Atticus Finch, the respectable darling from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, may have been a great person and an excellent lawyer, but he was an awful parent to his children. In this coming-of-age story, taking place in Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930’s, a young girl named Scout learned many life-altering lessons from her father, Atticus. However, while trying to form a strong bond with Scout and his son, Jem, Atticus neglected his other duties as a parent. Atticus failed at these parental duties because he ignored the need to shelter the kids from certain sights and situations, he didn’t punish the kids for disobeying him, and he did not make sure they were safe at all times. Atticus Finch exposed his children to many adult sights and
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For example, the kids could walk to school, to town, and all around the neighborhood by themselves. In fact, the quote provided shows that he opted out of opportunities to make sure they were safe: “Atticus said as tactfully as he could that he just didn’t think he could stand a pageant tonight. [...] He thought Jem might escort me if I asked him.” (Lee 339). Even if Atticus was tired out from everything, why couldn’t he just walk them to the pageant and back home, just to be sure that they were safe? That leads into how he let them walk alone at night. What parent lets their kids do that, especially on a pageant night, when a bunch of strangers were around? Due to the fact that Atticus let them wander alone at night, he could be blamed for Bob Ewell being able to attack the children. The evidence really works against him in that case. Another example is when Atticus gave in to Jem’s stubbornness and let the kids stay at the jail while Mr. Cunningham and the other men were there. Those men had brought guns and the resolve to kill a man that night. If things had gone sour, the kids could have easily been injured. Atticus did not even consider this, he just sighed and let them stay. Atticus’s lack of concern for his children’s safety is obvious and it ended up harming them, which really demonstrates how his parental
For example, the kids could walk to school, to town, and all around the neighborhood by themselves. In fact, the quote provided shows that he opted out of opportunities to make sure they were safe: “Atticus said as tactfully as he could that he just didn’t think he could stand a pageant tonight. [...] He thought Jem might escort me if I asked him.” (Lee 339). Even if Atticus was tired out from everything, why couldn’t he just walk them to the pageant and back home, just to be sure that they were safe? That leads into how he let them walk alone at night. What parent lets their kids do that, especially on a pageant night, when a bunch of strangers were around? Due to the fact that Atticus let them wander alone at night, he could be blamed for Bob Ewell being able to attack the children. The evidence really works against him in that case. Another example is when Atticus gave in to Jem’s stubbornness and let the kids stay at the jail while Mr. Cunningham and the other men were there. Those men had brought guns and the resolve to kill a man that night. If things had gone sour, the kids could have easily been injured. Atticus did not even consider this, he just sighed and let them stay. Atticus’s lack of concern for his children’s safety is obvious and it ended up harming them, which really demonstrates how his parental