“Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father’s passin’.” Reverend Sykes’ has to ask Scout and Jem to stand as a sign of respect for their father. As Atticus is walking out of the courtroom after losing the case every Black person stands for him. Scout and Jem, on the other hand, have to be told. Atticus’s children love and respect their father but they have never really understood what he has done by taking on Tom Robinson’s case. At that moment they finally do. Scout and Jem realize that their father is all the things he has always tried to teach them to be: strong, kind, fearless, and just.
When Jem and Scout go to church with Calpurnia, one women stops them and asks what white children are doing in her church. Calpurnia answers, “it’s the same God, ain’t it?” The gathering of Black people in the courtroom to watch Atticus Finch defend Tom Robinson is the same as the white children (Jem and Scout) going to church with Cal. They are all there to show respect to Atticus and support for Tom. In Calpurnia’s church there is a God to worship. In the courtroom, it is Atticus’s church and justice is his God.
Emma
In Maycomb, there are certain circumstances in which race does not matter. For instance, when in a courtroom, though it may be segregated, there is no exclusion. Anyone is welcome, because they have the right to observe justice being served. Church is, however, not the same way. Church is thought of as a place where everyone is loved and accepted, but in this scenario is it not the case. In Maycomb, racism is a big deal. There were white churches and there were black churches, and these were not interchangeable. Whites were not invited, but were eventually accepted, while blacks would most definitely be thrown out of the opposite church. Church is still an option for everyone, though. No one is ever denied the opportunity to go to church and worship God. The courthouse is the progressed version of church. No one is ever denied the right to witness justice in its regular environment, just as religion is not denied. Church is something that will always be there for people to rely on, but a court is a place where people can rely on each other to make the world right.
ReplyDeleteAtticus’ leading role in providing emotional stability of the courtroom is the best example of his style parenting that we have seen so far in To Kill a Mockingbird. As Emma perfectly pointed out, Atticus “owns” the courtroom, his “church”, and justice is his God. His role of commanding the courtroom plays into the daily life of the Finch family in a way that seems to tie all of the themes in the book together. Atticus’ main form of discipline, whether it be in the courtroom or at home, is always getting the accused to empathize with their opponent. By doing this, he can allow the person at fault to not only feel, but understand the point that he is trying to convey. “I wish Bob Ewell wouldn’t chew tobacco.” From this quote, the main thing we take away is Atticus’ tone. He seems unusually ambivalent after having someone spit in his face and give him a death threat. It is in fact because of this tone that we can assume Atticus has already empathized with Bob Ewell. “Jem, stand in Bob Ewell’s shoes a minute. I destroyed his last shred of credibility at that trial, if he had any to begin with.” This quote shows confirmation that Atticus understands Bob Ewell’s willing to fight back and also shows him applying his skill of understanding in his household; teaching his son that the best way to get out of a situation is to step back and try to understand what is going on. Atticus’ mental versatility in situations like these allow him to empathize and understand others in a way that other characters can’t; the main cause of conflict in TKAM. Understanding plays a large role in this novel, and Atticus Finch is the symbol of empathy, allowing him to take his morals to his family and share them for the benefit of the next generation of Maycomb County.
ReplyDelete“So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take.”
Tynan