are two completely different ideas, under certain circumstances, both ideas can become equally important. For many, they will do everything possible to make a difference. In 1955, during one of the largest racial segregations, an African American woman named Rosa Parks became a legacy. Despite the harsh laws, she stood her ground and refused to give up her seat to a white man on a public bus (Wikipedia.com). She definitely made a statement that resulted in a nationwide controversy. By doing so, Rosa Park’s actions became inspiration for all African Americans who have dealt with the same pains of being treated unfairly. Thus, she became a leader and a hero for being one of the many who put an end to the racial discrimination. For standing up for what she believed and for the sake of others, Rosa Parks made a difference in the world today. Because one person went against all of society, she was able to make the world a better place. With determination and courage, Rosa Parks demonstrates how far anyone can succeed and make a difference against all odds. But for others, some were never given the chance. In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Tom Robinson, an African American man, was accused of abusing and raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman. But because he was of different skin color and at the scene of the incident, he was immediately to blame. Though an honest man, there was not much Robinson could do because of his unawareness of how to handle the situation. “… Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men’s hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed” (Lee). Atticus, Robinson’s lawyer, fought for his freedom with an unfailing heart. But because, the

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Tom Robinson Quotes

    • 129 Words
    • 1 Page

    The next reason is that Atticus has a personal connection to the Tom Robinson case Atticus feels that he “couldn't hold his head in town’’ and “couldn’t represent this country in the legislature” if he did not give this case his all.…

    • 129 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Imagine back to the 1950’s where a african american women comes home from work and her and others are forced to give up their seats. She quietly refuses, and she is arrested. This is Rosa Parks story. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white man and was arrested for challenging the laws of segregation. Rosa Parks was an African American civil rights activists and is well known as “the mother of the freedom movement. She is know as a hero today. Another person that we consider as a hero is Odysseus, an epic hero in the story the Odyssey who overcomes many dangers and obstacles to get home. Although Odysseus, an epic hero from the Odyssey, and Rosa Parks, and african…

    • 385 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    According to Mr. Raymond Arsenault the recent death of Rosa Parks refocused nationwide attention on one of the crucial figures of the civil rights movement the Freedom Riders. However without the heroism of hundreds of unsung activist, Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat on the bus would not have accomplished what it did. In the "Freedom Riders," Raymond Arsenault…

    • 631 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Atticus Finch has multiple conflicts in To Kill a Mockingbird. But the major one was him defending Tom Robinson. The judge specifically chose Atticus because he knows he isn’t prejudice, and nobody else would be willing to defend Tom in the trial. He was a bit hesitant to accept the task at first, be he knew he had to do it whether people would hate him or not. Atticus has a lot going on in his life. He’s attempting to defend Tom and try to win the trial, but at the same time he’s raising Jem and Scout. He decides he can’t do it alone se he…

    • 635 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    but he didn't. Atticus was showing bravery he took on The Tom Robinson case and he was standing up for what's right despite the harsh things he would go though and he knows that he will face it with wisdom. Atticus even told Jem and scout if he doesn't take this case it was like tell them don't listen to what he tells them. Tom Robinson was innocent and but he was found guilty then it is only because of the jury’s racism and Mr. Ewell had less evidence to show and it came out to see that he beat his own daughter.…

    • 575 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Generally, he risks his life staying outside the jail to protect Tom Robinson even though he does not have to. In the story, Scout states, “We were taking a short cut across the square when four dusty cars came in... Nobody got out. We saw Atticus look up from his newspaper. He closed it, folded it deliberately, dropped it in his lap, and pushed his hat to the back of his head. He seemed to be expecting them.” (Lee 151). Even when Atticus knows there will be an angry mob coming, the principles of wrong and right keep him there to protect Tom Robinson. He is aware that he does not have to stay but he takes his job as a lawyer one step further and ensures the safety of his client because it is the morally right thing to do. Furthermore, Atticus accepts the appointment to Tom Robinson’s case even though he is resented by the people of Maycomb. Atticus explains, “‘There’s been some high talk around town to the effect that I shouldn’t do much about defending this man... If I didn’t, I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this country in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again.’” (Lee 75). Atticus is a man of integrity. He knows Tom Robinson is innocent but a black person in the south will not get a fair shake against a white person. He accepts Tom’s case because he knows it is the right thing to do. Atticus made a moral decision even though that decision was unpopular. Finally, Atticus lives with moral integrity every day. He is described as the same in the house as he is on the streets. “‘This case, Tom Robinson’s case is something that goes to the essence of a man’s conscience – Scout, I couldn’t go to church and worship God if I didn’t try to help that man.’” (Lee 139). Atticus has one set of morals, he has the same for business as he has for family. He is incapable of doing anything that would mention the…

    • 850 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Atticus Finch Qualities

    • 521 Words
    • 3 Pages

    It all started when Bob Ewell, the white scum of Maycomb, beat his daughter and blamed Tom Robinson for raping her. Mayella, Ewell’s daughter, confirmed this accusation, of course, because she was afraid of her father beating her again. Since Tom was black, he was arrested with no further questioning. That is where Atticus comes in. The judge wanted Tom Robinson to have a fair trial so he didn’t have him get represented by a court-appointed attorney, he appointed Atticus.…

    • 521 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Harper Lee portrays Atticus as a scrupulous and superb lawyer, who goes through a troublesome trial. “‘Your father’s no better than the niggers and trash he works for,’” (135) this was said about Atticus by Mrs. Dubose, and this was how many other people felt about the situation as well. He was defending Tom Robinson, who was accused of raping Mayella Ewell. Mr. Finch was known for using agile techniques during his trials to get the information he needed. Despite Tom Robinson being at a disadvantage…

    • 705 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout the book, readers are shown Atticus’ high morals and values and the events in chapter 15 only explore that further. In this chapter, Atticus chooses to put himself in harm’s way in order to do what is right, hence displaying moral courage. After the fellow townsfolk warn him of a lynch mob, the lawyer takes it upon himself to protect his client – Tom Robinson – from the racist mob. He goes out of his way to travel to the town late at night and unarmed, leaving himself very vulnerable. He is a lawyer by profession, not an officer.…

    • 554 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Tom Robinson Stereotypes

    • 966 Words
    • 4 Pages

    This was not his choice or decision. When Tom Robinson was accused of committing a rape, every person knew that no matter how good Atticus’s arguments were, Robinson would be found guilty simply because he was black. Blacks were considered as flaws in a wannabe-utopian society. They were treated as if they were rodents, some inferior animals that were not human because they had a dark skin tone. Being a black man, Robinson lived with this stereotype his entire life. Even though people treated Robinson worse than they would treat an animal, Robinson felt no hate towards these people. He was very polite towards them; he was always willing to lend a helping hand. Unfortunately, Tom Robinson could not change the outlook of the…

    • 966 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    He does not let anything stand in his way, especially prejudice people. Atticus uses his lawyer skills and intelligence to win his battles. He will do anything that he knows is right in his heart. In the story Atticus faces a very scary moment that requires a lot of courage from him. Atticus goes one night to protect Tom from a mob. He knows that these people could easily hurt him and get Tom, but he has courage. He lets nothing stand in his way of the truth.“’ He in there Mr. Finch?” a man said. “He is,” we heard Atticus answer, “and he’s asleep. Don’t wake him up”’ (Lee 202). Tom doesn’t even know that Atticus did any of this for him. Atticus most likely knew Tom would never find out and did it out of good will. It takes true courage to risk your life out of just plain good will. Even Mrs. Dubose was against Atticus defending Tom Robinson. Every day he was still the exact same—nice and polite—to her and everyone else. He was courageous and did all of this to do what was…

    • 772 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Atticus Finch

    • 403 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Atticus was proven as a fantastic lawyer throughout the book, and everyone in the county could attest to it. “Well he can make somebody’s will so airtight can’t nobody meddle with it,” Miss Maudie told Jem and Scout. (Pg. 95) People from all around the county would come to Atticus to write their Last Will and Testament. This points to the respect that Atticus has and the almost father figure that he is to many people around Maycomb. In addition Atticus is a role model to society, because he did the right thing in the Tom Robinson case. He knew Tom was innocent, however he knew it would be very controversial to represent a black man. Even though representing Tom went against what was acceptable in society, he did it anyway and stood up for his morals and beliefs. This served as a lesson to both his kids and society.…

    • 403 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    When the judge assigned him the job of defending Tom Robinson, he knew that he had to accept the case because if he rejected it an innocent man would die without a fair trial as everyone on the jury was white and they would not side with a man who was black. Atticus, himself knew that even though the odds were against Tom Robinson he would not be able to face himself everyday knowing that he did not try to stop this injustice. When he made up his mind to stand up and help Tom Robinson, Atticus went through the extremes of defending Tom with only a small gun when a mob came over to the county jail with the intention of killing his client and making his family face the prejudice and danger that went along with his defending someone black at that time. He even gained dangerous enemies such as Bob Ewell. Although he lost the case, Atticus was still able to think of himself in an honorable way because he knew that he stood up for what he believed…

    • 513 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    He made plans to get Tom Robinson's sentence shortened, or even his sentence dropped. "He put his hand on his shoulder and whispered something to him." When Atticus does this, he is telling Tom about the final verdict of the case, and about their plans to make the appeal. Atticus was going to file for an appeal to a higher court, but Tom Robinson was shot, as he tried to escape prison. Because of Atticus' determination to make this appeal, and get Tom's sentence changed, he isn't seen as a failure, because of his determination to prove that Tom was…

    • 598 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Initially, it makes sense for Atticus to take a stand because of his reasonableness. Atticus is the type of parent to be a role role model for his children, Scout and Jem. For instance, Atticus explains, “... I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't represent this country in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again” (Lee 75). Atticus tell his children that he has to live with himself before he pleases others, that's why he is defending a “negro”. On the other hand, the night Tom Robinson was moved to the county jail, Atticus sat outside the jail reading his newspaper waiting for the mob to show up with guns trying to hurt Atticus and Tom. Luckily the children…

    • 537 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays