Thursday 8 September 2016

What values, which Atticus has a clear sense of, does he wish to teach his children?

In Chapter 5, Miss Maudie agrees with Scout that Atticus is the same man at home as he is in public. At the end of Chapter 19, Scout explains to Dill that Atticus is different than Mr. Gilmer. Atticus does not condescend or demean people on the witness stand the way that Gilmer does. Scout concludes, remembering Miss Maudie's assessment, that Atticus "is the same in the courtroom as he is on the public streets." This is a value that Atticus teaches Scout and Jem in words and by example. Atticus is consistently good. Therefore, he is not a hypocrite. He is honest and forthright in any situation. 

Atticus also teaches the children to be considerate. That is, he teaches them to be polite but more importantly, he teaches them to consider other people's feelings. Atticus is extremely generous in this regard. In Chapter 23, Atticus explains why he did not retaliate when Bob Ewell spit in his face. He says to Jem: 



Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell’s shoes a minute. I destroyed his last shred of credibility at that trial, if he had any to begin with. The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always does. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and I’d rather it be me than that houseful of children out there. You understand? 



Atticus considers Bob's point of view even though Bob should not be given the benefit of the doubt at this point. But Atticus does this because he is actually thinking of Mayella and the Ewell children. By taking Bob's abuse, he might save Mayella some abuse. Atticus thinks of the larger perspective here. He considers Bob's feelings in order to possibly protect Mayella. 


In Chapter 23, Atticus talks about racism and discrimination. He adds that when a white man in a higher social position harms a black man in a lower social position, it is incredibly wrong. Atticus calls out racism with this point but the other lesson is about how wrong it is for a man with social advantages to harm another man who is at a disadvantage. In this case, that disadvantage is based upon a history of racism. These notions of treating others with respect and protecting the innocent go along with the idea that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird: 



As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it— whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash. 


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