Being a single father in Maycomb is a tough position to be in. In this book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, both Atticus Finch and Bob Ewell are single fathers left with their children needing love and to be taught manners, as well as knowing how to treat others in society. Atticus Finch is a lawyer raising two young children, and believes in equal justice for all people regardless of their race. On the other hand, Bob Ewell is unemployed collecting welfare, who believes in racial segregation whilst raising eight children. In the way they raise their children, Atticus loves and cares for his them, educates them and teaches them manners, while Bob does the exact opposite. Both fathers have different and similar ways in parenting their children, however Atticus Finch is a better father than Bob Ewell. As a parent, having love for children is one of the most important things a child can have. Atticus is very good at doing that since he teaches Scout how to read at an early age and continues to help her practice by reading the newspaper with her every evening. As he says, “But I have a feeling that if you tell Miss Caroline we read every night, she’ll get after me, and I wouldn’t want her after me” (Lee, 32). For Atticus this costs time and as a busy lawyer, time is very precious for him, but due to the level of love here, one can see that Atticus has deep affection for his children. In contrast, Bob does that the exact opposite and beats and rapes his teenage daughter, Mayella Ewell. This shows that Bob is not very loving towards his children. Reflecting on what Atticus does for his children, it illustrates that he cares very much about his children’s futures, and in turn proves that he loves them. Another si... ... middle of paper ... ...cist, especially to the black folks. Throughout the ways and teachings of both parents, Atticus Finch’s love and wisdom seem to be more effective on the children than that of Bob Ewell’s. Atticus has love for his children by providing them with so much, and caring for them by educating and teaching manners, to make the betterment of his children’s future. But Bob does precisely the contrary, he abuses his daughter, he makes available nothing for his children, and also his exploitation of money towards harmful things, instead of decreasing their poverty. Moreover, he doesn’t teach them manners because he doesn’t have any himself to start with. In conclusion, Atticus Finch is a better father due to the sympathy and knowledge he provides to his children, rather than that of the evil and unfriendly, Bob Ewell who doesn’t even try to cooperate with his children.
In the story To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, we are introduced to the character Atticus. He is a hard working single parent of two who is kindhearted and does what he believes is right and treats everyone equally. Being such a hard worker, his mind is often on work, even at home, which means less time spent with his children. While Atticus may make some mistakes as a parent, overall he is an admirable father. Some may believe that my opinion is wrong and believe that Atticus failed as a father.
Through the development of Scout’s relationship with Arthur Radley, Scout develops and becomes more empathetic. Atticus Finch, Scout’s father, is her most consistent role model and used by Lee as the moral compass. Atticus is a firm believer in teaching by example, and his respect of his children is such that he treats them almost as adults, emphasised in the line ‘he played with us, read with us, and treated us with courteous detachment’ pg. 6. This refusal to shelter Scout from the harsh realities of life in Maycomb allows her to learn from experience. The strong moral guidance offered by Atticus allows Scout not only to learn from experience, but also to develop her personal integrity. Atticus exemplifies his strong beliefs, as illustrated when he says ‘Shoot
Atticus’ statement on prejudice and racism characterises his moral integrity and his empathetic nature. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch is depicted as the complete opposite of what people would perceive to be a stereotypical southern man living in the Deep South during the 1930s. Contrary to the majority of his fellow townspeople of Maycomb, Atticus is a man of great virtue and moral strength. He in not bigoted or racist and is egalitarian in his approach to all people This sort of moral integrity is what he tries to instil in his two young children, Jem and Scout, despite the bigotry and inequality surrounding them. Atticus Finch stands as a moral beacon of the town, a label which causes much friction between himself and other members of the Maycomb community. A clearer idea of Atticus’ principles can be gained by comparing and contrasting them to three other characters in the Novel, Calpurnia, Bob Ewell and Aunt Alexandra.
As a father, Atticus Finch tried to make his kids the best they can be. He tried teaching them that just because everyone acts a certain way, doesn’t mean they have to be close-minded and go along with it. Furthermore, he tries teaching them to always place themselves in someone’s position before judging them. Atticus leads them with example in the way he fought for Tom Robinson, tried helping Mayella Ewell deal with her father, and tried protecting Boo Radley from harassment. In conclusion, Harper Lee portrayed a sense of universal understanding in her novel.
Although Atticus is not like every other parent, he shows his love to his kids in his own ways. He does not need to be kissing them, hugging them or buying them things to show his affection for them. His ways are unique ways that show that Atticus is a positive parental figure. Another good piece of evidence that shows that Atticus is a positive parental figure is that he sets a good example for the children. He sets a good example by being honest and telling them why he has to defend Tom Robinson even if that decision jeopardizes his reputation and the family. When Atticus was talking to Scout about defending Tom he said, “The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again” (100). These words show that Atticus values equality and justice and it is setting an excellent example for the kids to follow at such a young age. Atticus defends Tom Robinson, an African American man, because he believes in equality for all. Atticus also mentioned that before he tells the children to do something or follow values he, Atticus, must display them first, and he
Atticus is non judgmental; he treats blacks and everyone equally. He puts himself in someone else’s shoes and respects their thoughts and opinions. He is a very responsible father, while managing his lawyer cases he still made time to teach his children Jem and Scout the lessons they need to become honest and dignified people later in life. Atticus demonstrates responsibility when he takes time to explain to Scout “You never really understand a person until you consider things from their point of view” (39).
The man had to have some kind of a comeback, his kind always does. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that's something I'll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and I’d rather it be me than that houseful of children out there. You understand’” (23.15) Atticus Finch had exposed the bad men in the community to his children but selflessly found room to feel sorry for Bob because of how he treats his children.
Atticus is a good father because he shows Jem and Scout how to live a moral life. He passes his children his own traits. Atticus teaches his children that people are different from one another, and that they have different understandings of moral and equality. He teaches his children the difference between right and wrong. Atticus also tries to spend as much time as he can with his children showing that he is a respectable father as well as a respectable lawyer. Atticus finch makes a very good father for both Scout and Jem.
Atticus is not only a lawyer but he is a single father of two young children. With the help of Calpurnia they raise Jem and scout with a deep-rooted sense of honesty. Gem recalls not ever being hit by his father and the fact that Jem never wants to put his father in that position tells the audience a great deal regarding the father-son dynamic that they share. His ability to relate to his daughter, Scout, is impressive due to the loss of her mother. He is able to explain things in a way that lets the children reflect their own feeling on situations. He compromises and assumes the role of a mentor. He is perfectly content to let his children believe that their father is an old lawyer without many non-academic virtues. He surprises them again and again.
Atticus Finch is a lawyer in the town of Maycomb In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, he is a father of two children, Jem and Scout Finch. He is a man of wise character and considerate soul. He knows his morals and tries to help his children grow up to be successful and happy. Throughout the novel, Atticus acts justly, loves tenderly, and walks humbly by the way he perceives the people in his life, how he succeeds in his job and treats his family.
He treats his children with respect, and explains things to them instead of leaving them in the dark. “‘For a number of reasons,’ said Atticus. ‘ The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn” hold my head up in tow, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again.’“(Lee 75) He has had an enormous amount of opportunities to lash out and be cruel. He knew Mayella was lying on the witness stand. He could have been rude to her and make fun of her, but he treated her like he did everyone else. He had the opportunity to physically hurt Bob Ewell after Bob spits on him, but he leaves Bob be. He refuses to hurt those less fortunate or less educated. Even going as far as quitting hunting. “‘I think maybe he put his gun down when he realized that God had given him an unfair advantage over most living things.’” (Lee 98) He is an expert at seeing things from other people’s perspective. He even tells Scout to “You knew really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them.” (Lee 279) Bob could not be any more different from Atticus. The Ewell family is the lowest ranking white family in Maycomb. “White people wouldn’t have
While watching Atticus during the trial, Scout learned a lot about her father. She learned that he was more than just an ordinary man to the Negroes. He was defending Tom Robinson, which meant a lot to them, because not many white people in the county would do a thing like that. Very few, if any, white men would defend a black man in a trial in a segregated county during the 1930’s. Because of what Atticus did more people, both white and black, gained respect for him. Scout saw that to the neighborhood people, Atticus was a very wise man, and a very good man, also. While Scout was watching from he balcony, she saw her father do something she had never seen. He told Bob Ewell to write his name on a sheet of paper. Scout saw that Bob was left handed, so he couldn’t have beaten up Mayella, because her black eye was on the right side of her face.
Some may question the parenting style of others and that is just how humans work. They doubt the way others do things because it is not how they themselves would do it. Atticus Finch is a good father because he taught his children bravery through his self-control, he is determined to teach Jem and Scout the value of respecting people, no matter who they are, and he teaches his children that life involves making difficult decisions sometimes. Atticus is one of those people that everybody should look up to and want to be more like him because despite all the racism that happened and disrespect he got, he stood with his head held high and made sure his children did too.
In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch’s parenting skills were often questioned throughout the novel. Although there were people that didn’t believe he was a good father, I think that he was. There are many different reasons provided throughout the novel that prove he is a good father. Atticus may let his children get away with a little more than the average parent would, but he has a good head on his shoulders. He is open to giving his kids more freedoms and there’s nothing wrong with that. Atticus approaches life with a devotion to fairness and exposes his children, Jem and Scout, to real life. Overall, he makes a pretty good father.
In Harper Lee's novel To Kill A Mockingbird, the protagonist Scout faces offenses by others because of her father's justice for defending an African American in court. Scout Finch lives with her brother Jem, and their father Atticus, in the sleepy town of Maycomb during the Great Depression. As Atticus, the father of the protagonist faces the moral dilemma in chapter 29-30 of the incident with Bob Ewell. Atticus moral dilemma reveals his character and beliefs. Bob Ewell attempted to hurt Atticus children in order to get revenge on Atticus for defending the African American who was accused of raping his daughter in court.