To Kill A Mockingbird Atticus Parenting Style

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Harper Lee created a beloved character and hero, Atticus Finch: a stoic, intelligent man who believes in in nothing but good and justice, and the values he teaches his children. Not only does Atticus value what he teaches his children, but he values his parenting style. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus has an effective parenting style; he opp¬oses the 1930’s common parenting, he treats his children like adults, and he honestly answers any questions his children ask him.
Back in the 1930’s, parenting styles were different, and households heavily relied on women; however, in the case of To Kill a Mockingbird and Atticus Finch, Atticus is the only parent to his two children, Scout and Jem, and his parenting style opposed that of the regular style …show more content…

Atticus’ remark on the incident with Scout, Jem, Arthur Radley and Bob Ewell in chapter 30, “[T]hank you from the bottom of my heart, but I don’t want my boy starting out with something like this over his head. Best way to clear the air is to have it all out in the open” (366), then he says, “[I]f this thing’s hushed up it’ll be a simple denial to Jem of the way I’ve tried to raise him […] I don’t want to lose him and Scout, because they’re all I’ve got” (366), is a perfect example of Atticus’ honesty to both Scout and Jem, and others. This honesty shows Atticus parents as an example to his children. With this example, Atticus sets them apart from other kids by identity. Atticus shows Scout and Jem the reality of the world with his honesty; showing them the real world and teaching them life is not fair, which creates a sense of truthful identity. This can be seen in “[I]t ain’t right, Atticus” (284), when Jem analyses and copes with the trial of Tom Robinson. Jem knows the law is not fair to Tom, but because of Atticus’ honesty, it helped Jem understand that the world is not fair, and this honesty explains to both Scout and Jem that the justice system is meant to be fair, but sometimes it is not fair. Atticus’ honesty ultimately prepares Scout and Jem for the reality of the

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