Although Atticus was assigned the Tom Robinson case by Judge Taylor, Atticus swears to defend Tom to the best of his ability. Atticus takes Tom's case personally and plans to "jar the jury a bit" before it's all over. Atticus is a morally upright individual who lives with integrity and upholds his beliefs despite adversity. He is motivated to defend Tom because he believes in justice and knows that defending Tom is the right thing to do. In Chapter 9, Scout asks her father why he chooses to defend Tom, and Atticus tells her that he wouldn't be able to hold his head high in town or represent the county in the legislature if he didn't take the case. Atticus is essentially trying to explain to Scout that he refuses to compromise his beliefs and morals to satisfy the prejudiced community members of Maycomb. Atticus understands that he would be a hypocrite if he didn't do his best to defend Tom Robinson. When Atticus' brother asks him if he will let Tom's case go, Atticus says, "...you think I could face my children otherwise?" (Lee 117). Atticus is also motivated because he wants to lead by example and be an honest, courageous role model for his children. He views Tom's case not only as a personal challenge but as an opportunity for his children to witness what "real courage" looks like.
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