Power is a word we hear and use often; it means having the ability or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events. My definition of power is having something that others want, such as money, knowledge, and strength. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay In the story To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch has power and people admire him. Atticus is a smart lawyer who is a leader in his community. He is an independent thinker who has moral courage. He uses his expert power to help people in difficult cases and in this case he helps Mr. Robinson, an innocent man falsely accused of raping Bob Ewell's daughter, Mayella Ewell. Atticus uses his admiration and the power of the people in his community to try to save Tom Robinson from his false rape allegations. Atticus chooses to represent Mr. Robinson when he could have let him be falsely accused. When everyone is against him, he doesn't listen to them and defends the man anyway. He teaches his children to respect others, to think for themselves and to do the right thing. For example, when Walter Cunningham, a poor farmer and gangster, tries to give Mr. Robinson an unfair trial, Atticus tells him and his men to leave the courthouse. The men listen and leave; it is because he has superior power over them and men respect that. Atticus wants to defend this man because he believes he is innocent and will not let someone be falsely accused because of the color of their skin. Bob Ewell is a man rejected in society and has no power. No one knows him and he needs a voice in the community and seizes the opportunity whenever it presents itself. When his daughter begins flirting with a married black man, Mr. Robinson, he tells the police that he raped her. The man is sent to court and Atticus becomes his lawyer. In court, Atticus presents three main points to prove Mr. Robinson's innocence. First, he begins by telling the people in the courtroom what really happened that night at Mayella's house. She was a white woman and she seduced a black man. Next, Atticus states that Mayella's father was left-handed and then pointed out the marks on the right side of Mayella's face. The last thing he says is that all men are created equal in a court of law. Later, the jurors return and Mr. Robinson is found guilty. As Atticus leaves, a group of African Americans show him their respect and thank him for trying. Even though Atticus lost the case, it still represented power because if he wasn't there, Mr. Robinson would have had no change at all. Atticus had influence over the jurors, but because of the color of the man's skin, they simply could not say that he was innocent. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay To have something that others desire or to have influence over another person means you have power. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch has power and he uses it to try to save the life of an innocent man. Although he does not win the case, he nevertheless demonstrates his power by getting the jury to reexamine the man's case. If a lot of people looked up to you and you had influence over what they do or don't do, would you use it to help someone.?