Leadership In To Kill A Mockingbird

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The definition of leadership spans a wide range, dependent on the person responding to the inquiry. Kidder’s article identifies traits that people of all walks of life, from all over the world see as those of a leader. Included in the list are several great examples, but the most resonant are tolerance, truthfulness, and responsibility. Tolerance contributes to the most outstanding leaders. People who possess this trait not only understand that their own personal beliefs are not paramount to everyone, but also allow the beliefs of others to fairly influence how they lead the group. A leader who exemplifies tolerance is Nelson Mandela. A leader in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, he was imprisoned for 27 years on Robben Island (Mandela). Despite his unjust imprisonment, Mandela was still tolerant of others opinions, and voiced his own with eloquence and ease. He made it clear that he was against racial inequalities in…show more content…
No matter who they are leading, the person takes into account the truth above all else. This quality can be seen most clearly through the fictional character Atticus Finch, from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus is assigned the task of defending Tom Robinson, an African-American accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman. Despite the overwhelming evidence (and truth) that Robinson is innocent, the jury, judge, and the rest of the population of Maycomb County, Alabama find him guilty. However, Atticus respects Tom Robinson as a human and understand that he has as much right to a proper and fair trial as anyone else. Atticus focuses on the truth of the matter, that Robinson was just called upon to “bust up a chifforobe” for Ewell (Lee), and did not assault the woman. Atticus Finch cites the truth above all else, and does not take the easy way out by refusing to defend Robinson because he knew that Robinson would be found guilty, despite what the reality of the matter

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