To Kill a Mockingbird: A Lesson on Parenting

“No!” The child screamed. This one word comes out of the mouthes of young children all the time in contemporary society and it is directed towards their parents. When parents ask their children to do something, this is a common response. It is a usual response from children who think they have a right to challenge their parents’ authority. Children in the 1930s generally acted very differently towards their parents. A high degree of respect was expected from children by their elders. In modern society, this expected degree of respect has declined. Many theories exist to try to explain why the respect children give their parents is plummeting. This disrespect from children displays a great deterioration in civility in modern society. Since many children’s respect for authority appears to have declined in contemporary America, the responsibilities of parenting must become a priority to reinstate civility.

In the 1930s, parents, such as Atticus, worked hard to instill very important morals in their offspring. In that generation, most children understood and, most importantly, adhered to the morals and standards their parents set. For example, in the novel, Atticus said to Jem, "You want to be a lawyer, don't you?” “Our father's mouth was suspiciously firm, as if he were trying to hold it in line. Jem decided there was no point in quibbling, and was silent” (Lee 55). This shows that Jem respects Atticus's authority. He does not even try to argue or question Atticus since he knows his father deserves his respect. This is a perfect example of the average standards and morals that parents held in the 1930s. When children are young, they learn the morals and standards. As they grow up, they abide by them and do not question their parent...

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...pect for their parents.

In current time, children often disregard their parents’ orders. This disrespect has greatly increased since the 1930s. Children presently disobey their parents on a regular basis and this is considered normal. Respect for their parents has greatly diminished from the past. Parents’ authority over their children is much less apparent now than it was in the 1930s. Parents must commit themselves to their role in society and make parenting a priority. The future is bleak in regards to any improvement in how well children respect their parents, unless something is done to change how children view their parents’ authority.

Works Cited

Cowen, Tyler. “Why Don’t American Kids Respect Their Parents More?” Marginal Revolution RSS. N.p., 26 Nov. 2007. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.

Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. New York: HarperCollins, 2002. 55. Print.