Martin Luther King Jr.

Essay

Martin Luther King Jr. once said "The ultimate measure of a man is

not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands in times

of challenge and controversy". One has to agree with Dr. King because in

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee Atticus Finch, a man of morals and

values, is himself put into complicated situations but still retains his dignity

and beliefs in the trying moments of parenthood and injustice.

In the novel, Atticus is portrayed as a justified lawyer but also a

caring and loving father. Dealing with his children, Scout and Jem, he

pertains to his morals and models it in front of them. One instance in the

novel in which Atticus displayed his morals is when Scout was not

behaving well in school because she received criticism from a schoolmate

about Atticus defending a black man. Atticus then carries out his duty of

being the father he is by telling Scout that sometimes despite what other

people might say or think you have to hold your head up high. And this

Atticus himself has lived up to. This is a piece of how Atticus embodies

value and morals in a difficult situation. Throughout this novel, Atticus's

fathership deeply affects the lives of both Scout and Jem from the way he

guides them through the emotional roller coasters of childhood to the way he treats other people. Not only does Atticus prove to be a exceptional

guardian but as well as a poised and undeniably intelligent lawyer in the

courtroom.

One of Atticus's major challenges in To Kill A Mockingbird, was to

defend a black man, Tom Robinson who is being accused of raping a white

woman. In the misguided times, naturally