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To Kill A Mockingbird Atticus Parenting Style

Decent Essays

“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.” –Jim Valvano. This quote by Jim Valvano helps display how parents should always believe in their children. Everyone in the world can be against what a child believes in, but a good parent always puts faith into their children. The characteristic Atticus Finch is an exemplary case where a parent has faith in his children, especially in his son, Jem Finch. In times of hardship, Atticus never lost faith in Jem becoming a true and Atticus always tells Jem things as they are. Although Atticus has a unique yet controversial parenting style during the time period of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus is still able to significantly shape Jem into an …show more content…

One of the first acts of kindness Atticus made Jem carry out is reading to Mrs. Dubose everyday to distract her from the morphine withdrawal. Without Jem even aware what is really happening, it helps Jem develop into a true gentleman, not unlike Atticus. “…‘Most of the time you were reading to her I doubt if she heard a word you said. Her whole mind and body were concentrated on that alarm clock. If you hadn’t fallen into her hands, I’d have made you go read to her anyway’” (Lee 148). This example illustrates how Atticus is able to teach Jem how to be more chivalrous without even knowing it. This taught Jem not to judge people so harshly because people may be dealing with their own problems. Another moment where Atticus is able to teach Jem a valuable lesson is when Atticus told Jem that shooting a gun is more of an act of cowardice than courage and is not something to be proud and bragging about. “‘I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what’” (Lee 149). This evidence proves that Atticus is able to shape Jem into a gentleman by letting Jem know that bragging about a good shot does not make him into anymore of a man. Atticus is an exceptional role model for Jem to base

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