The novel, To kill a mockingbird by Harper Lee and the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling, the thematic idea of upstander is displayed through courageous and empathetic actions that put people's strong but controversial beliefs on the forefront of hatred and lies. Atticus Finch, a well respected attorney raises his children in a racist and bigoted county of Maycomb, Alabama. He is faced with numerous challenges, as many question his style of parenting. Atticus takes on a controversial case of Tom Robinson, an African American man who is accused of raping a white woman. Scout, His youngest daughter, questions why he chose to represent Mr. Robinson despite the odds against him. Atticus answers, “ The main one is, if I didn’t, I couldn’t hold
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Due to Atticus accepting the case he puts the safety of his children and his self respect on the line or as Kipling writes, “ If you can make a heap of all your winnings”(14). In maycomb the level of interaction between white and colored people are very miniscule and quite frankly odd but when Atticus accepts the case he brings upon him an array of hateful messages send to him and his family. It's only because of his courageous and empathetic soul that he is able to take the case and, except the will which says to them: “Hold on!”(24). After Mrs.Dubose calls Atticus a Negro lover, Jem responds by slashing her flowers. For punishment, Mrs.Dubose makes Jem read to her every evening, a decision that his father agreed with. When Mrs.Dubose passed away a month later, Atticus tells his children about the struggles Mrs.Dubose was undergoing due to her morphine addiction. Despite this revelation, Jem is having trouble forgiving Mrs. Dubose because of her abusive behaviour towards Atticus. Atticus says, “ you know she was a great lady…… she was. She had her own views about things, a lot different from mine…. So I told you that if you hadn’t lost your head …..I wanted you to see something about her….what.” (112).Atticus refers to Mrs.Dubose as a great lady, this is an exemplary example where atticus displays his
Due to Atticus accepting the case he puts the safety of his children and his self respect on the line or as Kipling writes, “ If you can make a heap of all your winnings”(14). In maycomb the level of interaction between white and colored people are very miniscule and quite frankly odd but when Atticus accepts the case he brings upon him an array of hateful messages send to him and his family. It's only because of his courageous and empathetic soul that he is able to take the case and, except the will which says to them: “Hold on!”(24). After Mrs.Dubose calls Atticus a Negro lover, Jem responds by slashing her flowers. For punishment, Mrs.Dubose makes Jem read to her every evening, a decision that his father agreed with. When Mrs.Dubose passed away a month later, Atticus tells his children about the struggles Mrs.Dubose was undergoing due to her morphine addiction. Despite this revelation, Jem is having trouble forgiving Mrs. Dubose because of her abusive behaviour towards Atticus. Atticus says, “ you know she was a great lady…… she was. She had her own views about things, a lot different from mine…. So I told you that if you hadn’t lost your head …..I wanted you to see something about her….what.” (112).Atticus refers to Mrs.Dubose as a great lady, this is an exemplary example where atticus displays his