Atticus Finch - Upstander
Atticus Finch, in Harper Lee's novel ''To Kill a Mockingbird,'' is an upstander. He is not affected by what other people say or think. He is an attorney and a single father of a girl named Scout and a boy, Jem.
As an attorney, Atticus believes in what is right, even when many people are agianst him. He has to defend Tom Robinson, an African-American man accused of raping a young white girl. Atticus is convinced Tom Robinson is innocent and will do his best to represent him. This case takes place during the Great Depression in the town of Maycomb, Alabama, where racial tensions are high. Atticus wants to teach his children to treat others equally and that they shouldn't judge others based on skin color or socioeconomic status.
Quotes
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'You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.'
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'You just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don't you let 'em get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change.'
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'Before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience.'
Miss Maudie - Upstander
Miss Maudie, from the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" could be considered an upstander who wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. She wasn’t the type of person to just watch bad things happen she was an upstander. Whenever Miss Stephanie or Miss Dubose would talk spread lies about Boo Radley, Miss Maudie would jump in to stop them, she wouldn’t just listen.
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Quotes
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"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
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"You just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don't you let 'em get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change."
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"Before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience."
The King - Bystander
The King, in "The Lady or the Tiger" is a bystander, he knew that the games where people had a fifty- fifty chance at death were unfair yet he wanted them to happen so he could be entertained. He encouraged and participated in them by forcing his daughter’s boyfriend to habe to choose between the two doors.
Notes
The decisions of this tribunal [held in the public arena] were not only fair, they were positively determinate: the accused person was instantly punished if he found himself guilty, and, if innocent, he was rewarded on the spot, whether he liked it or not. There was no escape from the judgments of the king's arena.
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He was a man of exuberant fancy, and, withal, of an authority so irresistible that, at his will, he turned his varied fancies into facts.
Joe Summers - Bystander
Joe Summers, in "The Lottery" is a bystander. He is in charge of the lottery that decides who lives and who dies simply based on drawing a card. Because of this game a woman named Tess is stoned to death by everyone else in her village. He is only concerned with finishing up quickly.
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Quotes
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“It’s Tessie,” Mr. Summers said, and his voice was hushed. “Show us her paper, Bill.
“All right, folks,” Mr. Summers said. “Let’s finish quickly.”
Maya Angelou - Upstander
Maya Angelou was an American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She was active in the Civil Rights movement and worked with Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. In 1993, Angelou recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" (1993) at President Bill Clinton's inauguration. She was respected as a spokesperson for Black people and women, and her works have been considered a defense of Black culture. Her books center on themes such as racism, identity, family, and travel.
Quotes
"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude."
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"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
Ralph - Upstander
Ralph, in "Lord of the Flies", represents leadership, the properly socialized and civilized young man. He is fair, thinks about the future and plans ahead, and defends his followers. He keeps the fire burning so they can be rescued, defends Piggy against bullies, and shows fairness by caring about his followers.
Quotes
"This is our island. It’s a good island. Until the grown-ups come to fetch us we’ll have fun."
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"There’s another thing. We can help them to find us. If a ship comes near the island they may not notice us. So we must make smoke on top of the mountain. We must make a fire."
Happy - Bystander
Happy, in "Death of a Salesman," shares their father's tendency to make up crazy business plans and think he is better than others without being able to live up to the ideas or standards of greatness.
By the time Willy dies, Biff starts to criticize himself and realize that he needs to take responsibility for himself and his future. Happy never makes this change. He keeps thinking he's going to go into business and do it better than everyone else even though he doesn't have experience.
Quotes
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"I mean I can outbox, outlift and outrun anybody in that store, and I have to take orders from those petty, common sons of bitches till I can’t stand it anymore."
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"I am going to show you and everybody else that Willy Loman did not die in vain. He had a good dream. It's the only dream you can have!"
Big Brother - Bystander
Big Brother, in "1984" is a bystander, who the leader of Oceania, a totalitarian state wherein the ruling Party wields total power "for its own sake" over the inhabitants. Every citizen is under constant surveillance by the authorities, mainly by telescreens.
Quotes from 1984
“Big Brother is watching you.”
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“If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.”