Atticus Finch shows himself as a good moral exemplar to Scout in several ways, most of all by being a firm, but loving, father to Scout and Jem. Though Atticus insists his children study hard, respect their elders, including the African-American maid Calpurnia, and behave respectfully toward one another and their neighbors, he takes pleasure in their youthful behaviors.
Of course the most dramatic experience of Atticus' moral influence on Scout is when Atticus defends the black laborer Tom Robinson, who is accused of rape by the teenager Mayella Ewell (backed by Mayella's alcoholic and abusive father, Bob Ewell). Though it is quite obvious to any objective viewer that Tom is innocent, during this era in the American South the mere word of a white person against a black person was often enough to garner a conviction, regardless of the truth.
Atticus explains to Scout the bigotry that was so widespread in the town where the Finches lived, and how to rise above it:
"Scout," said Atticus, "nigger-lover is just one of those terms that don't mean anything—like snot-nose. It's hard to explain—ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody's favoring Negroes over and above themselves. It's slipped into usage with some people like ourselves, when they want a common, ugly term to label somebody."
"You aren't really a nigger-lover, then, are you?"
"I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody... I'm hard put, sometimes—baby, it's never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesn't hurt you."
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