The Characterization Of Atticus Finch

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The world we inhabit is filled with discrimination. It is difficult to live a life or integrity and virtue in such a place, especially during a time when everyone thinks prejudice is a common thing. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch, a lawyer during the early 1900s with two children, is one of the few who are indiscriminate. He teaches his children to treat others with the uttermost respect and tolerance. Atticus’s traits of tolerance and open mindedness persuade us to base our lifestyle on rectitude. Throughout this controversial novel, readers can distinguish Atticus as an open-minded being. Atticus tells Scout to “consider things from [Ms. Caroline’s] point of view” (Lee 138) when Scout gets into trouble by Ms. Caroline for no apparent reason that Scout can comprehend. Atticus sees beyond Scout’s opinion and shows his great insight by realizing that there had to be a good reason why Ms. Caroline decided to reprimand Scout. He teaches Scout to look in Ms. Caroline’s point of view to better understand why she acted that way. Atticus enlightens us with the fact that we cannot know really what others feel like until they put themselves in someone else’s “skin and walk around in it” (Lee 30). “Atticus doesn’t ever just listens to Jem’s side of it, he hears [Scout’s side of it] too” (Lee 133). This proves that he doesn’t just look at one person’s view. He looks at everyone’s, and tries to be just in every way possible, even if it is just a small brawl between Jem and Scout. It proves that he is always strives to be unbiased in every way. Obviously, we can see that Atticus is a father who is honest and he is someone we should consider as a role model. Another one of Atticus’s character traits that Lee writes about is Atticus’s tolerance. Mrs. Dubose, a frail old lady, spreads invidious comments regarding Atticus, but he would still “sweep off his
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