"To Kill A Mockingbird" - review

Authors Avatar
"To Kill A Mockingbird"

Harper Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird" made a significant impact on me as it made me aware of the necessity to offer tolerance and understanding to other people. "To Kill A Mockingbird" is set in Alabama, South America 1933-1935. 6-year-old Scout, a young girl living in the old tired town of Maycomb, narrates the novel. Using a young girl enables Harper Lee to explore the issue of racial prejudices in a humorous manner. The novel is about a series of events experienced by Scout as she matures over the two-year period concentrating mainly on the trial of Tom Robinson. By the end of the novel the message of the novel that it is important to always show tolerance and understanding to other people is conveyed to the reader and understood by Scout. Throughout my essay I intend to discuss the extent to which I find Atticus an admirable character.

Harper Lee constantly portrays Atticus Finch, Scout's father as an admirable character. One of the ways in which Atticus' commendable personality is conveyed is through his role as a single parent. It is clear that Scout and Jem have nothing but respect, trust and love for their father. Atticus appears to be a very loving father as demonstrated by the many examples of Scout "climbing onto her fathers knee" simply for reassurance and security. Atticus consistently provides his children with stability and security which is one method in which Atticus proves himself to be an admirable character.

Similarily, Scout and Jems trust for their father is a way in which Atticus' extent to which he is an admirable character is shown. As Scout is young, vulnerable and naïve she is confused by incidents and opinions of adults. However Scout trusts her father and on many occasions, throughout the novel, turns to Atticus for advice or clarification.

Another aspect of Atticus' parenting methods, which discusses the extent to which he is an admirable character, is his very much unconventional approach to parenting. For example he allows his children to call him by his first name. He also regards Scout and Jems opinions and questions to be valid and important.

"What's rape?" I asked him that night.

"He sighed, and said rape was carnal knowledge of a female with force and without

consent".

Atticus rarely censors anything from his children. He always offers them honesty and as full an answer to their queries.
Join now!


"Son, didn't you know what her fits were for?"

Jem shook his head.

"Mrs Dubose was a morphine addict".

The frank, thoughtful and honest advice given to his children is another example of Atticus' admirable qualities.

Atticus always teaches his children high morals and principles. He aims to bring them up with same good and strong Christian outlook, which he possesses. This is clearly shown when Scout questions her father as to why he is defending Tom Robinson despite the grief he is receiving from the town.

"If I didn't defend him I ...

This is a preview of the whole essay