{"id":62,"date":"2010-10-07T22:40:13","date_gmt":"2010-10-08T02:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/psyc449\/2010\/10\/07\/atticus-finch-the-all-american-hero\/"},"modified":"2010-10-07T22:50:03","modified_gmt":"2010-10-08T02:50:03","slug":"atticus-finch-the-all-american-hero","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/psyc449\/2010\/10\/07\/atticus-finch-the-all-american-hero\/","title":{"rendered":"Atticus Finch: The All-American Hero"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/a><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I wholeheartedly believe that a hero is somebody to whom people can relate.\u00a0 Just for a moment, push aside any and all schemas and stereotypes typically associated with a hero.\u00a0 True, the ability to fly, the capacity to effortlessly lift heavy objects, and, the opportunity to wear such fashionable costumes would all be nice – but consider this notion: a hero who is just like you and me, an average Joe who deals with the same conflicts of everyday life that everyone experiences.\u00a0 However, it is the ability of these down-to-earth individuals to face the obstacles that life hands to them and overcome them with the greatest of ease and poise and still come through shining in the end that makes them heroic.\u00a0 These are the characteristics that make a person a hero, but a hero that touches p<\/a>eople on a personal level to whom people could also relate.\u00a0<\/p>\n

"He is old, sedentary, quiet to the point of taciturnity, and, uninteresting\u20ac\u00a6he [does] not do the things our schoolmates' fathers [do]\u20ac\u00a6he sits in the living room and reads\u20ac\u00a6he [wears] glasses [and] he [is] nearly blind in his left eye;" this is how Atticus Finch's daughter, Scout, described her father in Harper Lee's classically-acclaimed novel, To Kill a Mockingbird.\u00a0 <\/em>Wait a second, though.\u00a0 Does this description not bear a striking similarity to Clark Kent?\u00a0 Wears glasses, quiet and mysterious, a bit dull and nerdy – these are all characteristics of Superman's alter-ego.\u00a0 Now, I am not saying that we should compare Atticus Finch to Superman, but the comparison is, indeed, accurate because it exemplifies the fact that a true hero could come in the most unexpected of packages, for example, the all-American family man.\u00a0<\/p>\n

To Kill a Mockingbird<\/em> takes place in the small, fictitious town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the era of the Great Depression – a time when racial barriers were at their peak.\u00a0 However, Atticus Finch, a successfully-acclaimed lawyer, is one of the few people in this Bible-thumping town who believes in racial equality.\u00a0 Throughout the novel, Atticus's dedication to instilling this principle is apparent through all of the courtrooms scenes wherein Atticus is defending Mr. Tom Robinson, an African American man who is accused of raping a white woman.\u00a0 It is also during these courtroom scenes that the humbly heroic persona within Atticus is probably the most apparent.\u00a0 Despite the probability of losing the case, it is through his determination to prove Robinson's innocence that Atticus is putting himself and his two children on the frontline, subjecting them to the anger and hostility of this predominantly white-populated town.\u00a0 Through his audacious argument that "\u20ac\u00a6although there probably are a few black men who are capable of crimes, \u20ac\u02dcthis is a truth that applies to the human race and to no particular race of men,'" he is able to spark potential empathy within the jury, unfortunately, though, his client is still found guilty.\u00a0 With a focus on "justice and equality," Atticus Finch fully represents the justice system at its finest, without hardly even breaking a sweat – and if he does, he does not allow us to see it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

So, now that we are well aware of Atticus's power and dedication in the courtroom, it is time to look at this complexly static character in the household – not including any childish opinions that Scout may or may not hold regarding him.\u00a0 A widower raising two young kids completely on his own, Atticus Finch is, right off the bat, living a life to which a large amount of people, both men and women, are accustomed to living every day.\u00a0 Therefore, considering the circumstances, Atticus takes his wisdom and strength in the courtroom and applies them to the household, but on a different level.\u00a0 Although quiet and a bit reticent at times, Atticus is still someone who is sought out for his advice and his moral justifications.\u00a0 It is also these values of morality and justice with which he wishes to enlighten his children, thus allowing himself to be regarded as the "moral backbone" within the novel.\u00a0 Stating that he "\u20ac\u00a6[does] his best to love everybody," including those considered outsiders from society – like his client, Tom Robinson, and the mysterious and misunderstood neighbor, Boo Radley, for example – Atticus Finch is, without a doubt, taking a step outside of the stereotypical mainstream box, in a time when and in a location where racism was running rampant.\u00a0 While most white southerners adhered to racist beliefs, it was of the utmost importance to Atticus that he do everything in his power to instill the ideal of equality in his children.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

Whether you became familiar with the character of Atticus Finch through Gregory Peck's portrayal of him in the 1962 film version of To Kill a Mockingbird<\/em>, or from reading Harper Lee's novel, or, even through this Blog, itself, it is probably safe to assume that everybody can relate to Atticus in some way or another.\u00a0 A humble man living during a time when what he deems as "right" is viewed by society as being "wrong,"\u00a0 who just wants the best for his children, and, is risking a lot for himself and his family by stressing and fighting for what he believes to be morally and ethically appropriate.\u00a0 Although this determination and risk-taking is exemplary of a hero, Atticus regards it as simply doing his job, both as a lawyer and as a father. \u00a0Although we may see him as a hero, he certainly does not see himself as such.\u00a0 How could a person possibly be any more humble?\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \"mockingbird.jpg\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Since Atticus Finch is a hero to whom everyone could relate, although we are no longer living during a time of extreme segregation, we still might as well attempt to heed his profound words of wisdom; because, after all, "\u20ac\u00a6it is a sin to kill a mockingbird."\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Below is a video with various images taken from the movie, To Kill a Mockingbird<\/em>, accompanied by the voice of Gregory Peck, playing Atticus Finch, during various courtroom scenes.\u00a0 Notice the calm, cool, and, collected demeanor that he possesses throughout.\u00a0 Amazing.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I wholeheartedly believe that a hero is somebody to whom people can relate.\u00a0 Just for a moment, push aside any and all schemas and stereotypes typically associated with a hero.\u00a0 True, the ability to fly, the capacity to effortlessly lift heavy objects, and, the opportunity to wear such fashionable costumes would all be nice – … Continue reading Atticus Finch: The All-American Hero<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":878,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1218],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-62","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-katy-schwartz"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/psyc449\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/psyc449\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/psyc449\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/psyc449\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/878"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/psyc449\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/psyc449\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/psyc449\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/psyc449\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/psyc449\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}