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Atticus Finch: A Hero for the Ages, including the Zombie Apocalypse

UPDATE: Atticus won! He moves to the next round…against Han Solo. More on that soon.

I’m in a contest. My buddy, Clay Morgan, is hosting his second-annual Movie March Madness (known on Twitter as #mmm2) and I’m in it.

The best movie heroes of all time are battling it out in an NCAA-style tournament. Atticus Finch, the character I’m backing (played by Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird), made it through the first round, but is now up against Belle of Beauty and the Beast fame.

If you’re a visual person, here are images from today’s match up:

VS.

 

I need your help. I need you to click over to Educlaytion and vote for Atticus Finch. Voting for this round closes at noon EST Thursday, so don’t add this to your endless to-do list; do it now. (Plus, the zombies might be coming). 
UPDATE: VOTING IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS! 🙂

For your trouble, here are 9 Reasons Why Atticus Finch is the Best Movie Hero:

  1. Atticus uses words to fight bigotry.
  2. He is a single dad raising two responsible and mischief-loving kids.
  3. I sometimes like to think I’m a bit like Scout, his tomboy, smart-mouthed daughter. Vivian might even be more like Scout. Send help.
  4. Atticus can shoot a gun and is the best shot in Maycomb (which means I’d want him on my team during a Zombie Apocalypse)
  5. He doesn’t use his gun to shoot people, only rabid dogs (and likely zombies had they invaded Alabama in the 1930s).
  6. He doesn’t brag about his talents.
  7. He’s Boo Radley’s neighbour and doesn’t believe Boo Radley is a merciless zombie (like the gossipy townsfolk do).
  8. Atticus likes books, even more than Belle and zombies do.
  9. “Atticus Finch defeats Belle” can be rearranged to spell “Tasteful, feeblish accident”, which is a nice euphemism for Atticus winning this Round 2 match-up.

If you need a bonus reason to vote for Atticus Finch, vote for him because Clay Morgan doesn’t think Atticus will win this round. (Check out Mr. Educlaytion’s bracket, people!)

If you wish to add more reasons, please do so at Clay’s blog. And remember: a vote for Atticus Finch is a vote that will defeat zombies.

Filed Under: Finding Humor Everywhere, On the Move Tagged With: Atticus Finch, Belle, Clay Morgan, Educlaytion, humor, Leanne Shirtliffe, March Movie Madness, MMM2, Zombies

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. susielindau says

    March 21, 2012 at 10:17 am

    Go Atticus!

    Reply
  2. Chad Jones says

    March 21, 2012 at 10:24 am

    Like Marlon Brando, I’d make you an offer you can’t refuse, but I don’t have that kind of presence. So I’ll make you a deal: I voted Atticus (in both rounds)–so please vote for my Sam.

    Thank-you!

    Reply
    • hopefulleigh says

      March 21, 2012 at 12:28 pm

      No, no! I voted for Atticus so vote for WILL HUNTING! Atticus would get along splendidly with post-therapy Will.

      Reply
      • Leanne Shirtliffe says

        March 21, 2012 at 7:32 pm

        I voted for everyone. That’s the Canadian way.

        Reply
  3. thoughtsappear says

    March 21, 2012 at 10:44 am

    He can defeat zombies? He has my vote!

    I forgot you were Canadian for a second…and then I saw the “u” in “neighbour.”

    Reply
    • Leanne Shirtliffe says

      March 21, 2012 at 7:33 pm

      🙂

      Reply
  4. Margaret says

    March 21, 2012 at 10:48 am

    Voted for Atticus–how could you not? He is one of the great literary heroes of all time!

    Reply
    • Leanne Shirtliffe says

      March 21, 2012 at 7:33 pm

      So true!

      Reply
  5. Paige Kellerman says

    March 21, 2012 at 11:06 am

    He got my vote. I still believe in justice, even if my Patriot was mercilessly crushed..lol

    Reply
    • Leanne Shirtliffe says

      March 21, 2012 at 7:33 pm

      Unfair, that!

      Reply
  6. Clay Morgan (@ClayMorganPA) says

    March 21, 2012 at 11:23 am

    Quite a compelling argument! Who knew Belle had turned to the living dead. Great post =)

    Reply
    • Clay Morgan (@ClayMorganPA) says

      March 21, 2012 at 12:11 pm

      And I LOVE THE ANAGRAMMING!!!

      Reply
      • Leanne Shirtliffe says

        March 21, 2012 at 7:33 pm

        I’m stealing your ideas. Feel free to steal them back.

        Reply
  7. jeandayfriday says

    March 21, 2012 at 11:25 am

    I voted for Atticus because he is awesome. 🙂

    Reply
    • Leanne Shirtliffe says

      March 21, 2012 at 7:34 pm

      He is.

      Reply
  8. Renée A. Schuls-Jacobson says

    March 21, 2012 at 11:28 am

    Atticus! Atticus!

    Wait, I think they were yelling “Attica! Attica!”

    No worries. I voted Atticus. Duh. I almost named my first born after him. 😉

    Reply
    • Leanne Shirtliffe says

      March 21, 2012 at 7:34 pm

      My cousins named their dog Atticus.

      Reply
  9. prttynpnk says

    March 21, 2012 at 11:38 am

    I’m totally voting for you and I have Sam Spade’s permission to vote twice in his honor.

    Reply
    • Leanne Shirtliffe says

      March 21, 2012 at 7:34 pm

      Why stop at twice? 😉

      Reply
  10. Kate says

    March 21, 2012 at 11:39 am

    To Kill a Mockingbird is my favorite classic. Love this story. So, I couldn’t vote for anyone but Atticus.

    Reply
    • Leanne Shirtliffe says

      March 21, 2012 at 7:35 pm

      Love the loyalty!

      Reply
  11. Wendy Lawrence says

    March 21, 2012 at 11:40 am

    I will vote for Gregory Peck any day of the week!

    Reply
    • Leanne Shirtliffe says

      March 21, 2012 at 7:35 pm

      I hear you.

      Reply
  12. monicastangledweb says

    March 21, 2012 at 11:53 am

    I love Atticus (I even love the name!). So I voted for you, hands-down. I like Belle, too, but how can she even compete with Atticus? They’re not even in the same league!

    Reply
    • Leanne Shirtliffe says

      March 21, 2012 at 7:35 pm

      That’s true. She could win “Best Animated Hero”…

      Reply
  13. mistyslaws says

    March 21, 2012 at 12:41 pm

    Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is an all time classic movie and one of my favorites. Plus, it is on a constant loop in my house because my youngest adores it and asks to watch it all the time. Belle is a great heroine who looks past the outside of a person and falls for what is truly inside (and then is rewarded by getting a hottie! Holla). How could I NOT vote for her?

    Well, except that To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the best novels ever written, full of exquisitely realized characters, full of flaws and traits found in all of us, a message of tolerance and acceptance of those different than us, whether by looks or actions, and one of the most valiant and noble men ever to be created and written on the blank page, Atticus Finch. And Peck’s portrayal of this character on screen is nothing short of brilliant.

    I guess that’s how. 🙂

    Reply
    • Leanne Shirtliffe says

      March 21, 2012 at 7:36 pm

      Well said. I may have to steal that last big paragraph if Atticus advances.

      Reply
  14. Christian Emmett says

    March 21, 2012 at 5:51 pm

    It’s a little known fact that a zombie outbreak actually occurred in Alabama in the ’30s. Atticus got them all before they could take over the World. I expect that hot on the trails of the movie “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” there will be another titled “Atticus Finch: Zombie Exterminator”.

    He’s got my vote. 🙂

    Reply
    • Leanne Shirtliffe says

      March 21, 2012 at 7:36 pm

      Bwahaha. Thanks for the laugh (and the vote)!

      Reply
  15. mj monaghan says

    March 22, 2012 at 1:24 am

    Again, I can’t reveal how I voted, I can only say I like seed-eating song birds … a lot.

    Reply
    • Leanne Shirtliffe says

      March 22, 2012 at 7:29 am

      Belle Jays? 😉

      Reply
      • mj monaghan says

        March 22, 2012 at 10:26 am

        Wow, guessed it first time! 🙂

        Reply

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