The Role Of Atticus Finch In The Book Thief, By Harper Lee

Good role models appear abundantly in literature to teach lessons to both the characters in the story and to the reader. Many of these role models are a parent of the protagonist. For example, Hans Hubbermann (from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak) displays how a father should act through his relationship with his adopted daughter Liesel. He always shows her kindness and love, encourages her to view people in different and better ways, and teaches her to read, which she wants to do more than anything. Similarly, Atticus Finch is a great father figure to Scout and Jem. The evidence is clear; he wants the best for his kids, and leaves them with as many valuable lessons as he can. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses the character of Atticus …show more content…
First of all, Atticus tells them to consider things from other people’s perspective when dealing with other people in the town. One day, Scout comes home, mad about what happened at school with Walter Cunningham and her teacher. Seeing her bad mood, Atticus describes to her why she cannot be angry with the student and the teacher before understanding the motives behind their actions. While lecturing her, he states, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view – until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (Lee 39). Scout takes a long time to realize what the words mean, but it helps her to understand people in the town, particularly Boo Radley. She carries his message with her through the end of the book, along with every other piece of knowledge Atticus shared in this story. Another lesson Atticus teaches his kids is to not kill mockingbirds, in a literal sense with their new rifles and otherwise. Though his message seems blunt and unimportant, it holds more meaning than how it appears on the surface. After Jem and Scout receive their rifles, Atticus warns them that they must never kill a mockingbird. Confused, the kids talk to Miss Maudie, who explains, “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy…That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 94). By this, Atticus expresses the idea that nobody …show more content…
First of all, Atticus teaches many lessons to his kids. These lessons include that you should put yourself in other people’s shoes and never hurt an innocent person. The fact that he takes time to share this knowledge with his kids shows how much he cares for them. Also, Atticus’s desire to let his kids see real bravery makes him a good parent because knowing what courage means stays with you forever and illustrates how he looks out for them. Atticus does this through Mrs. Dubose and by facing adversity head-on during the trial but never backing down. He tries his best to show his kids how to see the world in a better way, and because of that, Atticus Finch illustrates the qualities of a good parent. Even a good parent can make mistakes, and Atticus makes a few. Being a good parent does not depend on being perfect, though: it rides on loving your kids, and Atticus’s love for Scout and Jem shows in all he does for