Justice or Mercy?
“Atticus’s office in the courthouse contained little more than a hat rack,
a spittoon, a checkerboard and an 
unsullied Code of Alabama.” (p.5) 
“We were far too old to settle an argument with a fist-fight,
so we consulted Atticus. Our father said we were both right.” (p.3)
“Son, I have no doubt that you’ve been annoyed by you contemporaries about me lawing for niggers, as you say, but to do something like this to a sick old lady is inexcusable. I strongly advise you to go down and have a talk with Mrs. Dubose.” (Page 138)
“ ‘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. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. Mrs. Dubose won, all ninety- eight pounds of her. According to her views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew.’ ” (p.149) 


“ ‘This case, Tom Robinson’s case, is something that goes to the essence of a man’s conscience- Scout, I couldn’t go to church and worship God if I didn’t try to help that man.’ ” (p.139) 
“Atticus greeted Walter and began a discussion about crops neither Jem nor I could follow….. Atticus was expounding upon farm problems when Walter interrupted to ask if there was any molasses in the house.” (pgs.31 and 32) 
“ ‘So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and I’d rather it be me than that houseful of children out there.’ ” (pgs. 292 and 293) 
 
“ ‘For God’s sake Mr. Finch, look where he is! Miss and you’ll shoot straight into the Radley house! I can’t shoot that well and you know it!’
 'I haven’t shot a gun in thirty years-' 

Mr. Tate almost threw the rifle at Atticus. ‘I’d feel mighty comfortable if you did now,’ he said.” (P.127) 

“When Atticus looked down at me I saw the expression on his face that always made me expect something. ‘Do you know what a compromise is?’ he asked.
‘Bending the law?’
‘No, an agreement reached by mutual concessions. It works this way,’ he said. ‘If you’ll concede the necessity of going to school, we’ll go on reading every night just as we always have.’” (p. 41) 

“ 'To my way of thinkin’, Mr. Finch, taking the one man who’s done you and this town a great service and draggin’ him with his shy ways into the limelight- to me, that’s a sin. It’s a sin and I’m not about to have it on my head.' ” (P.370)  
“ 'I won’t have it,' Atticus said softly. 'God damn it, I’m not thinking of Jem!'" (p.368) 
Is it okay for truth and rules to end in a compromise for mercy? 
Is there a difference between morale rightness and lawful justice?
"Another thing, Mr. Bob Ewell, Burris's father, was permitted to hunt out of season. 
'Atticus, that's bad,' I said....
'It's certainly bad, but when a man spends his relief checks on green whiskey his children have a way of crying from hunger pains. I don't know of any landowner around here who begrudges those children any game their father can hit.'" (p.41) 
What’s the priority?
" 'Thank you for my children, Arthur,' he said." (p.370)