Atticus Finch: The Man

Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch

To Kill A Mockingbird

(Image from Pinterest)

This post will shift to looking at Atticus as the man, maybe a figure no one really sees. He is a lawyer, he is an a neighbor, friend. He is the kind of person we want to know. His seriousness, his solemnness. His charms. We see how time has transformed him. He faced adversity in a small town slow to accept people of color(black). In a previous post about To Kill A Mockingbird, it emphasized the role of Atticus Finch as the father and what it meant to his children Scout and Jem. He had a vast effect on his children and their livelihood as we saw. I could write more on that role at another time but for now I would like to write about Atticus as the man, not discounting his role as a father or any other roles he played.  Gregory Peck and his effect to etch the image of an aging man brought the film version of To Kill A Mockingbird to life. We can see no other male play the role as he did back in the early 60's. He played the grand example of a male figure and a father.

Atticus Finch -To Kill A Mockingbird

(Image by Pinterest)

The image above, I believe is a glimpse into the world of a male adult who felt and understood the hardships of life in a small town, the loss of a wife and mother to the children he was left to raise. The difficulties of his job defending the innocent black or white. we may wonder if he struggled with the idea that he was no longer a young man and his age defined some of his capabilities as an adult male. Maybe he felt in some aspects he was too old to do more than sit on the porch at night or see to his basic needs as well as the needs of his children and the running of the house. If anything I believe he struggled with being a good attorney and knowing if he was a good father to his children, wondering how they would be provided for. Atticus was clearly not reliant on other people, I believe he was very independent and determined to do what ever was necessary to make a good name for himself and to take care of the children, maybe at times knowing what could happen to him was of no importance.

Atticus Finch-Jail

(Image from Pinterest)

For a moment lets consider Atticus as the Attorney at Law and his role in defending the innocent. The image above, we see Atticus sitting in a chair, lamp turned on and he sitting in the still of the night reading a law book in front of a jail cell, whom is housing a sentenced Tom Robinson. Clearly as Tom Robinson believed, Atticus also believed he was innocent and no evidence proved he had been inappropriate with Mayella . He seems organized with a law book in his hand and a provider for comfort for an unsteady Tom Robinson. Some of the towns people are sure to rack havoc and making matters worse. Wanting to resort to lynching a black man. Despite the fact that Atticus used his resources as many as he could find and use,  he felt maybe if anything be a medium for the heavy weight of Tom's wife and family. He may have struggled with his thoughts about bringing them relief. His run ins with people in the town detesting Tom, and their racial remarks. Maybe as an Attorney, the hatred wasn't for Atticus but the fact he wasn't like the rest of the people. The people he represented were people he felt were truthful, ones who needed proper representation when all else failed. He may have felt helpless with every conviction, continuing to remain hopeful in the overturning of a conviction.

It could have more than likely been difficult faced with such violence in the town, the late nights in the court room, the visits to the jail, meetings with family. His voice radiated in the minds of those who could see Atticus, see the words come from his mouth as he asked a jury panel of men to consider all the evidence presented during the trial before they made their decision. His aspiring open and closing remarks before the judge and the jury. Atticus must have felt some of his questions were abrasive. Courts especially in those times were abrasive toward people of color and the law in general for such accusations.  Atticus also knew that maybe there was no cap or refinement in knowing and finding the truth as each person came to the witness stand. Aiding Tom, Atticus performed a simple demonstration as Tom was on the stand, toss Tom a water glass to demonstrate the ability and the disability of working with the one hand he could use. Away from the court room Atticus must have sat alone thinking about everything he did and said, creatively questioning his ability to be a better attorney. Certainly he wanted to be a role model for the children but what about a role model for the court system that was at times unjustified in its response to punish the innocent and free the guilty.

Atticus could have struggled with sentence passed before Tom during sentencing, the weight it brought upon him and Atticus. Any piece of news that help the family may have not been enough because justice in their minds wasn't served.

Atticus somehow faced the realities of what could have been. He struggled as a widowed husband, without letting on how much he truly missed the person that brought such light and love to his life. We never know how his wife passed from this world. We know his children were much younger at the time of her passing. The bereavement for Atticus may have never been over. At times he may have longed for love. He may have long to have more moments with the woman who gave him two beautiful children. He may have coped knowing she left something for them and within them to help Atticus carry on. His treatment of women was cordial and the standards in which gentlemen carried themselves. we wont begin to assume he shut himself from ever thinking that maybe one day he would find someone to marry, giving the children a mother and possibly having more children. 

In retrospect, he wanted to live peacefully and continue so in an unpeaceful world. If we become the example and do the unexpected, we must expect to face the negative while we try to do good. We shouldn't stop trying even when we fail. Eventually we will succeed where others haven't. we must be creative in our response to others and treat them with decency even if they are negative toward us. Maybe he felt as the generations continued we be innovative in protecting the innocent and punish the people responsible and not shadowing our faults. Most importantly never forget where we came from and that money and materials don't replace the giving and the care of humans. May justice truly be served.