To Kill a Mockingbird Group
Question:
In "To Kill a Mockingbird," what reason does Atticus give Scout for the fact that he is defending a black man?
Answers:
-
podunc Teacher
College - SophomorePosted by podunc on Sunday June 22, 2008 at 9:05 PMAtticus explains his actions to Scout in chapter 9:
"The main reason [for defending Tom] is, if I didn't I couldn't hold my head up in town, I couldn't represent this county in the legislature, I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do something again."
Atticus understands that he cannot give in to the social pressure that he is experiencing in Maycomb and must defend Tom even though he knows they "were licked a hundred years before [they] started" the trial. Atticus' sense of moral identity rests on the fact that he must do the right thing in this case, not the easy thing.
Sources:
-
Posted by brandih on Tuesday June 24, 2008 at 3:20 PM
This question has already been asked and answered. Please see the link below and thank you for using eNotes!
You can now ask questions directly from Facebook, add the Ask a Teacher App from eNotes!
Popular Links
- To Kill a Mockingbird Themes
- To Kill a Mockingbird Summary
- To Kill a Mockingbird Characters
- To Kill a Mockingbird Essays and Criticism
Top Tags in To Kill a Mockingbird
- characters
- scout
- atticus
- jem
- themes
- plot
- to kill a mockingbird
- tom robinson
- dill
- character
- theme
- boo
- boo radley
- mockingbird
- tom
See Also:
- - For teachers, the To Kill a Mockingbird Lesson Plan.
- - To Kill a Mockingbird summary and study guide in the eNotes.