Atticus Finch: The Silent Hero

Actor Gregory Peck in the role of Atticus Finch in the 1962 film adaptation. Photo source: Fans Share

To Kill A Mockingbird, the Pulitzer winning novel by Harper Lee, is considered a classic of 20th century literature, American literature, and literature in general. The readers identify Scout Finch, the innocent and unreliable narrator, as the protagonist, through whose eyes we see the story. However, if you ask me who the true hero of the story is, I must say the honor really goes to Scout’s father, Atticus. Atticus fulfills many roles in this novel: Father, widowed husband, lawyer, friend, foe, and outcast. But regardless of which role he is currently playing, Atticus never loses the qualities which portrait him as a true hero.

In the novel’s opening chapters, Atticus is characterized as the stereotypical Southern gentleman. He is the best checkers player and pistol shot in town, and a man of the highest moral standards, who knows everyone and greets them with polite, proper terms. As a lawyer, Atticus is one of the most well-off and respected citizens of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Great Depression and functions as the moral backbone of this sleepy town in such troubled times. “He is the same in the courtroom as he is on the public streets”. And readers admire him for that. A widower with a very wry sense of humor, Atticus lives with his two children, Jeremy “Jem” and Jean Louise “Scout”; and Calpurnia, their domestic employee who helped him raise his children. Mrs. Finch died when Scout was two years old.

We first get to know Atticus in his role as a father. Despite being respected by everyone in Maycomb, including the poor, Atticus struggles to be considered a truly exemplary figure by his own children, who initially do not hold him in the highest regard. Jem is clearly embarrassed that Atticus is not like the other fathers in town: he’s older, and he doesn’t engage in outdoors activities such as hunting and fishing. Their elderly neighbor, Mrs. Dubose, pities that he never remarried. Atticus is fully aware of the fact that his children do not idolize him consciously. But he, on the other hand, does his best to treat them with the unconditional love they deserve.

Throughout the novel, Atticus preaches to Scout and Jem the ethic of patience, fairness, and moral uprightness he practices in his profession. As a father, he is quiet and sometimes strict, but otherwise loving, and sets the right example even if his children are reluctant. For example, he makes Jem read to a dying Mrs. Dubose as punishment for vandalizing her camellia bushes (even if the old lady clearly deserved it). “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”. He also warns Scout to “keep those fists down” and not fight back despite the constant ridicule she faces at school.

What I liked the most about Atticus is that he does not demonstrate his unwavering moral compass through words, but through actions. He is laconic and straightforward, speaking only what he must speak and nothing else. It is curious how he does not suffer a dramatic transformation like the rest of the characters. Harper Lee purposefully made Atticus quiet and introspective to let his positive qualities speak by themselves.

His humility and unwavering moral compass already make him stand out.

Perhaps, however, the aspect of Atticus’ personality which results the most endearing is his integrity. And this is a very strong point, considering he works a lawyer. It is not uncommon to see lawyers stereotyped and criticized as aggressive workaholics who will put expediency over principle when the time comes to prove their case. But Atticus does not fit this stereotype at all. He is wise and considerate, and despite days of hard work, he manages to save time for his children and himself. Throughout the entire novel, he sticks to his guns and never changes his opinions on issues. This consistency is portrayed as a positive quality rather than a negative one, even if it’s what puts him at odds with the people of Maycomb.

The local judge has assigned Atticus to Tom Robinson, a black man wrongfully accused of sexual assault. Placing ourselves in the context of the novel (1930s Jim Crow South), the reaction of the people of Maycomb is instantaneous. They all want Mr. Robinson behind bars. Atticus could have kept his prized reputation by just walking away without an ounce of concern. However, he sees Mr. Robinson as more than a client; to him he is a good friend. So, he accepts the case, with the integrity that characterizes him, at the expense of being antagonized by society. He also safeguards the cell he’s staying in before the trial, reads to him, brings him food, and treats him like a fellow human being, going beyond the professional relationship and seeing him for who he is: An innocent man victim to the ingrained racial prejudice of the time.

Not only is Atticus’ choice of morality over popularity incredibly admirable; it is complemented by his civilized attitude when dealing with criticism. Many characters in the novel badmouth Atticus for representing Mr. Robinson, from Scout’s cousin Francis to classmate Cecil Jacobs, to the Finch’s elderly neighbor Mrs. Dubose. For the first time, no one in Maycomb admires Atticus. But despite this, Atticus never holds a grudge against them. He is aware of the ignorance of people, especially when it comes to racial differences, but at the same time he also sees the glass half full. Atticus is fully aware of the human condition, knowing better than everyone that humans are equally generous as they can be equally cruel. It is ultimately this philosophy which leads him to do the right thing while shunning the critics in the way.

He tries to pass this view to Scout. When she asks him why he is fighting Mr. Robinson’s case despite knowing he is bound to fail, Atticus ruefully reflects, “The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.” Accepting Mr. Robinson’s case is the single most important moment in Atticus’ characterization; only someone as strong-willed but dignified as him would be able to make such a great display of courage and nobility despite the predominant majority. Another reason for the significance of this quality is because it underscores the point in which Scout’s initial view on her father changes. When she sees Atticus treat Mrs. Dubose with his usual gallant courteousness, despite her earlier badmouthing of him, she reflects to the readers, “It was times like these when I thought my father, who hated guns and had never been to wars, was the bravest man that ever lived.” Atticus, through his quiet inner strength and wisdom, has finally earned the due respect of his children.

There is a moment in the novel which I found funny and awesome at the same time, a moment which once again proves Atticus’ civilized attitude when faced with disapproval. It is during the trial scene, when Mr. Ewell insults Atticus, spits on him, and uses racial slurs; Atticus, in response to Mr. Ewell’s “too proud to fight” comment, just pulls out a hanky, wipes his glasses, and replies, “No, too old”, before walking away. The reason this moment is so incredible is because it proves the point Atticus made to his son Jem about what real courage is. Atticus may be destined to lose the trial due to being unable to change the ingrained prejudice of the populace of Maycomb, especially of such a contemptible man like Mr. Ewell. But he managed to make a fool of his rival in full court without the need of violence, which is a meaningful, personal victory enough. The jury may listen to Mr. Ewell without changing the verdict, leading to a tragic conclusion for Mr. Robinson; but going back to that moment, as Atticus turns his back and walks back to his spot, it’s already clear who the stronger of the two men is.

By this point, Atticus has crowned himself a champion of justice and a positive role model to his children. He is not a perfect man since he clearly carries with him the burden of losing his wife and his knowledge of the duality of human beings. But he does not let such thoughts bring him down a negative path; and in the process, he brings out the best in other people as well. Atticus is such a formidable and striking presence, in fact, that he even name-drops the novel while demonstrating the importance of never harming a fellow human. “Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

For a while, I struggled to know who my fiction hero was. A lot of people would say theirs are Superman, Flash, or Captain America, who fight crime on a daily basis, stopping their nemeses and flying towards the sundown while shouting their catchphrases. But now I know who my true fiction hero is: Atticus Finch. He feels much more comfortable holding a book over a gun. He’s defined by his emotional maturity, brutal honesty, and moral uprightness, the qualities which make up a true heroic figure. He says little but does much, guiding by example, turning loss into victory, and bringing the best in others. Atticus is debatably one of the greatest, if not the greatest, literary character of all time; and he’s become a personal favorite of mine. Atticus represents everything I want to be in my life, both personally and professionally, especially as a father to my children. Of course, he is a fictional character and lacks the complexity of a real person. As a final note, however, I can only ask: Do you consider you have something in common with Atticus? Do you know someone who is the Atticus in your life?