Influence Of Parents In To Kill A Mockingbird

Throughout our lives we're influenced by many. It can have an effect on the way we view issues within societal boundaries. One of the major influences children have in their lives comes from their parents. The parents of a child can have both a positive and a negative influence on their lives. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, fathers, such as Atticus Finch, Bob Ewell, and Walter Cunningham influenced their children in either a positive or negative way. The three fathers are very influential on the psychological development of their children.

Atticus Finch, father of Jem and Scout Finch, plays the loving, kind and knowledgeable father. He is an example of how parents can have a positive influence on their children. Atticus

He is an example of how a parent can have a negative influence on their children's lives. Bob Ewell is a bad role model and example for his children because of his arrogance, laziness and his actions towards other people. We see these characteristics rubbed off onto his children, through their bad manners and lack of desire for education. An example is Burris Ewell who on the first day of school leaves and tells Ms Caroline that, “no snot-nosed slut of a teacher c’n make me do nothing.” However this is not the children’s fault, it is because of their father and his influence on them. When they see him spitting on people and not having a job, they think this is the right thing to do. Therefore they are rude to people, and they only “come first day every year and then leave (school).” Mayella Robinson’s claim to being a victim of rape leads to the somewhat blinded truth that her father was abusive. This showed that white trash still came before a black person. As the trial began Heck Tate is the first witness. He admits that a doctor was never called to the scene to examine Mayella Ewell. Bob Ewell takes the stand next and causes a stir in the courtroom with his bad attitude and foul language. Mayella had a right black eye after being raped according to her father. Since it was her right eye, the abuser had to of been left handed. Bob sure enough was left handed. Tom was right handed and

He is an example of how parents can have a positive and a negative role on their children. Mr. Cunningham’s son Walter Cunningham, is one of Scout's classmates. He's also a client of Atticus's, and pays Atticus for his services in goods rather than money, because that's all he can afford. In the eyes of Maycomb, the Cunninghams are a step below the townspeople because they live behind the town dump and live off the land. At school Walter does not have a lunch and so Miss Caroline offers him a quarter. Walter Jr. does not accept it because he knows he will not be able to pay it back. Scout tells the teacher why this is “Walter’s one of the Cunninghams, Miss Caroline. ” She takes this differently and feels offended. Scout gets in trouble for this. Later that day Scout beats Walter up because he got her into trouble. That wasn't the only time he got her into trouble. Jem and Scout invited Walter over for supper one evening and Walter poured Molasses all over his plate because he didn't know what to do and that it had taste good. Mr. Cunningham, along with others like him, is part of the mob that tries to lynch Tom Robinson the night before the trial, putting him on the side of regressive and prejudiced values. When Scout talks to him about his son Walter, Mr. Cunninghams humanity is brought back to him however, he turns back and takes the rest of the mob with