Atticus Finch Hero

To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel by Harper Lee which in many ways reflects real life societal conditions in the south. The novel shines light on the prevalent racism and discrimination individuals have to endure. Among this, one of the most inspirational characters begins to take steps to fight the glaring injustice. Atticus Finch is a man of integrity, intelligence, and a strong moral code, but more importantly, recognizes the importance of teaching this to others. Lee portrays him as a hero in many different ways, his strong mentality serving as a basic threshold for his courageous actions. Atticus Finch is a heroic individual by defending those he sees are helpless, and always staying true to his morals and values while simultaneously raising …show more content…
Atticus always tries to instill bravery and a sense of right and wrong in his children. This was partly why he took up Tom Robinson’s case because even though he knew it was a losing battle, he fought vigorously in court for him because he believed it to be an honorable cause. According to him, “ This case, Tom Robinson’s case, is something that goes to the essence of a man’s conscience--Scout, I couldn't go to a church and worship god if I didn't try to help out that man….but before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself” (104, 105). This is him saying that if he didn’t accept that case and fight for Tom Robinson, he would feel like a hypocrite. In the world of Atticus Finch, he cannot just ignore his morals when they did not suite him. Atticus in Maycomb was known as “...the same in his house as he is on the public streets” (46). Atticus did not have one set of morals for business, and another for family. He did not have one set of morals towards blacks and another towards whites. What he did have was one universal “code of conduct” in which he treated everyone equally and did not stereotype or bias anybody based on their looks, but rather on the content of their character. This disagreed with …show more content…
These same moral beliefs led him to accept and defend Tom Robinson in court. Atticus Finch, recognizing Tom’s helpless situation, accepted because he knew nobody would stand up for Tom. Atticus vigorously defended Tom in and out of court. Atticus shows great physical courage when he positions himself between Tom Robinson and the lynch mob that has come for him. Sitting alone in front of the jail, Atticus waits for what he expects will happen. He is unarmed, and instead relies on peaceful methods such as talking to the mob to appeal to their human side. Atticus shows no fear for his own safety, except for when the kids come. With courage, he once again honors his moral principles, protecting Tom's life by risking his