Atticus Finch and his children lived in Maycomb, Alabama. It was located just twenty miles east of Finch's Landing, "Maycomb, some twenty miles east of Finch's Landing" (Lee 5). Maycomb seemed to be a pretty normal town but Scout, Atticus's daughter,thought otherwise, "Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it" (Lee 6). Maycomb was described as this because the whole United States was in the midst of the Great Depression, based on the date Atticus gave the reader, " There is a tendency in this year of grace, 1935" (Lee 274). Through his understanding of justice, the significance of his search and the success of his search for justice, he taught his children about treating everyone fairly and equally.
Through his understanding of justice, he taught his children about treating everyone fairly and equally. As a lawyer, he believed all United States citizens, under law, are entitled to justice. This is the core principle of the To Kill A Mockingbird. This reflected his moral values too, as he defended the accused African American rapist, Tom Robinson. His daughter Scout asked him, "If you shouldn't be defendin' him, then why are you doin' it?" (Lee 100). Atticus replied, "For a number of reasons'. 'The main one is, if I didn't I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't represent this county in the legislature, I couldn't even tell you or Jem to do something again"(Lee 100). He knew that if he did not take the case of this accused man, it would go against his personal values. And it also meant he could
not be a good example for Jem and Scout. Because of his decision to help defend "Negroes", he is called a 'nigger - lover', "' Atticus' I said one evening, 'what exactly is a nigger-lover?' Atticus's face was grave. 'Has somebody been calling you that?' 'No sir, Mrs. Dubose calls you that. … Francis called me that last Christmas, that's where I first heard it.'"(Lee 144). All of this showed how he understood justice. He saw it as treating everyone the same and not letting one group of people be treated differently, "There's nothing more sickening to me than a low-grade white man who'll take advantage of a Negro's ignorance" (Lee 296).
Through the significance of his search, he taught his children about treating everyone fairly and equally. The search was important to him because he did not want Jem and Scout to end up like the people of Maycomb, "And I hope and pray I can get Jem and Scout through it without bitterness, and most of all, without catching Maycomb's usual disease"(Lee 117). The townspeople were bigoted, racist, and prejudice. He just wanted his kids to treat everyone fairly and equally. He taught both Jem and Scout this; through the examples and opportunities that popped up in their lives. One such opportunity was when Jem destroyed Mrs. Dubose's camellia bushes because of her comment about Atticus, "He carried my baton in one hand … He held out his other hand; it contained fat camellia buds. 'Jem,' he said, 'are you responsible for this?' 'Yes sir.' 'Why'd you do it?' Jem said softly, 'She said you lawed for niggers and trash.' " You did this because she said that?' Jem lips moved, but his, 'Yes sir,' was inaudible" (Lee 138). When Atticus found out, he made Jem go apologize to Mrs. Dubrose, "' … but to do something like this to a sick old lady is inexcusable. I strongly advise you to go down and have a talk with Mrs. Dubrose,' said Atticus" (Lee 138). But Atticus did not say how sick she really was until the end of the chapter. He revealed to Jem that she died and also told him that Mrs. Dubrose was a morphine addict, "'She's dead now, son' said Atticus. 'She died a few minutes ago.' … 'She's not suffering anymore. She
was sick for a long time. Son, didn't you know what her fits were?' Jem shook his head. 'Mrs. Dubrose was a morphine addict,' said Atticus" (Lee 147).
Through the success of his search for justice, he taught his children about treating everyone fairly and equally. Atticus seemed to be successful in the end and it can be noted with Scout. In Chapter Three, Scout told her dad what happened at school and he responded with, "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" (Lee 39). But she did not understand what he was saying until the end of the book. And then she finally understood what he meant; when she "stepped into the shoes" of Boo Radley and went through the events of the book, "Atticus was right . One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough" (Lee 374). One of these events for example was the Tom Robinson trial. This trial showed one of the many indecent behaviours of humanity: rape. And it was not until after the trial that they realized why he stayed in the house; he did not want to be mixed up with the tendencies of humans, "Scout, I think I'm beginning to understand something. I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in the house all this time. It's because he wants to stay inside" (Lee 304). Even though he does not come out until the end, he still watches them. This is because he wanted to protect them. This can be seen when Bob Ewell attacked Scout and Jem after the school play. When Bob started to attack them, Boo came out and saved them and ended up killing Bob in the process, " Still but for a man breathing heavily, breathing heavily and staggering. I thought he went to the tree and leaned against it. … there were now four people under the tree" (Lee 351-352). In the end, Scout realized that Boo was like any other person; human.
Through Atticus's understanding of justice, the significance of the search and the success of his search for justice, he taught his children about treating everyone fairly and equally. Justice, like life, is one of those things that is sometimes not fair, as seen in To Kill A Mockingbird. Atticus understood this
as he was a lawyer. But justice is all about doing the right thing even though it means going against what others think. And Atticus was trying to teach his kids this.
