To Kill A Mockingbird

ESSAY

“Atticus is a failure both as a lawyer and a father”. Discuss.

Atticus instilled his morals as a lawyer deeply into his children. Teaching them respect, equality and to always to their best. Any lawyer which represents their clients with these morals is no failure. Atticus taught his children these things as he wishes for his children to grow up with respect for everyone just as he has. Atticus was not a failure as both a lawyer and parent.

Atticus wants to bring his children up with the correct morals and ethics. He wishes for Jem and Scout to see everyone as equals, this is why he gets them to call him Atticus rather than Dad. He feels that if he doesn’t uphold these morals himself, that he would never be able to tell Jem and Scout what to do, this is the case when Jem asks Atticus why he’s defending a �nigger’. Atticus wants to guide his children through life not control them. Many people would disapprove of the fact that he allowed Jem and Scout to go to the Tom Robinson case, however, Atticus sees this as allowing his children to see the harsh reality of such a racist community. He also believed growing up to be good people is a lot about learning from your mistakes. Jem and Scout love their father very much and have so much respect for him that they don’t want to lose. These things do not give the impression of a father who has failed in bringing up his children.

Atticus is a very competent lawyer; he presents the case of Tom Robinson with competence and a good defence. Not only does Atticus present a solid defence, he presents a solid case that leaves virtually no room for doubt Tom Robinson is innocent and that the no rape occurred but that Bob Ewell assaulted his own daughter, Mayella. Tom Robinson’s verdict was decided before the case even came to court but Atticus still represented him to the best of his ability. Atticus wouldn’t have been appointed to represent Tom Robinson if Judge Taylor didn’t