Imagine doing something completely unspeakable in your society. Now, what if I told you that it comes down to something as simple as black and white? Racial injustice is the biggest issue addressed in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus Finch has been cornered many times and during these many events we see his moral and ethically inclined personality displayed. For this reason, Atticus is truly a hero to modern audiences because he demonstrates an approach to situations that would improve society. Not only does he express it by sticking to his conscience and his morals; but Atticus also shows courage and risks himself and his reputation to achieve the results he wants to achieve. Like many famous activists, Atticus Finch holds to his conscience and morals above all else. If we look at those who did such a thing like Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, and even Nelson Mandela as heroes for doing what they did to improve the lives of everyone around them; so why should Atticus Finch be any different? There are many instances where we can see Mr. Finch in context. An important piece of evidence of this happening is when Atticus is talking to his daughter, Scout. During this time the girl asks her father why he defends Tom Robinson if he is completely against social norms. "If you're not supposed to defend him, then why are you doing it?" "For a variety of reasons," Atticus said. "The main one is, if I didn't do it, 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." (Lee, 100-101) Even though Atticus is fully aware that he...... middle of paper ...... the racial issue will be what he does to the civil rights activists who are coming to the South how Lee wrote his novel. From this we can conclude that, like Folsom, who was a politician fighting for civil rights at the time of this novel, Atticus fought for the general equality of all people, regardless of the color of their skin. This overall improved their society, making them both heroes in this respect. To conclude, Atticus should be considered a hero to a modern audience. Atticus not only stays true to his morals and ethics throughout the novel, but also stands up for what he believes in despite any ramifications. These, along with other aspects of Atticus and his personality, fit the title of hero perfectly. Just as Atticus believes, the controversy over his heroism is as simple as black and white; in fact he belongs to the heroic class.