In Harper Lee's book "To Kill a Mockingbird", there are several characters that can be considered principal, but the most inspiring is Atticus Finch, with his strong character and loving ways towards his children, he teaches the reader the different types of courage and their importance.
Atticus is one of the main characters in the novel. He is Scout and Jem's father and he lives in Maycomb. Although his family has a lot of money due to his relative Simon Finch's cotton plantation, he likes simple things and that's how he lives, without luxuries. He's really respected in his community, and when his wife died, he dedicated himself to raise his kids properly. He's "really old" according to Scout and Jem, even though he's fifty years old compared to their friend's fathers he is old, and they think he can't do anything, but after an incident with a mad dog in which Atticus shoots it, his kids have more respect towards him.
But he always tries to show Jem and Scout that courage isn't just a man with a gun, but a man that stands for his ideas although he knows he may lose a fight. He is a lawyer and since it's a small town, he attends many of the cases that happen there. That's how he comes across Tim Robinson's case. He was a black man involved in a "crime" against a white girl of the Ewell family. For a long time, he has to endure aggressiveness, hostility and being called a "nigger-lover" just because he is professional enough to put aside society's opinions to defend an honest man.
Just like Atticus, Scout and Jem suffer the consequences of people's intolerance. Throughout all this, Atticus teaches them not to let people's opinions affect their own. He educates Scout specially to avoid fighting even though what people say offends them. Later, when Jem fights with Ms. Dubose, Atticus tells him to apologize to her even though he doesn't want to.
Harper Lee describes Atticus as a good role model: a loving father, an ethical worker, and a brave man. Even though many years have passed since the story was written, these are qualities that are really appreciated in any person's life in this time. Courage is well portrayed with Atticus, because through that character, Lee teaches the reader to stand firm to your ideas and never change for other people because in the end you will have to live with the consequences of the choice you made.
Atticus is one of the main characters in the novel. He is Scout and Jem's father and he lives in Maycomb. Although his family has a lot of money due to his relative Simon Finch's cotton plantation, he likes simple things and that's how he lives, without luxuries. He's really respected in his community, and when his wife died, he dedicated himself to raise his kids properly. He's "really old" according to Scout and Jem, even though he's fifty years old compared to their friend's fathers he is old, and they think he can't do anything, but after an incident with a mad dog in which Atticus shoots it, his kids have more respect towards him.
But he always tries to show Jem and Scout that courage isn't just a man with a gun, but a man that stands for his ideas although he knows he may lose a fight. He is a lawyer and since it's a small town, he attends many of the cases that happen there. That's how he comes across Tim Robinson's case. He was a black man involved in a "crime" against a white girl of the Ewell family. For a long time, he has to endure aggressiveness, hostility and being called a "nigger-lover" just because he is professional enough to put aside society's opinions to defend an honest man.
Just like Atticus, Scout and Jem suffer the consequences of people's intolerance. Throughout all this, Atticus teaches them not to let people's opinions affect their own. He educates Scout specially to avoid fighting even though what people say offends them. Later, when Jem fights with Ms. Dubose, Atticus tells him to apologize to her even though he doesn't want to.
Harper Lee describes Atticus as a good role model: a loving father, an ethical worker, and a brave man. Even though many years have passed since the story was written, these are qualities that are really appreciated in any person's life in this time. Courage is well portrayed with Atticus, because through that character, Lee teaches the reader to stand firm to your ideas and never change for other people because in the end you will have to live with the consequences of the choice you made.
