Being proactive means that a person prepares to intervene in an expected negative situation. Atticus does this by preparing a fair defense for his client Tom Robinson, who has rape charges against him by Mayella Ewell. About six months before the trial, Atticus is talking with his brother Jack about the case and says the following:
"Before I'm through, I intend to jar the jury a bit--I think we'll have a reasonable chance on appeal, though. . . But do you think I could face my children otherwise? . . . I hope and pray I can get Jem and Scout through it without bitterness, and most of all, without catching Maycomb's usual disease" (88).
The above passage shows Atticus consciously thinking about and preparing for what he will do when he presents Tom's defense. Not only that, but Atticus takes great care to make sure that Tom makes it to his trial without any interference. When Atticus hears that the Old Sarum bunch might be out to lynch Tom before the trial in chapter 15, he goes to the jail with a light, a chair, and a book to wait and see if anyone tries to take Tom away. The mob does show up for Tom, so Atticus was right to do his best to stop them. This is a proactive stance, too, because by not going, he would have been passive and not an intervening element. Fortunately for Tom, he had a very proactive person and lawyer on his side to defend him.
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