Atticus Finch: a Character Sketch

To Kill a Mockingbird

Atticus Finch, Man of Equality

There is one thing in our world that should have no question, no one should doubt it, or disbelieve it, it is something that should be embraced by all. This very concept is seemingly simple, yet for some reason our world to this day does not practice it as it should. It is as straightforward as an eight letter word: equality. One would think that through the works of inspirational activists such as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and Mohandas Ghandi we would all be treating others equally, but sadly this is not the case. All over the world people have to go through hardships such as sexism, religious discrimination, and racism. The novelistic town of Maycomb County is no different. In Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” the citizens of Maycomb County saw this tragedy on a daily basis. Thankfully there was a man in their town that showed that to him, it didn’t matter whether someone was black or white, male or female, they were all shown the same amount of respect. This man’s name was Atticus Finch, and was a lawyer, a father, and a friend to all that needed one. Throughout the novel, he showed through teaching his children that all people are equal,

2

showing the same amount of respect to Calpurnia, their coloured neighbour, as he would to any other member of the family, and by representing Tom Robinson in trial despite racial differences. As a result of the above statements, Atticus Finch was a man who practiced and believed in equality.

Scout and Jem Finch were children that grew up in a time where the world around seemed to be filled with hatred to anyone who was different. Their community was deep in the heart of the southern state of Alabama, during this time racism, as well as any other form of discrimination, were very difficult hurdles to overcome. Despite all of this, Atticus still raised his children to respect and love all around them, despite what may...