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Daniela Grgas

Starry

English 9 Honors, Period 2

27 January 2017

Quarter 2 Literary Analysis Essay

In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, a lawyer named Atticus Finch, who

lives in Maycomb, Alabama, is tasked to defend a black man, Tom Robinson, against the

Ewells, a white family in times of racial segregation. Atticus Finch knew this case would change

his life; he would be looked at in disgust by those that are against the African American

community. While sitting with his daughter, Scout Finch, Atticus states, ... simply by the nature

of the work, every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally (Lee

86). Atticus understands that defending a black mans word against a white mans on accounts of

rape is something unheard of. Due to the circumstances, his children: Jem and Scout, will be

affected in the process. Moreover, Mr. Atticus Finchs life changes drastically during Tom

Robinsons trial.

Atticus appears to the reader as a very cut-and-dry father, and before the trial took its toll,

Mr. Finch was always making sure his kids were staying out of trouble. Scouts view on Atticus

portrays him as an ordinary man, Our father didnt do anything. He worked in an office, not in a

drug store. Atticus did not drive dump-truck for the county, he was not the sheriff, he did not

farm, work in a garage, or do anything that could possibly arouse the admiration of anyone (Lee

102), this use of understatement showed how Scout believed there was nothing exciting about
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Atticus and his routine schedule. Scout does not yet realize how important Atticus figure

becomes in Maycomb.

During the Tom Robinson trial, the town of Maycomb arouses from its sleepy state in

order to walk to the courthouse to hear the verdict. Atticus is very tense at the time of the trial,

and it is hard for him and his family to live normally due to the backlash of the trial. Scout and

Jem start to notice Atticus doing things out of the ordinary which is very unusual because Atticus

is a man of habit. While Mr. Finch is talking to the jury, Scout says, Atticus did something I

never saw him do before or since, in public or private: he unbuttoned his collar, loosened his tie,

and took off his coat. He never loosened a scraps of his clothing until he undressed at bedtime,

and to Jem and me, this was the equivalent of him standing before us stark naked (Lee 230), the

use of hyperbole shows the reader how bizarre this t event is. Atticus doing things such as taking

off his coat are clues Harper Lee gives the reader to signify change in Atticus behavior without

explicitly writing it on paper. This unordinary event affects the novel because Atticus is

beginning to worry Scout and Jem due to his behavior.

As the trial comes to a close, Tom Robinson is proven guilty despite Atticus extreme

efforts. Mr. Finch begins to show his disappointment even though he was never likely to win the

case. Scout gives the reader a physical description of Atticus, and his growing looks, His age

was beginning to show, his one sign of inner turmoil: the strong line of his jaw melted a little,

one became aware of telltale creases forming under his ears, one noticed not his jet-black hair

but the gray patches growing at his temples (Lee 306). The use of description provides insight

on how Atticus is feeling. The picture Scout gives the reader of his looks shows Atticus

weariness. Consequently, the havoc between the trial and raising two kids has aged Atticus.
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Before, during, and after Tom Robinsons trial, Atticus changed in unique ways. Atticus

was first shown to the reader as bland, then he is seen through Scouts eyes as courageous when

defending Tom, but in the end he is described as weary and tired. Although the trial affected

Atticus personally, his care for his children remained, He turned out the light and went into

Jems room. He would be there all night, he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning

(Lee 232), Lees use of diction perfectly depicts the fact that despite change Atticus remained a

truly great father. In conclusion, as Atticus defends Mr. Tom Robinson and tension builds, Mr.

Finch experiences many changes.

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Work Cited

Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. Grand Central Publishers, 1960.