Families In To Kill A Mockingbird

During the 1960s, individual families played a significant role in the separation between Blacks and Whites. The root cause of racism can be credited not to the racist man or woman, but to previous generations. The role of families as an institution for formative learning is often forgotten when considering the Civil Rights Movement, although, it is the most significant. When examining both classical and modern writing, as well as historical occurrences, it is clear that families create a basis of information, whether racist or otherwise, that children use as a foundation on which to live.

In the classic American novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, the usage of family members as educational tools is excessive. Atticus teaches both of his children,

When examining the surroundings, it is clear that the other children are illiterate. Scout furthers the initial shock of illiteracy by explaining that many of the students in her class were repeating the first grade. Scout recalls her experience of learning to read by stating, “I could not remember when the lines above Atticus’ finger separated into words, but I had stared at them all the evenings in my memory (Lee 23).” This shows that Atticus invested time in his children, and believed that an introduction to their education as a precursor to school was necessary. This also shows that other families did not place a high respect on educating children at a young age. This significant example only begins to break the surface concerning the impact that families have on children. Atticus’ response to Scout’s dismay is a pertinent point in the novel.

During the speech, King stated, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character (American Rhetoric 1).” This strong statement provided a glimpse into the personal life of Mr. King. Instead of teaching his children to be prejudice against one race, King taught them the importance of their individual character. Additional examples can be found in the polls that were conducted during the Civil Rights Movement. Although the polls do not provide evidence that parents were sharing ideas with children, the opinions of the public are brought to light. Sixty one percent of people were against the “Freedom Riders,” as well as what they were doing. Sixty percent of Americans believed that protests, sit ins, and other demonstrations were not wise for the African Americans. In addition, seventy three percent of people believed that the demonstrations should cease (CRMvet). These strong public opinions are against the Civil Rights Movement. The individuals who were questioned were American citizens, which of whom most likely voiced their opinions around their children. The negative opinions towards the movement would most certainly change a young child’s view on the matter. Although saddening at times, children listen to the opinions of the