Atticus is a Teacher in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Almost every parent wants nothing more than for their children to grow up and become kind- hearted individuals. Whether it be compassion, courage, responsibility, or even loyalty, each parent has their own morals and beliefs that they wish to ingrain upon their kids. Atticus Finch in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is no exception. Atticus's main goal is to show his children what it truly means to be a good person. Throughout the novel, he exhibits honor, empathy, equality, and many other admirable traits. 

Atticus aims to instill honesty in his children. He believes that being honest is the best way to communicate with other people. Atticus is very honest with Jem and Scout, he never tries to deny anything no matter how mature and complex the question at hand may be. This is reflected multiple times throughout the story. For example, when Atticus is speaking to Jack about being transparent with children he says “Jack! When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness’ sake” (116). This quote proves Atticus feels strongly about being open with children and he finds it pointless to purposely shield them from the realities of the world. Another time that Atticus sets an example for his kids is when Scout and Atticus were talking about the upcoming Tom Robinson case. Scout asks “Atticus, are we going to win it?” and Atticus responds with “No, honey” (101). By being blunt and honest with Scout he does not give her a sense of false hope. Scout now knows what to expect so therefore her expectations are not unrealistically high. Atticus shows honesty yet again when talking to his kids about how other people perceive him, he says “... but before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself” (140). This quote shows that Atticus believes it to be vital that one follows their own morals and does not stray from the path that each person has deemed the right one. It does not matter what other people may think of Atticus, all that matters is that he is happy with himself, and he considers his conscience to be a  guilt-free one. 

Atticus strives to teach his children how to be empathetic so that they can get a perspective on what someone else is going through. The conversation that expresses this point the most is between Scout and Atticus. Scout mentions that she does not want to go to school anymore because she does not get along with her fellow classmates. Atticus responds to her issue by saying “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (39). This excerpt from the novel proves that Atticus believes the best way to communicate with others is through a different perspective. Atticus has the ability to talk to his children so well because he shows empathy towards them on a daily basis. He imagines what Jem or Scout is going through so that he can give better advice that fits the situation. Another example of Atticus showing empathy is when Scout and Atticus were discussing the mob of townspeople who wanted to confront Atticus and hurt Tom Robinson. Atticus says “... you children last night made Walter Cunningham stand in my shoes for a minute. That was enough” (210). This quote is simple but very significant. Even though the mob was arguing with Atticus and threatening him Atticus saw them as upset people rather than violent and savage. When Scout talked to one of the men in the group, Walter Cunningham, she mentioned his kids and family. This changed Walter Cunningham's perspective and he saw Atticus as simply human and called off the attack. This proves that no matter how small the action is it can have a large impact. 

Perhaps the most important characteristic that Atticus embodies throughout the entirety of To Kill a Mockingbird is equality. Atticus believes that all people should be treated as equals no matter race, religion, or income. The theme of equality is conveyed numerous times. At one point someone insults Scout by saying that her dad loves black people. Scout asks Atticus if it is true that he is a black person lover. Atticus responds by saying “I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody…” (144). The quote proves that Atticus wants to treat people with kindness and respect no matter the situation. He wants his kids to grow up and not see the invisible walls that divide everyone. Atticus’s opinion on the matter is shown time and time again. One of these times is when Atticus is talking to Uncle Jack about his upcoming Tom Robinson case and Atticus says “Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up, is something I don’t pretend to understand” (117). This quote demonstrates how different Atticus is from most people. He does not understand why anybody would get so upset over such an insignificant thing. By saying that even reasonable people get mad intensifies the situation because people who are normally seen as fair and kind have a reaction to black people. 

By possessing good character traits such as honesty, empathy, and equality Atticus was able to set an example for his children that they could one day live up to.  Throughout Jem and Scout’s journey to adulthood, they will always be able to think back to how their father showed high morals and always taught his children to treat people with kindness and respect. Overall Atticus’s life intention is to inspire his kids to be principled and upstanding citizens.