Heroism

What we learn –

Atticus becomes an accidental hero in this story. He is an unassuming character who lives by high moral and social standards – he is a gentleman. But we come to see that the town sees him as more than just an ordinary lawyer. In a way they pin a lot of hope on Atticus because they trust him, and even though they seemingly turn against him when he is called to defend Tom Robinson, perhaps he can be the catalyst for change in Maycomb county – changing peoples perceptions.

Eg. Atticus shoots the Mad Dog. Even though this may not seem like anything of great significance, he had to save the community from impending danger. Atticus was the only person that they trusted and by shooting the dog, another side of him was revealed to his children.

“Atticus was the deadest shot in Maycomb County in his time”

Defending Tom Robinson to the best of his ability

Scout: “If you shouldn’t be defendin’ him, then why are you doin’ it?

Atticus: … “The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town…I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again”

Atticus is frowned upon for defending a negro man but in the end he is a hero because he gets  the town to start thinking about the way they treat other people of other races. He is a catalyst for change.

Miss Maudie says "as I waited I thought, Atticus Finch wont win, he can't win, but he's the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long in a case like that. and I thought to myself...we're making a step - it's just a baby step, but it's a step"

The other hero of the story is Boo Radley. He is more of an obvious hero because he saves the children from Bob Ewell and rids the community of a evil man. However, he wont be recognised as a hero because to do that would be a sin.  "Taking the one man who's done you and this town a great serice an' draggin him with his shy ways into the limelight - to me that's a sin. It's a sin and I'm not about to have it on my head."