Answer:
They respected him. To them, he was an intelligent, morally upright man who represents what a true Christian should be, unaffected by others' opinions.
Explanation:
In Harper Lee's novel "To Kill A Mockingbird", Atticus Finch epitomizes the true personification of what a man should be. He was respected by all, even his own children. He was a lawyer but still unswayed by the opinions of others. He has also been continuously elected in the state legislature, unopposed. This shows just how much respected and truthful he must have been in the community. The cartoon image of Atticus in the newspaper gives the perfect portrait of Atticus, "chained to the desk" with white girls trying to distract him. But he still remained focused only on his work. This shows how devoted he is to his work and a respected person.
But once the case of the black man Tom Robinson sexually assaulting Mayella Ewell, a white girl started, his image changed for the person. He took the role of the lawyer, defending Tom against the false accusation. This made the townspeople question his actions. For them, since Tom was black, he is guilty. The issue of racism is still prevalent during those times so they are still swayed by the popular belief that whatever the issue is involving a colored person, then he's guilty. They started saying things to not only Atticus but even the children. They couldn't understand why he was representing a black man, trying to prove the innocence of a black man in a white majority community.
But after the trial and verdict, the townspeople brought food for them. This is a symbol of showing their respect for the man trying his best to prove the innocence of a man, even though he fails. His work ethics and commitment to the cause of injustice, even if he ends up being hated, shows him as a person of great character and respect.
