--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know now what he was trying to do, but…" description: "\"I know now what he was trying to do, but Atticus was only a man. It takes a woman to do that kind of work.\" — Harper Lee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eea/harper-lee-451_atticus_i-know-now-what-he-was-trying-to-do-but_1893691.png" --- # I know now what he was trying to do, but Atticus was only… ![“I know now what he was trying to do, but Atticus was only a man. It takes a woman to do that kind of work.” quote by Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eea/harper-lee-451_atticus_i-know-now-what-he-was-trying-to-do-but_1893691.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eea/harper-lee-451_atticus_i-know-now-what-he-was-trying-to-do-but_1893691.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eea/harper-lee-451_atticus_i-know-now-what-he-was-trying-to-do-but_1893691.png) > “I know now what he was trying to do, but Atticus was only a man. It takes a woman to do that kind of work.” [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Complex social issues often require women’s perspectives and leadership, as men alone may lack the necessary empathy or insight. **In simple terms:** Women bring essential insight to certain work. Key Takeaway Empower women in roles demanding empathy and nuance. Themes gender leadership empathy social justice collaboration Mood reflective empowering Type social educational When to use this quote - Community organizing - legal advocacy - education reform - policy making - media representation Key Concepts Feminist theory social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What barriers prevent women from leading such work? - How can inclusive teams balance gender strengths? A Different Perspective May overlook contributions of men in similar roles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atticus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atticus/) [Atticus Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atticus-man-2751611/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Know Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-trying-363034/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Trying Atticus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-atticus-2751612/) ## Related quotes > [“Atticus was feeble: he was nearly fifty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/atticus-was-feeble-he-was-nearly-fifty/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“I could not remember when the lines above Atticus’s moving finger separated into words, but I had stared at them all the evenings in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-could-not-remember-when-the-lines-above-atticus-s-moving-finger/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“I wish Bob Ewell wouldn’t chew tobacco,” was all Atticus said about it. According to Miss Stephanie Crawford, however, Atticus was leaving the post…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-wish-bob-ewell-wouldn-t-chew-tobacco-was-all-atticus-said-about-it/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“Why reasonable people go stark raving mad when anything involving a Negro comes up, is something I don't pretend to understand. ~Harper Lee, To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/why-reasonable-people-go-stark-raving-mad-when-anything-involving-a/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [When they finally saw him, why he hadn't done any of those things . . . Atticus, he was real nice. . . .”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/when-they-finally-saw-him-why-he-hadn-t-done-any-of-those-things/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“The sixth grade seemed to please him from the beginning: he went through a brief Egyptian Period that baffled me - he tried to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/the-sixth-grade-seemed-to-please-him-from-the-beginning-he-went/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“I found myself wondering what life would be if Jem were different, even from what he was now; what I would do if Atticus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-found-myself-wondering-what-life-would-be-if-jem-were-different/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I shall never marry, Atticus." "Why?" "I might have children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-shall-never-marry-atticus-why-i-might-have-children/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“I was proceeding on the dim theory, aside from the innate attractiveness of such words, that if Atticus discovered I had picked them up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-was-proceeding-on-the-dim-theory-aside-from-the-innate/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [There was nowhere to go, but I turned to go and met Atticus's vest front. I buried my head in it and listened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/there-was-nowhere-to-go-but-i-turned-to-go-and-met-atticus-s-vest/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“The only way in which all men in America are equal, is in the courtroom - Atticus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/the-only-way-in-which-all-men-in-america-are-equal-is-in-the/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“Atticus sat looking at the floor for a long time. Finally he raised his head. “Scout,” he said, “Mr. Ewell fell on his knife.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/atticus-sat-looking-at-the-floor-for-a-long-time-finally-he-raised/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“Atticus says you can choose your friends but you sho' can't choose your family, an' they're still kin to you no matter whether you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/atticus-says-you-can-choose-your-friends-but-you-sho-can-t-choose/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [hold your head high and keep those fists down - Atticus Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/hold-your-head-high-and-keep-those-fists-down-atticus-finch/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/atticus-was-right-one-time-he-said-you-never-really-know-a-man-until/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) ## More by Harper Lee > [“No jury in this part of the world's going to say, "We think you're guilty, but not very," on a charge like that. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/no-jury-in-this-part-of-the-world-s-going-to-say-we-think-you-re/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [That proves something- that a gang of wild animals can be stopped, simply because they're still human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/that-proves-something-that-a-gang-of-wild-animals-can-be-stopped/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“I wanted you to see something about her—I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-wanted-you-to-see-something-about-her-i-wanted-you-to-see-what-real/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [Any writer worth his salt writes to please himself...It's a self-exploratory operation that is endless. An exorcism of not necessarily his demon, but of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/any-writer-worth-his-salt-writes-to-please-himself-it-s-a-self/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“folks don’t like to have somebody around knowin’ more than they do. It aggravates ’em. You’re not gonna change any of them by talkin’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/folks-don-t-like-to-have-somebody-around-knowin-more-than-they-do-it/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [ “...\[Summer\] was a thousand colors in a parched landscape...” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/summer-was-a-thousand-colors-in-a-parched-landscape/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [It’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/it-s-never-an-insult-to-be-called-what-somebody-thinks-is-a-bad-name/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I wonder how much of the day I spend just callin' after you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-wonder-how-much-of-the-day-i-spend-just-callin-after-you/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [Writing is something you'll never learn in any university or at any school. It's something that is within you, and if it isn't there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/writing-is-something-you-ll-never-learn-in-any-university-or-at-any/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence that the crime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/to-begin-with-this-case-should-never-have-come-to-trial-the-state-has/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“Naw, Jem. I think that there is just one kind of folks. Folks." Jen turned and punched his pillow. WHen he settle back his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/naw-jem-i-think-that-there-is-just-one-kind-of-folks-folks-jen-turned/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“The course of English Literature would have been decidedly different had Mr. Wordsworth owned a power mower.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/the-course-of-english-literature-would-have-been-decidedly-different/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I would like to be the chronicler of something that I think is going down the drain very swiftly, and that is small-town, middle-class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-would-like-to-be-the-chronicler-of-something-that-i-think-is-going/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“The gum looked fresh. I sniffed it and it smelled all right. I licked it and waited for a while. When I did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/the-gum-looked-fresh-i-sniffed-it-and-it-smelled-all-right-i-licked/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [I just thought you'd like to know I can read. You got anything needs readin' I can do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/i-just-thought-you-d-like-to-know-i-can-read-you-got-anything-needs/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) [Explore all 494 Harper Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) ## More Atticus quotes > [“It was her chaos that made her beautiful. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/it-was-her-chaos-that-made-her-beautiful/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“Atticus adjusted his glasses as he peered down at the blanket. “Hey, is that the book Nellie told us about?” Jake’s eyes flicked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-watson/atticus-adjusted-his-glasses-as-he-peered-down-at-the-blanket-hey-is/) [Jude Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-watson/) > [“She knew she was really sad when she stopped loving the things she loved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/she-knew-she-was-really-sad-when-she-stopped-loving-the-things-she/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“She was afraid of heights but she was much more afraid of never flying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/she-was-afraid-of-heights-but-she-was-much-more-afraid-of-never-flying/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“The universe is exactly the size that your soul can encompass. Some people live in extremely small worlds, and some live in a world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-hounded-the-iron-druid-chronicles-by-kevin-hearne/the-universe-is-exactly-the-size-that-your-soul-can-encompass-some/) [Atticus Hounded The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-hounded-the-iron-druid-chronicles-by-kevin-hearne/) > [“Art takes time— Monet grew his gardens before he painted them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/art-takes-time-monet-grew-his-gardens-before-he-painted-them/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“She was cool— the whole world seemed to spin around her in smooth jazz.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/she-was-cool-the-whole-world-seemed-to-spin-around-her-in-smooth-jazz/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“Do not fall in love with me, for I will break your heart, long before you realize, you were going to break mine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/do-not-fall-in-love-with-me-for-i-will-break-your-heart-long-before/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“Atticus was feeble: he was nearly fifty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/atticus-was-feeble-he-was-nearly-fifty/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“One day I’ll paint the perfect sunset-- if I can only find the words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/one-day-i-ll-paint-the-perfect-sunset-if-i-can-only-find-the-words/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“A few drinks and the world was hers— she wore her whiskey like a loaded gun.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/a-few-drinks-and-the-world-was-hers-she-wore-her-whiskey-like-a/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [hold your head high and keep those fists down - Atticus Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/hold-your-head-high-and-keep-those-fists-down-atticus-finch/) [Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/) > [“From the moment I saw her I knew this one was worth the broken heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/from-the-moment-i-saw-her-i-knew-this-one-was-worth-the-broken-heart/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“There are magnets in my bones for that iron in her blood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atticus-poetry/there-are-magnets-in-my-bones-for-that-iron-in-her-blood/) [Atticus Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atticus-poetry/) > [“No code mattered to her before she broke it, but it came crashing down on her afterwards." - Atticus Finch”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee-to-kill-a-mockingbird/no-code-mattered-to-her-before-she-broke-it-but-it-came-crashing-down/) [Harper Lee To Kill A Mockingbird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee-to-kill-a-mockingbird/) [Browse all 178 Atticus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atticus/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I know now what he was trying to do, but Atticus was only a man. 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