In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch represents the moral law as that sanctioned by rational thinking and reflected in our constitutional guarantees of equality, justice, fairness, freedom, and respect for the rule of law. Justice is an important theme in To Kill a Mockingbird, in which Scout confronts difficult truths about bias and racism within her community. She learns that while the courts can be a potential source of justice, there are also other ways of achieving justice outside the courtroom. This lesson is especially important when she discovers that the legal system does not always return the morally right verdict. In his closing remarks during Tom Robinson’s trial, Atticus tells the jury, “Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal.” In this idealized vision, a jury would deliver justice by issuing a decision guided by reason rather than passion. Their judgment would treat all individuals equally, regardless of their race or social circumstance, because equality and lack of prejudice are essential preconditions to justice.
