In What Ways Does Lee Portray Atticus as a Positive Role Model in To Kill a Mockingbird?

point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." This is particularly profound, and teaches the children the main moral of the book; never judge people merely by their superficial impression upon you. This also teaches the children only to cast your judgment upon someone once you have gotten to know them, and understand them fully. This, like many of Atticus’’ lessons, represents the two mockingbirds of the story: Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. Atticus also teaches his children a cornucopia of lessons to do with the ‘mockingbirds’ of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, the most obvious being the advice that he imparts to his children shortly after giving them both air rifles. He says, “Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” This is probably the most significant and well-known quotations from the novel, and is one of the few incidents that Lee uses a character to explicitly outline one of the most prevalent moral messages in the book. The principle that Lee is conveying is that, by using the bird as a metaphor, it is wrong to punish someone who has meant nor performed no evil. This is similar to the tradition of preserving mockingbirds, as all they do is sing beautiful songs and do no wrong. As for Boo Radley, he does good by leaving the children presents, and has done very little wrong but is still targeted by the community. The same can also be said for Tom Robinson, who is also beleaguered by the white community for doing absolutely nothing wrong. It is mainly through Atticus’ tutelage that Lee portrays Atticus as a positive role model. However, Lee also uses Atticus’ actions and moral decisions throughout the novel to depict him as an example to both the reader and to his children, which is, of course, her purpose. Atticus makes a multiplicity of different choices and actions throughout the novel, the most discernible of which being his decision to defend Tom Robinson in the courtroom. By going against the vast racial discrimination present at the time in the novel, Atticus, and inherently Lee, is making a bold statement on their stance on segregation. Moreover, as a result of his residing presence over his children his decision to defend Tom has a profound and long lasting effect on Jem and Scout, to the point that they share the same morals with their father. Another way in which Atticus’ actions contributes towards his image as a role model is in his decision to employ Calpurnia, the family’s black housekeeper. This also represents Lee’s purpose for “To Kill a Mockingbird’, much like the previous action and makes Atticus seem like even more of a positive role model to the reader.