Atticus's Stereotypes

Improved Essays
In To Kill a Mockingbird, there is an obvious theme of people are not always who they seem to be. I will evalutate Atticus’s and Mrs. Dubose’s outward appearances and who they actualy are on the inside. Jem and Scout often look at Atticus as old and feeble. He is a lawyer who works in an office, unlike all of the other dads who play football, drive trucks and go fishing. His only hobby is reading. This makes the children see him as not a “cool” dad. However, Atticus has a side to him that the kids did not know about. He is an extremely talented marksman. When the sheriff came to take care of the mad dog, Mr. Tate wanted Atticus to shoot the dog. According to Miss Maudie, Atticus used to be called “Ol’ One-Shot” when he was young. She claims

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Atticus Finch Stereotypes

    • 611 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In the small town of Maycomb, Mississippi, the issues of racism, prejudice, and stereotypes are prominent in the lives of many characters in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. The main characters Scout and Jem are the children of Atticus Finch a well esteemed lawyer with an admirable heart, unlike most of the unjust white men in the story. Jem, Scout, and their close friend Dill are full of curiosity, vigor, and credulity; they are often found scouting out the Radley Place in search of the Boo Radley, who is quite vicious and psychotic, according to local stories and stereotypes. During the summer, the children try leaving notes, attempt to sneak a peek into the Radley place, and even create a game based off of the manic stories of Boo, but each attempt is to no avail and results in chiding from Atticus for…

    • 611 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In order to give Scout and Jem more accurate and modern views about society, Atticus starts by showing them how to use the tool of empathy in everyday life. Atticus understands the feelings that the people of Maycomb have about his position on race, but he’s still kind and gracious to them because he understands that they each have varying degrees of suffering in their own lives; “Atticus would sweep off his hat, wave gallantly to her and say, ‘Good evening Mrs. Dubose! You look like a picture this evening’”(Lee, 115). Atticus knows quite clearly the opinions that Ms. Dubose has about his profession and on Tom’s trial, but he still takes the time to greet and to compliment her. This is because he also knows about her struggle with morphine addiction, and after putting himself into her shoes, he realizes that her insults are…

    • 796 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Throughout all corners of the world, one can find inhabited in the human soul the rare occupance of courage. This moral compass directs the pathway of doing right, even in the face of danger or fear. This theme is communicated in To Kill a Mockingbird through the characters of Atticus, Mrs. Dubose and Boo Radley. Facing Atticus is the decision to follow through with being the defense attorney of a Tom Robinson, a black man accused of rape. Mrs. Dubose has a morphine addiction that she fights through even though it’s difficult to overcome.…

    • 746 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Atticus Metaphors

    • 253 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In To kill a Mockingbird Atticus is extremely authoritative, wise, and experienced. This is shown in his actions throughout the story. For example, he disciplines the children and teaches Scout to read and write at a young age. When he disciplines the Jem and Scout, they listen and take him seriously. Additionally, it takes a very intelligent and experienced person to teach a very young person to both read and write years before it is taught in school.…

    • 253 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Atticus was a whole different person before “‘. . . Atticus Finch was the deadest shot in Maycomb County in his time’” (Lee 112). When Miss Maudie tells Scout and Jem that Atticus used to be the best shot, neither of them could believe it. Their father, probably the most level headed and humble person they ever met had hidden part of his past “Nevertheless, he refuses to use his background as an excuse to hold himself above others and instead is a model of tolerance and understanding” (“To Kill a Mockingbird”).…

    • 2721 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Atticus's Courage

    • 554 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Atticus is the only brave human being, due to the fact that he shot Tim Johnson when Heck Tate passes the gun off to him. When Scout suggests telling her friends at school about her father’s heroic actions, Jem disagrees and replies, “Naw, Scout, it’s something you wouldn’t understand. Atticus is real old, but I wouldn’t care if he couldn’t do anything- I wouldn’t care if he couldn’t do a blessed thing” (131). After Jem witnesses his father’s courageousness, he feels respect towards his father, when he previously thought that he was old and incapable of being courageous. A gentlemen, like Atticus, does not brag about his…

    • 554 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Racism In Tkam

    • 1053 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Mrs.Dubose is very rude to Atticus’s children and calls Atticus bad names and Jem got very upset so he broke all of her flowers. Atticus explains to Jem:“She’s an old lady and she’s ill. You just hold your head high and be a gentleman. Whatever she says to you, it’s your job not to let her make you mad”(133). When Mrs. Dubose is being disrespectful to Atticus and his children, he shows tolerance by accepting the bad names that she calls him and how she is being rude to his children.…

    • 1053 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Classism is assumed to be determined by the amount of money a person has. A person’s wallet seems more visible than their heart. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the reader is told about a young girl, Scout, growing up in South Alabama in the 1930’s during the Great Depression. Her father is a respected lawyer who is assigned to defend an African American accused of raping a white girl. The trial for the case finally comes up, and the man’s legal status is decided.…

    • 1148 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In today's society is perfectly fine to be who you'd like to be. The judgmental levels with people are dropping; however, some older people still don't believe that you should act any different then how they were raised. In the 1930s there society believed it was inhuman to love or have any form of relationship with another race. Today, gay marriage is legal in all states, where back in the 1930s where the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee takes place this was never thought of. Today our society is laid back, it's not expected to see girls in dresses anymore.…

    • 846 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Atticus Speech Outline

    • 954 Words
    • 4 Pages

    First paragraph outline G-I will be characterizing Atticus Y- Atticus is devoted R- Work R-Beliefs R-Well being of his children Y-…

    • 954 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Atticus Father Quotes

    • 1774 Words
    • 8 Pages

    As I am reading the story, I am Characterizing Atticus in two different ways. First, Atticus is a good father. One reason that he is a good father is that he is flexible and open minded. For example, most parents do not let their children run around all day without supervision. According to Mrs. Dubose, “It was heartbreaking the way…

    • 1774 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Dubose in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird teaches readers that no matter what brings them down, standing up for one another could make a whole society respect one another. Being truly empathetic often takes a lot of determination, patience, and courage. People like Atticus supported less fortunate people like Tom Robinson and Mrs. Dubose, during times they were treated harshly. However, no matter how many times their reputation was stabbed, they continued to endure their beliefs.…

    • 620 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird is one of those rare characters who strives to be a static and consistent - and he ultimately fails. His appearance is unextraordinary and he’s nearly completely unchanging, however as we learn about him throughout the story we discover his true essence and how it could never be properly reflected in his appearance. Atticus’ appearance is quite plain, and in all honesty, it’s what you’d expect a lawyer from that era to wear and look like. If you think of the town in which Atticus lives however, you see that how he dresses causes him to stick out as well as alienates him from certain people of Maycomb.…

    • 1038 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Dubose changes throughout the chapter, causing him to mature. At first, Jem believes her to be an “old hell-devil” (Lee, 128); however, that changes when Atticus explained to Jem that he made Jem see Mrs. Dubose because he “wanted [Jem] to see what real courage is” (Lee, 128). Jem’s past interaction with Mrs. Dubose left him seeing her as nasty and mean because she insulted him and his family. He is unaware of the hardships she overcame, but when Atticus explains to him how brave Mrs. Dubose is, he sees her in a new light and begins to mature into a compassionate adult.…

    • 408 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Jem never knew Tom Robinson, but knowing he was wrongfully convicted, Jem stands up for Tom. In To Kill A Mockingbird, another life stereotyped was Mrs. Dubose: an old, frail lady down the road from them. Mrs. Dubose would sputter harsh words at the kids whenever she got the opportunity. One day, though, her negative comments plagued Jem. Mrs. Dubose had insulted Atticus, in which made Jem snap.…

    • 1092 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays