Leadership style comparison – Atticus and Creon
John Maxwell once said, “A true leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way”. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is a prominent lawyer in Maycomb, a southern town in the 1930’s, who is trying to lead his children, Jem and Scout, into a good life. Creon, from Sophocles’ Antigone, is the ruler of Thebes, an ancient Greek city, who faces difficulty leading the city with an open mind. Atticus has a calm and intelligent style of leading his children, who he cares for, and leads them in a way so that they learn what the world truly is. On the other hand, Creon forces his power on his subjects, and is leads by his feelings, rather than his mind.
Atticus is a caring father who understands and leads his children in a way such that they can experience the world as it is. For example, he asks Jem to visit Mr. Dubose, an old lady with a bad temperament who is at the final stages of life, every day for a month and read to her. At first, Jem doesn’t understand why his father would put him through all that. But it is after Mrs. Dubose dies does Jem understand Atticus’ motive. Mrs. Dubose had been suffering from morphine addiction, but instead of dying with it, she decides to overcome it, even with the pains of going through withdrawal. Atticus says, “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what” (Lee 115).
The Essay on Jail House Atticus Scout Jem
In this fine book, there are many pieces of evidence which cover the aspect of this question. One of the first of many begins on page 35. Scout has just finished eating her dinner, and Atticus asks her whether she is ready to read. However, like many young children do, Scout explains to him that she is feeling under the weather and didn't think she'd go to school any more... if it was ok with him. ...
Atticus actually sends Jem to her to understand that true courage is not giving up even if one cannot win, because it is the right thing to do. Due to this, Jem understands that what Atticus is doing about the Tom Robinson case is something he is doing for what is right. Next, Atticus also leads Scout intelligently when he talks to his brother, Jack about racism in the town at the night on which Scout gets in a fight with her cousin, Francis. Maycomb is a town full of racism against blacks, and when Atticus decides to take up a case for a black man against a white man due to moral reasons, most people in the town do not like it. Francis, because of that, calls Atticus a nigger-lover, which sets Scout off. Later that night, Scout overhears Atticus and Jack talking about racism, without them knowing she was there. Atticus says, “ I hope and pray I can get Jem and Scout through it without bitterness, and most of all, without catching Maycomb’s usual disease. Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up, is something I don’t pretend to understand… I just hope that Jem and Scout come to me for their answers instead of listening to the town. I hope they trust me enough” (91).
As Scout says later, she “never figured out how Atticus knew I was listening, and it was not until many years later that I realized he wanted me to hear every word he said” (92).
Atticus says those words so that he could explain to Scout that what Francis said is what most of Maycomb thinks, but that shouldn’t stop Scout from doing what is right, or giving up trust in Atticus. Thus, Scout too understands that what Atticus is doing is right. In this way, he cleverly ensures that his children understand what the world actually is, without being trapped in its misconceptions, thus proving his leadership to be trustworthy and effective.
Creon on the other hand is more passionate about his leadership, forcing on his power, without caring about the best course of action that could be taken at that moment. Right after Creon comes to power after the death of the princes Polyneices and Eteocles, he issues a decree stating that Eteocles, who fought for their city, would be buried with honor, but Polynieces, who fought against, would be left there unburied. But instead of offering him loyalty, many people in the city are opposed to this, for they believe it is God’s wish that the dead be buried. The princes’ sister Antigone breaks his decree and performs burial rituals on the body. She says, “It was God’s proclamation. The final justice that rules the world below makes no such laws”(203).
The Essay on To Kill A Mockingbird: How Did Atticus Influence Scout
In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, I believe that Atticus had a great influence on Scout. Atticus influences Scout by him treating all people with respect and equality and he looked at the positive side of people and events. Atticus also taught her about treating all people equal no matter who they are. Atticus influenced Scout by telling her to treat nature with respect. Atticus teaches them ...
Creon, even though knowing Antigone was right, stubbornly convicts her of treason and puts her in a cage. Hearing of his actions, Haimon, Creon’s son and Antigone’s spouse, tries to convince Creon of changing his edict. He says, “She covered her brother’s body. Is this indecent…she should have all the honor that we can give her. That’s the way they talk out there in the city”(214).
To that, Creon responds by, “My voice is the one voice giving orders in the city” (215).
Instead of listening to reasoning, Creon again decides to egotistically ignore it. This leads to bad omens happening all over the city, and even leads the great prophet Terresias to tell Creon to mend his ways. Eventually, his family is destroyed. Thus Creon’s leadership, far from bringing peace and prosperity, brings bad luck and bad will to the city.
Atticus is inclined to care for his children, and that he does by leading them honestly in the right direction. Whereas Creon simply doesn’t heed to anything but decides to stubbornly use his power to lead the people. Atticus’ leadership creates a better person out of Jem and Scout, who can see the world without their eyes clouded, thus proving him an effective leader. But Creon, in the end, displeases the Gods, and ends up being the reason for the deaths of Antigone, his son, his wife and himself, thus proving his leadership to be ineffective, and to some extent, even dangerous. Even though, using force to make people follow him seems to create an illusion of Creon being powerful, his decisions bring people to fear and not trust in him. In conclusion, a leader should know the best thing that can be done for those who follow him, without being discriminate or delusional.
