Parenting In To Kill A Mockingbird

Throughout history we have seen how parents can dramatically influence the behavior of their children. We know that good teachings were around all the way to 69 BC when Cleopatra had her four sons. Even now authors are still trying to put messages about wise parenting. While reading To Kill a Mockingbird with its inspirational themes, I noticed how parents during this time period had a big impact on the decisions of their children. Throughout the novel of To Kill a Mockingbird examples of good and bad parenting are shown. Parents good and bad, have a big impact on their children, but not just the choices and decisions, but their overall aspect of the world and how they view it. Atticus Finch and Bob Ewell are two very important parents that
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Bob Ewell might as well be the total opposite of Atticus when it comes to parenting because he lacks the respect that parents should have towards their children. Mr. Ewell disrespects his children in many different ways. In the novel, Bob Ewell blames his daughters sexual abuse on an innocent black man. During and towards the end of the trial, readers start to see that Tom Robinson is not guilty and start to question Mr. Ewell’s honesty. It is very obvious that Bob intentionally abused his eldest daughter. When Mayella was up in the stands saying what happened, Atticus asks, “ Do you love your father” ( Lee 245 ), and Mayella hesitated which indicated she is thinking about her answer. Mayella nodded to Atticus when he says, Bob is abusive when he is drinking. As readers learn later on in the story, they know that Bob has beaten his children more than once when he is drunk. The actions Bob took towards his children was disrespectful to them, to a point where they felt uncomfortable. Bob Ewell clearly does not have any respect for his
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Even today we see people like Atticus, who influence their children in a positive way, and there are people like Bob who influence in a negative way. There is a definite reason why the 2016 Guardian News said, “Atticus Finch, hero of Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, is the most inspiring character in literature, according to new research” ( The Guardian News ). I think many people, after reading this novel, will understand why 2000 UK adults chose him at the top of their list. This quote explains why people are still reading this book over the years. Atticus and even Bob Ewell still leave such an impression on the parents today. We need to keep reading this book because Atticus shows us what lessons to really teach our children. “Most parents know what their children are capable of but step in to make things easier for them,” Says Sheri Nago. Atticus does the complete opposite by letting Jem and Scout be themselves. Parents today that are like Bob Ewell need to understand this novel and know what Atticus does and why he does it. There was an incedent that happened with a father and his daughter where“The acccused had been alledged to have sexualy abused his daughter for nearly a year” (www.ndtv.com ) This shows that there are still people like Bob Ewell today that do horrible