The Importance of Doing the Right Thing

The Importance of Doing the Right Thing

  • Submitted By: badiac
  • Date Submitted: 12/15/2008 5:11 PM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 456
  • Page: 2
  • Views: 565

The Importance of Doing the Right Thing
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a story of a man named Atticus who always tries to help people out. Through the whole book, Atticus is always trying to teach Jem and Scout lessons about life. Towards the middle of the book Atticus is asked to defend a black man in a rape trial. Atticus says he has to do it because if he didn’t he could not hold his head up in town. This leads to some unusual events in his life. Atticus always attempts to do the right thing.
Atticus is always teaching Jem and Scout lessons about life. Atticus teaches his children to always hold their heads up high no matter what. He teaches them this through his tough times in life, in which he must practice what he preaches. “ ‘It’s not okay to hate anybody’”(Lee 246).
Atticus defends Tom Robinson even though he’s a different color. Atticus Finch is assigned to defend Tom and Atticus accepts. Jem and Scout constantly get teased about the situation. Atticus makes a big impact defending Tom and almost wins over a white man, Bob Ewell. “ ‘I defend Tom for a number of reasons, the main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold my head up in town, I couldn’t represent this country in the legislator, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again’”(Lee 74).
Atticus would always treat Mrs. Dubose with respect despite what she says about him. Whenever Atticus would walk by her porch he would compliment her flowers. Jem and Scout could never understand how Atticus could stand Mrs. Dubose until he told them about her illness. “ ‘I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand, It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. Mrs. Dubose won. . .’”(Lee 112).
Atticus Finch always attempts to do the right thing. By teaching his kids valuable lessons, he shows them intelligence and...

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