In a changing world, gentlemen must be equipped to listen and speak to be heard | Opinion
The quality of a gentleman should be measured by his character and willingness to be a voice for those who can't speak for themselves
- Brad Gioia is the headmaster of Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville.
This past spring I read an article entitled “The World Needs More Gentlemen.”
Since our school holds in esteem the ideal of a gentleman, the rhetoric and theme of this article caught my attention. It mentioned one of my childhood heroes — Atticus Finch, the main character of Harper Lee’s celebrated 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird.
Atticus Finch symbolizes the gentleman ideal. He epitomizes a gentleman's courage, intelligence, compassion, and sense of what is right and wrong. Additionally, Atticus seems to believe in the notion of justice and equity, particularly by standing almost alone in defending a black man in an era when race relations seemed very unequal and often unfair.
My view of Atticus was disrupted when I read the recently released novel by Harper Lee entitled Go Set a Watchman.
In this story the portrait of Atticus is much more complex. No longer is he held up on a pedestal; rather, his virtues and principles seem compromised by visits to KKK meetings and an image not as pure and beautifully chiseled.
I also had the good fortune recently to see Aaron Sorkin's Broadway version of To Kill a Mockingbird. The character Calpurnia questions Atticus. In this version his ideals appear to be tepid and inactive, and Calpurnia confronts Atticus by asking why he does not take a greater stance in changing the race relations in their small town.
My innocent view of Atticus has enlarged and transformed over time.I still value the ways in which he cares for and comforts his children. I admire his willingness to stand up to his community, but I now see how much the world has changed and why a gentleman like Atticus must find those inner convictions to reconcile these changes and perspectives.
It's time to rethink who we are and what we believe
Our world has shifted dramatically in just the past 20 years, particularly in regard to race relations and a greater political divide. Incidents in schools, colleges and communities in places as varied as Missouri, Texas, or New York have rattled our confidence in getting along with one another and finding and seeking heroes like Atticus Finch.
We should recognize that as our society changes, so too should our understanding of what it means to have a strong community and how to teach the next generation. We must stress the importance of being inclusive and giving a voice to every person — regardless of race, religion or background.
The meaning has changed over time
I believe in the virtues and the notion of a gentleman, but this definition is now much more robust and complex. A gentleman should still have courage, intelligence, compassion, and justice, and be kind and thoughtful, but he must reach out across race and culture and religion to bridge those gaps. Human life finds meaning in relationships. A gentleman must be the spark to connect and build those relationships, as well as realize the imperfections within all of us and seeing the changes and significance of change, history, and evolution in all humanity.
Like all human beings, I am on a journey to grow and understand myself and others so that the world can be – I hope – a much better place. As Vaclav Havel once wrote, “I want to keep the company of those who seek the truth, but run from those who have found it.”
Like that ideal image of Atticus I once preserved in my imagination, I must work to see the fullness of humanity and to embrace its goodness and flaws in such a way that we build better men and women. Yes, the world needs more gentlemen, but they must be people on a pathway that maintains the good of the past and finds the best in the world now and in the future.
Brad Gioia is the headmaster of Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville.
