Family Influence In To Kill A Mockingbird

Over the course of the novel, the reader watches Jem mature from age 10 to age 13, growing up from a brave and playful boy, to a calm, collected young man similar to the likes of his father Atticus. One of the most important life lessons that Atticus teaches Jem is to always do the right thing even if it’s the hardest thing to do. Atticus Finch is known as a man who is “the same in his house as he is on the public streets.” (Lee, pg. 61) He lived by morals, and always abade by them. After Atticus took up the court case of Tom Robinson, a coloured man, he had many people insult him and make fun of him. Atticus knew that he couldn’t refuse the case, as he stated “before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.”(Lee, pg.140) Atticus took the job that no person wanted, especially knowing that he was going to lose the case before it even began. In doing so, Atticus shows Jem that you should always be a man of your morals, that you should always do the right thing even if it is the hardest thing to do. Although he has a hard time understanding Atticus’ actions at first, Jem begins to comprehend his father’s values in the world around him, with more mature eyes.

Throughout our lives we're influenced by many. It can have an effect on the way we view issues within societal boundaries. One of the major influences children have in their lives comes from their parents. The parents of a child can have both a positive and a negative influence on their lives. In the novel "To Kill A Mockingbird", there are two excellent examples of how parents can be a major influence on their children. Atticus Finch, father of Jem and Scout Finch, plays the loving, kind and knowledgeable father. He is an example of how parents can have a positive influence on their children. Bob Ewell, father of Mayella Ewell, plays the drunken, abusive, and neglectful father. He is an example of how a parent can be a negative influence

Many people see Atticus’ teachings or method for upbringing as being ‘wrong’, nonetheless little do they know what the outcomes the kids are having. Having people like Atticus and Calpurnia quite involved in their lives, even people like Aunt Alexandra help to build a sense of morality. These morals are built around who and what they are exposed to, and as Jem and Scout grow up, they seem to learn more about the world and about how people aren’t always as good as they thought that they were. However they also realise that most people are good. This is what they learn to realise not everything is as it seems or made out to be. A classic example is Boo Radley. To the kids, he was made out to be a terrible person, when ironically he was the one that saved them from evil. Arguably this wouldn’t have been possible or have happened if Atticus hadn’t given the kids as much freedom as they had, and then the kids would have still been numb to the idea of questioning things and would have just taken someone’s word for

One thing that stood out was that Atticus was always encouraging Scout and Jem to become the best person they could be. Scout stated, “ I could not remember when the lines above Atticus’s moving finger separated into moving words, but I had stared at them all the evenings in my memory.” (18) This supports Atticus in the fact that he always was making sure to make time to not only teach his kids to read, but also it encouraged father and son/daughter time with his children which created an incredible bond between the family. Atticus also supported his children through their actions. Specifically, with Scout he always encouraged her to be the lady that she is and not to conform to society. Some examples would be dressing how she wants to dress and not becoming racist no matter what people say to her. With Jem, Atticus is proven to be an outstanding father because on page (272) it stated, “You heard what Scout said, there’s no doubt about it.” Shown in this quote, Atticus as a father is supportive and trusts his sons word over anyone else’s and this proves the bond and relationship between the two is stronger than anyone’s

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is about two children, Jem and Scout, and their relationships with their father, Atticus. The children raise themselves growing up, many people would say they were irresponsible, but they are both appear to be intelligent individuals. The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird the novel demonstrates a rigid class structure and social stratification in the County of Maycomb. People should not be judged by their social class, they should be judged on their personality.

Atticus is a wise father and helps his children accept people no matter how they look or act. This is evident when he says “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.” (Lee 33). Throughout the novel, Jem and Scout mature at different paces. Atticus guides his children as they begin to grow and mature. “It ain’t right, Atticus,” said Jem.” “No son, It’s not right.” (Lee 243). When Atticus lost the case, Jem expressed how he felt. He had tears on his face. Here was a turning point for Jem because he was old enough to understand the case. Atticus comforted him and agreed it was not right. Atticus shows affection towards his children when they saved him from trouble with “the mob”. “As they passed under a streetlight, Atticus reached out and massaged Jem’s hair, his one gesture of affection.” (Lee 176). At first, Atticus may have been frustrated with his children being at the office. Then, their innocence saved him. Atticus has many characteristics and is a loving father. Atticus displays a valuable lesson about equality and fairness for his children.

Rickey Williams says, “I don’t think people change. I think the essence of what I am today is the same as when I was five years old. It’s just maturity.” (Ricky, Williams). In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the characters face many challenges in their society and experience lessons that made them different, than from the beginning of the book. Atticus, the father of Scout and Jem, is a lawyer in Maycomb County during the 1930’s. Atticus is given a special case where he has to defend a black man, which creates many problems for him and his family against their town, dealing with racism. In the novel Atticus, Scout, and Jem are all wise people that symbolize a mockingbird.

Throughout the course of your life, there are people who you look up to that teach you right from wrong, guide your beliefs, and open up your mind to what is important in life. In the novel “To kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, there are three individuals that contribute to the development of Jem and Scout’s morality and life values. Atticus, Boo Radley, and Aunt Alexandra, are three influential people in the novel that shape who Jem and Scout will become as adults. Atticus teaches Jem and Scout accepted behaviour in society. He taught Scout how to read and continued to do so, even though Miss Caroline claimed that if Atticus kept teaching Scout, it would interfere with her reading at school. Since Atticus continued to teach her, Miss Caroline got angry and told Scout that her father does not know how to teach

At the same time, he conveys the role of an equitable father by telling Jem that their family is so much more fortunate and prospecting than Bob Ewell and his family will ever be. He exerts a sense of incompatible or clashing views--he indicates that he feels pity for Bob Ewell and his daughter while telling Jem that feeling frightened of Bob Ewell is not justified since the Ewells are so dysfunctional and classless in the eyes of Maycomb’s people. By depicting Atticus as a father of wisdom and understanding, Harper Lee asserts her vision or likeness of a hero in a time of prejudice.

Research shows that children are more susceptible to commit crimes, fail in maintaining long lasting relationships and develop depression as well as other psychological disorders from the effects of bad parenting. In fact, many people grow up treating others the same way their parents have treated them with reference to their parents’ values, behaviours and attitudes. Harper Lee, an American author, expressed her childhood experiences in Alabama through writing the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. In this novel Harper Lee highlights the prevailing racist attitudes that existed in Alabama in the 1930s. Lee does this by having the parenting style of Atticus, and its impact on his children, stand in contrast to these prevailing racist attitudes. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee conveys that Atticus Finch is a great parent because he is not a hypocrite, he has a sense of fairness and he has good morals and values.

How far do you think Harper Lee has effectively shown social class and family groups to be important at that time? The rigid class structure and social stratification of Maycomb County had a profound effect on the events in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The impact of this class structure was especially evident in the trial of Tom Robins on, a Maycomb Negro. The extreme prejudice of the town eventually led to the unjust conviction of Robinson for a crime he did not commit.

classes or the races in the town and hates to judge people. He is a

Lastly, Atticus emphasizes how vital inner peace and making the moral decision in a given situation is to maturation. For instance, in a conversation with his children, Atticus comments, “Before I can live with other folks I got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by a majority rule is a man’s conscience.” (Lee 105) By emphasizing the importance of having personal integrity and doing the ethical thing in any circumstance, Atticus provides his children with wisdom that will carry them through life. Therefore, through unremittingly reiterating the importance of moral decisions, proving the need for pacifism and establishing the importance of multiple perspectives, Atticus verifies himself as a major contributor in Jem and Scout’s development into adolescence.

A moral: “To be concerned with the principles of right and wrong behaviour, and the goodness or badness of a character”. Harper Lee’s, “To Kill a Mockingbird”, evidently shows the importance of morals, and how Jem and Scout's development is affected and modified as the plot unfolds. In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”, there are multiple debatable morals induced by Jem and Scout, and both their ways of being. Scout was able to progress throughout the plot, exceeding herself along the way. Jem as well had an increase of growth as the novel developed.

While many may view a family as a mother and a father raising a few children, Atticus Finch proves that a family doesn’t have to fit the mold to flourish. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus raises his two children, Jem and Scout, after his wife passed away. Just because Atticus isn’t married, doesn't mean he isn’t able to provide for his children physically, emotionally, and mentally. Miss Maudie comments on his parenting by saying, “Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets” (Lee 61). Atticus is a good parent for his children because he is able to set an example without remarrying. Scout and Jem learn to be honest, kind, and respectful to everyone from Atticus. Scout, the novel’s narrator, doesn’t feel any sense of emptiness by not having a mother to raise her. The Finch’s may not be a traditional family, but Atticus’s parenting shows that they are able to be successful and happy.