Skip to main content

In To Kill A Mockingbird, what is Atticus's view of "most people"? Cite evidence from book.

On the final page of the book Scout says about Boo Radley,


"Atticus, he was real nice."


To this, Atticus replies,


"Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them."


This comment is representative of the way Atticus treats everyone in the novel and the way he encourages his children to treat others. Atticus is a kind man and he believes that people, at their core, are good and that we should try our best...

On the final page of the book Scout says about Boo Radley,



"Atticus, he was real nice."



To this, Atticus replies,



"Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them."



This comment is representative of the way Atticus treats everyone in the novel and the way he encourages his children to treat others. Atticus is a kind man and he believes that people, at their core, are good and that we should try our best to understand them. In this quote we are reminded of a scene from the beginning of the book where he told Scout that to truly know someone you must walk around in their shoes. Here, he says that most people are nice "when you finally see them," which implies that we don't typically really understand others and we see what we want to or what we assume rather than the real person. We have not really walked in their shoes.


He also believes that people often act badly simply out of ignorance, not because they are evil or terrible people. So when he says that most people are nice, this really seems to reflect the same views he has been showing throughout the book. He presumes best intentions on the parts of others.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is hyperbole in the story "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry?

The most obvious use of hyperbole in "The Gift of the Magi" occurs when the narrator describes Della's and Jim's evaluations of their two treasures—her long, luxuriant hair and his gold watch. Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his... The most obvious use of hyperbole in "The Gift of the Magi" occurs when the narrator describes Della's and Jim's evaluations of their two treasures—her long, luxuriant hair and his gold watch. Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him plu
Post a Comment
Read more

What are some literary devices in Macbeth, Act V, Scene 1?

Act V, Scene i of Macbeth certainly continues the imagery that is prevalent in the play with its phantasmagoric realm, as in this scene a succession of things are seen or imagined by Lady Macbeth. Imagery - The representation of sensory experience Lady Macbeth imagines that she sees bloody spots (visual imagery) on the stairs; she also smells blood (olfactory imagery): Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not... Act V, Scene i of Macbeth certainly continues the imagery that is prevalent in the play with its phantasmagoric realm, as in this scene a succession of things are seen or imagined by Lady Macbeth. Imagery - The representation of sensory experience Lady Macbeth imagines that she sees bloody spots (visual imagery) on the stairs; she also smells blood (olfactory imagery): Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh! oh, oh! (5.1.53-55) Hyperbole - Obvious exaggeration  There is also h
Post a Comment
Read more

How can I analyze Moon and Six Pence by Somerset Maugham?

In "Moon and Sixpence," loosely based on the life of Paul Gaugin, Maugham presents a study of the tension between the "civilized" life of 19th century Europe, and the lead character's desire to throw off the shackles of bourgeois life. Charles Strickland is a middle-aged English stockbroker with a wife and family. By abandoning his domestic life, Strickland commits what many in European society would consider a gross betrayal of one of the foundations of... In "Moon and Sixpence," loosely based on the life of Paul Gaugin, Maugham presents a study of the tension between the "civilized" life of 19th century Europe, and the lead character's desire to throw off the shackles of bourgeois life. Charles Strickland is a middle-aged English stockbroker with a wife and family. By abandoning his domestic life, Strickland commits what many in European society would consider a gross betrayal of one of the foundations of that society. His decision to e
Post a Comment
Read more