October 17, 2021
In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, attorney Atticus Finch defends a black man named Tom Robinson. Tom has been accused of raping a white women by her father, Bob Ewell. He, like the majority of the people in Maycomb, Alabama, is racist and white. Atticus volunteered to defend Tom Robinson despite outcry from the town. He faced many hardships but was determined to prove that Tom was innocent. One thing that contributed to his standpoint was that his eight year old daughter Scout, was watching his every move and asking questions at a rapid rate. He wanted to show her that she should not have hate or prejudice towards anyone.
Because of the backlash from the rest of the county, Atticus and his family faced many hardships in the course of the trial. Scout was called names at school which angered both her and Atticus. However, Atticus taught her to be the bigger person and not fight back. Atticus, the father, taught many important lessons to his daughter Scout despite hate from many. Atticus, the attorney, stood up for Tom, the wrongfully accused black man, against the racism in the majority of Maycomb. The lessons readers can take from Atticus are part of the reason this novel has become such a classic from the time it was published in 1960.
The novel has retained its status as a classic despite controversy. According to Kevin Liu, To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most controversial and most challenged books in the United States because of “its themes of rape and use of profanity and racial slurs.” Despite this, it is important to take note of the importance of the novel and its stand against racism. This novel is highly influential and important for young adults to read, to recognize these lessons and illustrate them in their own lives.