[SeekAndFind]

Just as is the case today, the educated class held the pronouncements of science quite dearly. The best science of Atticus’s time would have confirmed the belief that whites were superior and interbreeding was bad for mankind.

MY QUESTION:

WAS THE "SCIENCE" CONSIDERED "SETTLED" THEN?

[SeekAndFind]

ATTICUS FINCH

[quadrant]

Unfortunately, some people mis-understand the nature of Finch's feelings. He may have very negative opinions of black people, but as a lawyer and a human being be quite unwilling to allow a man to be convicted of a crime he did not commit.

[longfellow]

He did chase a WHITE whale.

[Bratch]

AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains: #1 Hero - Atticus Finch

[blueunicorn6]

And he was a dog shooter.

People miss that part.

Atticus could kill to defend his family and town against a mad dog.

People just conveniently forget that.

What was the author saying when she put this in the story?

[goodwithagun]

I teach TKAM to my juniors. Every year I find a new conservative nuance. The book is extremely conservative. Atticus gives his children tools to deal with life's unfairness, he does not helicopter parent. While Atticus does not approve of certain words, he tells his children that others have the right to use them. At the end of chapter four, Lee (or Capote) creates an amazing anti-welfare metaphor condemning those who both abuse and enable social programs. Atticus’ closing argument in the trial would make our Founders weep with joy. Atticus never exhibited self importance because he was doing what was right when nobody else was not.
The quote posted in The Times does not mean Atticus is racist: “the Negros down here are still in their childhood as a people.” I think the past few months of modern history prove that.

[miserare]

Harper Lee is a big phony. TKAM was actually written by Truman Capote, who took pity on his feeble-minded cousin and wanted to provide her with an income for life.

[bgill]

Much ado about nothing.

[katana]

A reasonable definition of a racist is anyone for whom race and racial differences are an obsession. That would leave Atticus off the hook and correctly define every Democrat from Obama down to your local precinct labor union enforcer. Some folks just can’t leave a healed wound and the scab covering it alone.