Notes on Atticus Finch

Q 1: How do we define the personality traits of a hero? We define the personality traits by the steps the Hero takes on the Heroes Journey A man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. (“Hero”) “Has the kind of character that leads to choices that don’t turn on self-interest.” (“The Virtue”) “He is even-handed and respectful with his children, stern but polite as he effectifely establishes Bob Ewell as a liar” (“Welcome to the Oregon State Bar”)

Q 2: How do the setting, conflicts, and antagonists influence the development of literary heroes? “We don’t need much discussion to conclude that Atticus did the right thing and that it would have been wrong to succumb to the cynicism, hypocrisy, and bigotry necessary to let racists convict Tom Robinson with a real fight.”(“The Virtue”) “This was in the heart of the Deep South, at a time when Jim Crow was in full effect”(“Atticus Finch and Southern Liberalism”) “For a woman to be portrayed as a sexual aggressor in the Jim Crow South was a devastating charge” (“Atticus Finch and Southern Liberalism”).

Question 3: How does a hero reflect his/her particular culture and society? "Thinks he knows what he's doing," one said. "Oh-h now, I wouldn't say that," said another. "Atticus Finch's a deep reader, a mighty deep reader." "He reads all right, that's all he does." The club snickered. "Lemme tell you somethin' now, Billy," a third said, "you know the court appointed him to defend this nigger." "Yeah, but Atticus aims to defend him. That's what I don't like about it.“ (Lee 165-166) Atticus reflects the opposite of his society and the culture of Maycomb, Alabama. “At a time in the South when it was outrageous and practically unthinkable for a white person to look at the world from a minority’s perspective” (“To Kill a Mockingbird”) “Atticus lives in a racist community. A community where it can be hard to be a good neighbor” (“The Virtue”)

Question 4: How does a hero represent his/her time period and geographical area? “This was in the heart of the Deep South, at a time when Jim Crow was in full effect” (“Atticus Finch and Southern Liberalism”) “At a time in the South when it was outrageous and practically unthinkable for a white person to look at the world from a minority’s perspective” (“To Kill a Mockingbird”) “If Atticus has no illusions about reforming the evil he is up against – the “normal” of his time – neither does he flinch from confronting it directly” (USA Today) “The truth will not be enough to save Tom Robinson from the savage indifference to human decency and moral blindness that racial bigotry has produced in Maycomb”

Question 5: How has your hero influenced modern society? “If Atticus’s story has bearing for us today, and I contend that it does, we might speculate that there will be times when it takes raw courage to be a zealous lawyer, to stand up to a community hell-bent on doing the wrong thing” (“The Virtue”).

Question 7: How does this Hero, being a hero in literature, compare to those of the real world?

Question 8: If your hero did the acts they did to be considered a hero in this era, would they still be considered a hero? No, because defending a black man in court now, is the same as defending a white man, and any other race for that matter. “Privileged whites he believed ought to adopt a more humanitarian attitude toward blacks” (“Atticus Finch and Southern liberalism”)

Question 9: Does your hero protect the morals valued in our society? “We don’t need much discussion to conclude that Atticus did the right thing and that it would have been wrong to succumb to the cynicism, hypocrisy, and bigotry necessary to let racists convict Tom Robinson with a real fight.”(“The Virtue”) “By observing Atticus Finch’s responses to the threats and gibes of the anti-Tom Robinson faction and his sensitive treatment towards Tom Robinson and his family and friends, the reader discovers what it means to behave morally – to do the right thing – In the face of social pressure” (“To Kill A Mockingbird”) “To Kill A Mockingbird reveals the heroic nature of acting with moral courage when adhering to social mores would be far less dangerous” (“To Kill A Mockingbird”).

Quesiton 10: How did this characters actions compare to the hero's journey? Call : "Thinks he knows what he's doing," one said. "Oh-h now, I wouldn't say that," said another. "Atticus Finch's a deep reader, a mighty deep reader." "He reads all right, that's all he does." The club snickered. "Lemme tell you somethin' now, Billy," a third said, "you know the court appointed him to defend this nigger." "Yeah, but Atticus aims to defend him. That's what I don't like about it.“ (Lee 165-166) Abyss: “Miss Jean Louise?” I look around. They were Standing. All around us and in the balcony on the opposite wall, the Negroes were getting to their feet. Reverend Sykes’s voice was as distant as Judge Taylor’s: “Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father’s passin’.” (Lee 221)

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