One of Atticus' most important morals is found in his determination to be the same man at home as he is in public. Simply put, this idea means that Atticus wants to remain consistent in his values and stand up for what he believes in, despite the influence of any social norms that attempt to pressure him into changing his values. As such, Atticus staunchly believes that social conscience must be strong enough to overcome the negative pressure of social norms, such as Maycomb's ingrained racism.
The reader encounters this moral viewpoint through the perspective of Scout, Atticus' young daughter. Since she's so inexperienced when it comes to the adult world, Scout cannot understand why Atticus insists on standing up for his values in opposition to intense social pressure. In offering an explanation, Atticus is forced to use terms simple enough for a child to comprehend. As such, by using a child narrator, Harper Lee is able to justify the simplification of important moral conflicts, such as the tension between personal conscience and social norms. All in all, Lee uses her child narrator to make complex philosophical problems more accessible to her audience.
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