Although Atticus knows that defending Tom Robinson will bring much hardship to himself and his family, he takes the case anyway. Why? What reasons does he give? When does he address this question?
I’ve taken Tom Robinson’s case, even though I know that it will cause much trouble for our family, especially for Jem and Scout. However, I knew that I had to take to take the case, because not only do I like to think of myself as one who honors what is right (and defending the innocent is most definitely right), but also because I couldn’t face the world if I hadn’t taken the case. I would have felt as though I was running from a case that I couldn’t win, and I am determined to love everyone, blacks and whites, equally. When Judge asked me to take it, and I knew I had too…just got a sense of duty right then and there. I know that if I didn’t take the case, I wouldn’t be able to face my children, or tell them to mind me, ever again.
Scout asked me why I took the case, after Cecil Jacobs had been bothering her about it. I simply told her that by nature of the work, every lawyer has one case that changes them personally, every lawyer. I don’t believe that there’s ever been an exception. I told Scout to keep her head high, and not to let the others bother her about me taking the case, but I’m worried about her, she can’t resist fighting and to her, anyone who says something bad about her family had better watch out. I told her to fight with her head, not her fists…but I’m worried about her. I know that she’ll try to mind me, but there is always the exception, the one time where it gets to be too much and she feels that she has to defend me and our family’s pride through a fight. It's going to be hard for us all, but we must try.
Showing posts with label Atticus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Atticus. Show all posts
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Critical Thinking Question 3 (by Atticus Finch)
After the death of Mrs. Dubose, Atticus tells Jem that even "if you hadn't lost your head, I would have made you go read to her. I wanted you to see something about her..." What is it that Atticus wants Jem to understand? Why is this so important? [Note to reader of blog: It is impossibly hard to capture Atticus's voice, so, if you have read To Kill a Mockingbird, you will know that I haven't quite been able to.]
I told Jem that I had wanted him to see something about Mrs. Dubose, that I would've sent him to read to her anyway. As usual, I wanted him to learn something. That seems to be what I most often do with my children. I teach them life lessons. However, I'm getting off topic. See, I wanted Jem to understand what real courage was. Not only to understand what it takes to say sorry for something that one has done, but also to understand the courage that Mrs. Dubose had. I wished for Jem to understand what Mrs. Dubose had been through with her morphine addiction, and all that she had been through, breaking the addiction and dying free. That took real courage.
I am not entirely sure why this was so important to me, however as I wrote above: my life is full of teaching the children life's lessons (and for that matter, many other people-I hope-learn from me). I teach the children the lessons that they won't be learning in school. They will never quite realize how important it is (what I teach them) until they must one day teach these things to someone else. However, I do my best to raise the children as properly as they may be raised without a mother. I feel that these little lessons, such as that of Mrs. Dubose's courage, are very important for them to learn...and for me to teach.
I told Jem that I had wanted him to see something about Mrs. Dubose, that I would've sent him to read to her anyway. As usual, I wanted him to learn something. That seems to be what I most often do with my children. I teach them life lessons. However, I'm getting off topic. See, I wanted Jem to understand what real courage was. Not only to understand what it takes to say sorry for something that one has done, but also to understand the courage that Mrs. Dubose had. I wished for Jem to understand what Mrs. Dubose had been through with her morphine addiction, and all that she had been through, breaking the addiction and dying free. That took real courage.
I am not entirely sure why this was so important to me, however as I wrote above: my life is full of teaching the children life's lessons (and for that matter, many other people-I hope-learn from me). I teach the children the lessons that they won't be learning in school. They will never quite realize how important it is (what I teach them) until they must one day teach these things to someone else. However, I do my best to raise the children as properly as they may be raised without a mother. I feel that these little lessons, such as that of Mrs. Dubose's courage, are very important for them to learn...and for me to teach.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Critical Thinking Question 2 (by Scout/Jean Louise Finch)
Why is it a sin to kill a mockingbird?
It was the only time that Atticus had said something was a sin, and I do remember him saying that killing a mockingbird was a sin.(though it's not in the bible.) When he said that it was a sin to kill a mockingbird, how was i s'posed to know what he meant. Atticus is sometimes like that: talking all lawyer like so that I can't understand him.
Anyhow, then I went over to Miss Maudie's and asked her about what Atticus meant. She told me that it was'cause the mockingbird never does anything but sing. He never ruins the garden or nests in corncribs, he just makes music and lets us listen to him while he sings.
I wish somebody'd want to listen to me singing pretty like that. They would say it would be a sin to kill me, but I s'pose it would be sin enough to kill me anyway...without me having to sing. I guess I can see as how it might be a sin to kill something that hadn't ever done any harm but to sing...and they do sing aweful beautiful. Ha, if I told that to Dill, he would tell me that his momma sang beautiful just like a mocking bird for the opera. Dill sure is full of em', big whoppers they are too!
Well, Atticus was right again. I guess that it is a sin to kill a mocking bird, after all.
It was the only time that Atticus had said something was a sin, and I do remember him saying that killing a mockingbird was a sin.(though it's not in the bible.) When he said that it was a sin to kill a mockingbird, how was i s'posed to know what he meant. Atticus is sometimes like that: talking all lawyer like so that I can't understand him.
Anyhow, then I went over to Miss Maudie's and asked her about what Atticus meant. She told me that it was'cause the mockingbird never does anything but sing. He never ruins the garden or nests in corncribs, he just makes music and lets us listen to him while he sings.
I wish somebody'd want to listen to me singing pretty like that. They would say it would be a sin to kill me, but I s'pose it would be sin enough to kill me anyway...without me having to sing. I guess I can see as how it might be a sin to kill something that hadn't ever done any harm but to sing...and they do sing aweful beautiful. Ha, if I told that to Dill, he would tell me that his momma sang beautiful just like a mocking bird for the opera. Dill sure is full of em', big whoppers they are too!
Well, Atticus was right again. I guess that it is a sin to kill a mocking bird, after all.
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