Consider Atticus' role as a parent in 'To Kill a Mockingbird' Is he a good father, in your opinion? You should refer closely to the text in your answer.

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Alicia McGhee                                                          

 Consider Atticus’ role as a parent in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’  Is he a good father, in your opinion?  You should refer closely to the text in your answer.

    Is Atticus a good father?

Atticus lived in Maycomb County, Alabama where he brought up his two children, Jeremy (Jem) and Jean-Louise (Scout) alone as his wife passed away when Scout was little.  Maycomb County is inherently racist and consists of many prejudiced people.  Most of the county called black people  ‘niggers’, but to Atticus everyone is an equal. Atticus comes across as a very kind and gentle father, and never seems to loose his temper when Jem or Scout are naughty or misbehave.

         Atticus although a lawyer in Maycomb, does not earn a great deal of money and has too stretch it out between him and his children. Atticus tries to be good father as much as he can to Jem and Scout. He never brags about his abilities, he is loving and caring towards his children and tells them the difference between right and wrong. I think Atticus a good father and that he does extremely well looking after his children, Jem and Scout.  He seems, in the context of the 1930’s, Deep South, an extremely modern parent!  

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          Atticus is an example to Jem and Scout, he doesn’t physically punish them instead he punishes them in other ways for example sending Jem to read to Mrs.Dubose. This is a good way to punish him because not only is Jem not being hurt, but he is learning from Atticus that there’s more than one way to punish people, and that a smack doesn’t always solve the problem. But this is actually one of Atticus’ downfalls, as he left his two small children in the hands of a frightening, foul-mouthed old woman, and this clearly ...

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