Atticus Finch: Literature’s Best Dad of the Century

“‘The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience,’”(140). This little slice of wisdom was uttered by a man many hail as the world’s best fictional dad, Atticus Finch. Both in and out of his literary world, the Pulitzer Prize-winning To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus is looked up to by adults and children alike. Some of the reasons so many people think Atticus is a good parent are that he is stoic and levelheaded, he listens to his kids, and he has good morals that he instills in his children and follows in his everyday life.

Atticus is well-known in the modern age for being a calm, stoic, and unwavering figurehead, no matter the situation. Even while watching Miss Maudie’s house burn down, he simply stands there, as if he “might be watching a football game,”(94). His mannerisms not only show the others present that he is an unknowingly strong male role model, they also calm the atmosphere of the entire street, even if only by a minuscule amount. This depicts his status as a good father because it supplies his kids with someone to look up to in a crisis. Atticus proves that he is a worthy role model when Jem uses his unruffled likeness to assure Scout that all will be well: “‘Don’t worry, Scout, it’s not time to worry yet,’ said Jem, … ‘see there, [Atticus isn’t] worried yet,’”(94). This is significant because it also teaches the kids to follow in Atticus’s footsteps and be more placid and less temperamental. These quotes also illustrate just how much authority Atticus has over Scout and Jem’s decisions and actions. Not only does Atticus’s seemingly eternal state of serenity set a good example for his children, it also makes him a subconscious leader for the rest of the town.

Even though he...

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... way he does his job, he just carries on with life and doesn’t let them think they’ve won while he keeps on doing his job and fighting for what’s right. Atticus wants Scout to alter her outlook on life in order to be less violent and, in a sense, follow in his footsteps. Although the town might not approve of everything Atticus does, he still lives by his own morals and passes them on to his children.

In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch faces a lot of criticism and scrutiny for his actions from the people around him. Through all this, Atticus Maintains his personal values as he raises his two kids and tries to pass those morals along to them while teaching them to face the taunting they receive from others with bravery. These qualities, as well as his senses of stoicism and attentiveness, earn Atticus Finch his seat in the Father Hall of Fame.