what can be deduced about the character of atticus from his defense of tom robinson

I think what we can say is that Atticus is a guy I strive to be like but will never come close. Atticus risks everything he has because he needs to do the right thing. Atticus is able to gently guide a hostile jury of bigoted white men to see the truth. Unfortunately most of the jury are too lost in their hate to actually acquit Tom, but they all see the truth and in their shame, they do the wrong thing. Atticus brings a sense of humanity to a very dark time in Maycomb.