ATTICUS FINCH
Atticus Finch was the first to break the Finch family line, going to Montgomery to study law. After he was admitted to the bar, he returned to Maycomb to start his practice with an office in the courthouse. His great hatred for criminal law probably stms from his first two clients, both Haverfords, who did not allow Atticus to put up a worthwhile defense. Since Atticus received a decent income from practicing law, he invested his earnings in his brother's education. "He liked Maycomb, he was Maycomb born and bred; he knew his people; they knew him, and because of Simon Finch's industry, Atticus was related by blood or marriage to nearly every family in the town." When he met his wife, he was middle-aged, but he never went to school. He was taught by his father. He serves in the state legislature and has always been elected with no opposition. He refuses to teach the kids to shoot even though he was nicknamed "One Shot Finch," which was shown when he shot the mad dog. Atticus felt that having a gun in the house was an invitation to be shot. One good quality was that he would listen to both sides of an argument before issuing a decision. Older than most fathers, "Atticus was feeble: he was nearly fifty." Nearly blind in his left eye and wearing glasses, he could often be found in the living room reading. "He can make somebody's will so airtight can't anyone meddle with it." He's also the best checker player in town, he plays a Jew's Harp and is the deadest shot in the county. "For a big man, Atticus could get up and down from a chair faster than anyone." Church was his one time alone when he did not sit with the children. "He never ate deserts. . . . he liked to walk. As far back as I [Scout] could remember, there was always a Chevrolet in excellent condition in the carhouse, and Atticus put many miles on it in business trips, but in Maycomb he walked to and from his office four times a day, covering about two miles. He said his only exercise was walking." Atticus has graying black hair and square cut features.
