Atticus Finch Parenting Analysis

The Parenting Analysis for Atticus Finch from Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird

Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird follows Atticus Finch (a lawyer) and his children (Jem and Scout) before, during, and after a legal case in which Atticus defends a black man pressed with rape charges. Atticus is portrayed as the dependable and steady father/role model figure. He has a unique sort of relationship and parenting style, especially for their time. Atticus knows that his actions have lasting impressions on his children, and he wants them to turn out to be good people. He tries to teach them his version of right or wrong. He is also very aware of his image and keeps it maintained a certain way around his kids. However Atticus cannot foresee certain issues that his parenting style will have on his children. Atticus should change his parenting style because it will cause problems for Jem and Scout in the future. He should stop being so careful of what they will learn from his actions and let them know that he’s not perfect. He should allow them to see that he makes mistakes.

Atticus is too careful of the way that his children look at him. For example, Atticus chooses not to reveal to his children that Judge Taylor appointed him to Tom's case in the sort of way that Dolphus Raymond chose not to reveal to the townsfolk the real reason he lived the way he did. “‘...you mean why do I pretend?...I try to give ‘em a reason, you see. It helps folks….When I come to town, which is seldom,...folks can say Dolphus Raymond’s in the clutches of whiskey - that’s why he won’t change his ways….you see they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that’s the way I want to live.’” (Lee, 228) Dolphus and Atticus are trying to alter perception. In the case of Mr. Raymond, his has to do with his lifestyle causing friction with standard society. In Atticus’s case, he wants Jem and Scout to believe that he’s doing what he thinks is the right thing to do, and not because somebody told him to. It’s part of his parenting style, to teach them the right way to act and believe through example.

Through the children’s side of it, because Atticus is their parental unit and role model, they see Atticus as a deity, even though he is a human who makes mistakes. They don’t realize that, because Atticus never lets them see him make them. When it comes time that he does something questionable in their presence, the children won’t be able to accept it. This is why Jem was upset at the trial; because he believed that Atticus was on the right side of the case, even though he lost, and this loss was upsetting to Jem because he couldn’t handle the fact that Atticus may be wrong. “It was Jem’s turn to cry. His face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd….He would look up at Atticus, then down at the floor, and I wondered if he thought Atticus somehow responsible for Tom Robinson’s conviction.” (Lee, 242)

Some people believe that Atticus is the ideal parent, especially through the viewpoint of a child or teen. Some reasoning for this is that because he allows them freedom and lets them learn from their mistakes on their own without interference. This is wrong because Atticus’s upheld image of himself is corrupting their choices. Although Atticus gives them freedom, which gives them the opportunity to make decisions, he still interferes with their own decision-making process. They think about what he would do in that situation and try to please him. For example, Jem is seen wanting to become a lawyer and follow in his father’s footsteps, and Scout learns the most about her world from Atticus than from any other sources we know of. We are constantly finding in the book that she is thinking about Atticus’s values and actions, and whether or not he would be proud of her for making a certain decision. “‘You might hear some ugly talk about it at school, but do one thing for me if you will: you just hold your head high and keep those fists down. No matter what anybody says to you, don’t you let ‘em get your goat. Try fighting with your head for a change’...With this in mind, I faced Cecil Jacobs in the schoolyard the next day….I drew a bead on him, remembered what Atticus had said, then dropped my fists and walked away, ‘Scout’s a cow-ward!’ ringing in my ears. It was the first time I ever walked away from a fight./Somehow, if I fought Cecil I would let Atticus down.” (Lee, 87-88) Scout purposely walked away from a fight at school. This is so out of Scout’s normal personality, and she gave up her school reputation because she knew that Atticus would disapprove of her reacting the way she normally would have.

This is a direct result of Atticus’s maintained image and parenting style, and will affect the children in their adult life. They’ll worry about what Atticus would choose, and not make the decision that would be a better fit for them. Atticus’s beliefs and wants may not line up exactly with the children’s when they are allowed to have their own. This is why it’s important for the children to humanize Atticus and not always agree with everything he does. In order for them to be able to do this, however, Atticus must take a step back and drop his image. If he doesn’t, his children will never learn to truly fend and hold their own.

Works Cited

Lee, Harper. To Kill A Mockingbird. First Perennial Classic Edition ed. ed., New York City, NY,

HarperCollins Publishers, 2017

Editors:

Evan O’Bryant

Zoie Nelson