Since its debut in 1960, the novel To Kill a Mockingbird has enjoyed enormous success. The book presents many thought-provoking ideas and life lessons that are still relevant today, 60 years later. One of the book's protagonists, Atticus Finch, has become one of the most beloved fictional fathers due to his extraordinary parenting skills. As the plot progresses, the main protagonist, Scout, shows clear signs of maturity. She learns from her father's wise words and applies them to situations accordingly. On the other side of the spectrum, antagonist Bob Ewell sets a bad example for his children. The scope of this literary essay is the role of parenting in To Kill a Mockingbird, focusing primarily on Atticus Finch and comparing him to Bob Ewell. Additionally, the quotes and analyzes presented are taken from the first general public edition of To Kill a Mockingbird, printed in December 1982. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayChildren are born into the world with a new mind, comparable to an empty book. It is the duty of parents to raise their children and fill their books with wise words, life lessons and much more. Whether good or bad, parenting plays a huge role in a child's future. The phrase “The apple does not fall far from the tree”. couldn't be more precise. Harper Lee presents this idea through the contrasting childhoods presented in the book. To begin with, Harper Lee uses Atticus Finch's parenting style as a parenting staple. Atticus Finch is the epitome of the ideal parent, teaching his children about racial equality, justice, and moral courage. He is overall very humanitarian and progressive in his beliefs. Countering the zeitgeist – making children obey using spanking as a punishment – ​​Atticus is far ahead of his time, using conversation to gain respect and mutual understanding. Atticus practices what he preaches, which makes him a legitimate and honorable man. The children call their father by his real name, Atticus, who accepts this name because it considers them his equals. The children respect Atticus a lot, but they always tend to push the limits; for example when they went to court without Atticus' permission. This is partly intentional, according to Atticus's parenting philosophy; children should be able to see the world through their own eyes. This would explain why Atticus allows Jem to join him in informing Helen Robinson of Tom Robinson's death. When Uncle Jack intervenes following a conflict between Scout and her cousin, he is quick to blame Scout. However, Scout tells him to listen to his side of the story before partying: "Well, first of all, you never stopped giving me a chance to tell you my side of things." The table has turned; now little Scout has become the one giving the lecture. She shows clear signs of maturity by putting her father's wise words into practice. Also, when Jem receives a gun as a birthday present, Atticus has a remark: Atticus once says to Jem, "I'd rather you shoot tin cans in the back." yard, but I know you will go after the birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit them, but remember that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. […] “Your father is right,” she said. “The Mockingbirds don't do anything other than make music for us to enjoy […] but they sing for us with all their hearts. This is why it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. »In this quote, the mockingbird symbolizes an innocent life, harming no one. The moral of this quote is therefore not to kill for the sake of killing. Near the end of the book, Scout applies this lesson to Boo Radley. She realizes that Boo is also like an innocent mockingbird and that his life should therefore, despite his crime, be spared: “Well, that would be a bit like shooting a mockingbird, wouldn't it? To protect her mockingbird, Boo Radley, from unwanted attention, Scout understands that they cannot report Bob Ewell's death by homicide. Throughout Jem and Scout's childhood, Atticus remained true to the standards he instilled in his children. On this occasion, Atticus was clearly faced with a dilemma. Initially, before making Bob Radley, Atticus became convinced that his son Jem had committed the murder. On the one hand, he wanted to protect his child from the law, but on the other, he did not want his role as a parent to be in vain; until then, he had always lived up to the life lessons he had taught Jem and Scout. Knowing the law and his beliefs to save Jem would make him a hypocrite. Atticus explains this in the following quote: If this matter remains hushed up, it will be a simple denial to Jem of the way I have tried to raise him. Sometimes I think I'm a total failure as a parent, but I'm all they have. Before Jem looks at anyone else, he looks at me, and I've tried to live to be able to look at him squarely [...] if I colluded in something like that, frankly, I couldn't I can't meet his gaze, and the day I can't do that, I'll know I've lost him. Harper Lee probably wants to emphasize that no lesson or belief is universal or rock-solid; it may sometimes be necessary to circumvent the law. Knowing that Bob Radley committed the crime, Atticus once again finds himself faced with a similar dilemma. To Atticus' delight, Scout exceeds her father's expectations by understanding the situation, showing how much she has matured. Jem also shows signs of maturity throughout the book. He always respected his father's words, except for the situation outside the prison when Atticus was threatened by a mob. Atticus asked Jem to escort his sister home, but he refuses, noticing the seriousness of the dire situation. He doesn't want to leave his father. Judging from the quote below, Jem has a habit of obeying his father. But this time he didn't, showing great courage and complex thinking. We used to respond [...] to Atticus's instructions, but the way he stood, Jem didn't think of moving. “Go home, I said.” (said Atticus) Jem shook his head. Both Jem and Scout transform from spunky caterpillars into two very caring individuals, so Atticus' mission as a parent has clearly succeeded. In the case of Bob Ewell, Harper Lee characterized him as being a terrible parent. . He shows a self-centered and malicious personality. He spends almost all his money to finance his alcohol abuse. Several times throughout the book, when he meets Ewell, he is almost always drunk. Unlike Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose, who constantly struggles with her addiction to morphine, Bob Ewell makes no effort to give up his addiction. He is the father of seven children, to whom he shows no love or attention; parental responsibility is left to his eldest daughter Mayella. Without authentic parenting, Bob obviously sets a bad example, which is reflected in his children. Locally, the Ewells are known for trout, only showing up at the school once in a blue moon. On the first day of school, Bob's son, Burris Ewell, insults and neglects.