TKM & Moral Education
Language Arts
Period 7 Moral education: the teaching of principles and rules of conduct, or the distinction between right and wrong; also one of the main themes in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird.
Interwoven in the complex storyline written by Harper Lee are many lessons of morality. The majority of these lessons are taught through the character of Atticus Finch. He never fails to give valuable advice, and turn every mistake into an opportunity to learn and become a better you. As a reader, I found myself on multiple occasions relating to topics in which Atticus addressed such as courage, racism and perspective.
When describing courage, Atticus says, “It's when you know you're licked but you begin anyways and you …show more content…
Previous to this quote, Atticus explained that he did not want his children to believe courage was just someone with a gun. Harming others is not a heroic way to do things, but more so the cowardly way to get yourself out of situations. Real courage is knowing that odds are not in your favor, but still following through with the things you believe to be right.
Another one of the major topics, (as well as themes), of TKM that Atticus addresses is racism. In the time and place this book was originally written, it was ordinary to find racism in every aspect of life between white and black folks. Of all the mind opening things Mr.Finch has
to say on equality, I found this quote exceptionally powerful: "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 itwhenever 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(220)". Atticus is straight to the point, it is not acceptable to put one man before another based on his money, the color of his skin,