What does Tom Robinson teach Atticus in “To Kill a Mocking Bird”?
Atticus already knew about racism and did his best to treat Tom well. I don’t know how to explain this…bear with me… They both respected each other, and Tom knew that he had excellent representation as a lawyer, and was dealing with a kind and fair man. Atticus, I think, even though he was a humble man (not arrogant and not overly positive about his ability to help Tom) was expecting Tom to have more faith in him. When Tom ran from the officers at the jail and got shot, it was his own choice to run and his own hopelessness at the situation that got him killed (but we can speculate that the officers didn’t actually shoot to wound, but to kill). I don’t think Atticus saw this coming, and I think he expected Tom to sit tight in jail and wait for an appeal to the case instead of freaking out. So what I think this taught Atticus, in a way, is that even though everyone must do their own part, and while he knew he would continue to make honorable choices, there is only so much that one pe
