Atticus Finch To His Father

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Atticus Finch is a tremendous father to his kids in To Kill a Mockingbird. He displays utmost respect to all who cross him and makes it his mission to raise his children, Scout and Jem, properly. Even while working long day hours as a lawyer, Atticus is able to find ample time to spend with his children, which greatly impacts them. At the beginning of the book, Scout is only 6 years of age. Naturally, she does not quite grasp certain concepts as well as the adult figures in her life do. Scout’s first day of school is not what she dreamt of, and it actually turns out to be a nightmare. As she explains to Atticus her issues, he replies with an insightful piece of knowledge, “If you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better …show more content…

Scout admires Atticus greatly and clings on to his every word. Knowing this, he teaches her a valuable lesson that she will soon understand on a deeper level. Jem, being only a few years older than Scout, understands who his father is and that he is very different from the others in Maycomb. Mrs. Dubose, a morphine addict and a neighbor of the Finch’s, was not exactly liked by the children. Despite her occasional rudeness, Atticus remained respectful to her at all times. After ruining her flower beds, Atticus punishes Jem by having him read to her everyday. Mrs. Dubose unfortunately passes away and Jem is stunned when Atticus sings her praises. Atticus calms Jem by saying, “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 you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do” (Lee 115). Atticus teaches Jem that courage is not necessarily carrying a gun, but taking responsibility and showing kindness even if we have been

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