Reverend Sykes was not only a leader and touchstone in his community, he was a bridge between his community and the rest of the world. He raised money in his own community for Tom Robinson’s defense. He made sure Tom Robinson’s family was taken care of while he was in jail, and he took the time to include and welcome Scout and Jem into his community not only at his church, but in the courthouse. This is personal, but I think Reverend Sykes and Atticus Finch represented men who saw beyond the color of a person but recognised that some of the rest of the world might not agree, and regardless of this, treated all with dignity and respect.