A theme that I think many might have missed in TKAM is the clear message that to be happy all you have to do is be yourself. To be who you are no matter what you are doing. That it doesn't even matter what you do as long as you give 110%.

Give Your Whole Heart, Not Just Bits and Peices

From day 1 Atticus didn't really mind letting Scout be who she was. He wanted her to grow up and to find her own path. A unique individual he was one of few who encouraged her to be herself. If she wanted to be a tomboy he would let her run wild all day long. If she wanted to cuss he said, "let her test her boundaries." He let her shape her own life.

Aunt Alexandra on the other hand was quite different. From the moment she entered the novel she was always on Scout's case. "Be more ladylike," "Don't Run Amuck," "Be Polite," were all things constantly spurting from her mouth. She acted as though Scout was clay and she was an artist, molding Scout into whoever she, Aunt Alexandra, wanted her to be. If she didn't see fit a young girl in overalls she would say so and make her opinion loud and clear. She wanted to uphold the family name where as Atticus thought of it as just that, a name. Something nice and fine to live with but not to have it live you.


As a result of Atticus's strange but effective parenting Scout learned early on from her own mistakes. Atticus didn't teach the Scout and Jem that everything was OK. He more taught them an understanding of life. To be what you want to be with your whole heart. That when you know what you want go after it and seize it. Atticus knew the journey through Tom Robinsons trial would be a long and hard one, but that didn't stop him! He taught by example, he didn't just say, "Go out and help the world!" He was out there helping the world to! Another way of looking at it is through this story. Think of Atticus as Mahatma Gandhi:

A mother brought her young son to Mahatma Gandhi. She begged, "Please, Mahatma. Tell my son to stop eating sugar.'"

Gandhi paused, then said, "Bring your son back in two weeks." Puzzled, the woman thanked him and said that she would do as he had asked.

Two weeks later, she returned with her son. Gandhi looked the :youngster in the eye and said, "Stop eating sugar." Grateful but bewildered, the woman asked, "Why did you tell me to bring him back in two weeks? You could have told him the same thing then."

Gandhi replied, "Two weeks ago, 1 was eating sugar."

I like how Atticus teaches through actions more than words. What you do says a lot more about who you are than just saying what you're gonna do or who you are. I felt a really strong connection to this particular theme because I feel like so many people out there try to lead by talking when what we really is need is people who lead by action. Who be themselves and thrust themselves full hearted into challenging themselves and this world!

No matter how hard the climb, Put your Heart into it.

Be Yourself.

Just Do It - NIke