Parenting Stlyes in to Kill a Mockingbird free essay sample

When Jem and Scout have problems of their own, he is always there for them with open arms; he loves Jem and Scout with everything he has, and only wants the best for them. When Atticus gives them their air rifles, he says to Jem, â€Å"I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you’ll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit [them], but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird† (Lee 90). This shows that Atticus does not want his children to harm their future by doing something reckless. Also, Atticus does not believe in hitting his children; he never does anything that will put his children in harm. Atticus makes Scout and Jem solve their problems by talking them out with whomever it may concern. While Scout is looking at the Radley’s, Atticus warns, â€Å"I’m too old to go chasing you off the Radley’s property. We will write a custom essay sample on Parenting Stlyes in to Kill a Mockingbird or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Besides it’s too dangerous. You might get shot. You know Mr. Nathan shoots at every shadows he sees, even shadow that leave size-four bare foot prints. You were lucky not to be killed† (Lee 242-243). Instead of punishing Scout and Jem for their previous actions, Atticus makes them reflect on their mistakes. Lastly, Atticus treats his children maturely and talks to them in a very respectable, logical way. In order for his children to learn, Atticus does not lecture them, instead, Atticus does what he thinks is right by setting an example of taking the role of Tom Robinson’s lawyer. It is thanks to his guidance that Jem and Scout are good-nature people; he never underestimates them and lets them find the truth. For instance, when Scout asks, â€Å"Do all lawyers defend n-Negroes, Atticus? (Lee 75) Atticus does not hesitate to give her an answer and gives her his honest opinion. He could have chosen to not answer Scout because it is not an appropriate word for a child; however, Atticus thinks it will not harm her to know the truth. Atticus may be an old man in the eyes of Scout and Jem, but he uses his experience to his advantage through teaching significant morals and life lesson in order for them to understand of how things work. Bob Ewell, on the other hand is the complete opposite of Atticus; he does not show interest in his children’s affairs. First of all, he, who does not have a job, should be spending his welfare money for his children’s necessities and education. However, Bob spends the welfare money buying whiskey for his own pleasure; in fact, Bob does not even encourage his children to go to school. On the first day of school, Burris Ewell, grasps the attention of Miss Caroline, and declares, â€Å"[I] been comin’ to the first o’ the first grade fer three years now† (Lee 27). This proves that Bob Ewell is an irresponsible parent and misleads his children to do wrong things because he does not offer any support. Unlike Atticus, Bob Ewell does not treat his children with respect and beats them. He uses his own daughter to accuse Tom Robinson of rape. Bob does not put himself into Mayella’s position; he does not realize that what he is doing may affect her. In court when Atticus questions Mayella with, â€Å"who beat you up? Tom Robinson or your father? † (Lee 187) she does not give an answer. This statement is giving its audience a clear point of Mayella is frighten if she says the truth; meaning that there is a possibility of Bob Ewell abusing her. Bob Ewell also does not treat his children maturely. Since Mayella is the oldest, she takes cares of her younger siblings and their only parent, Bob, is never there to give guidance. Although Mayella is the oldest, she only went to school for two to three years; she does not have much life experience. During the trial, Mayella took offence to Atticus’ respectful way of addressing people, and says, â€Å"[I] won’t answer a word you say long as you keep on mockin’ me† (Lee 181). It is only natural to respect others, but in Mayella’s case her father, Bob Ewell, is not a good parent figure and did not teach her the significance of respect. Bob Ewell is a horrible father who is unable to raise his children to be good, mature people. Although Uncle Jack is a bachelor, he cares about Jem and Scout’s upbringing like Atticus; he only wants the best for Scout and Jem. After witnessing Scout cussing, Uncle Jack states, â€Å"I don’t want to hear any words like [ ] [damn and hell] [ ] [during my stay]† (Lee 79). Uncle Jack clearly worries about Scout’s attitude because he wants her to be more like a mature, young lady and not to be looked down on by others. Uncle Jack may be a parent figure, but like every other parent, he has his own parenting style; he believes in hitting his children for them to reflect on their actions. Uncle Jack took Francis’ side before listening to Scout which shows he makes biased decisions. After Uncle Jack learns that Scout punched Francis, â€Å"[he immediately] pinned [her] arms to [her] sides and said, ‘Stand still! ’ [ ] [She] turned to flee but Uncle Jack was quicker. [She] found [herself] suddenly looking at a tiny ant struggling with a bread crumb in the grass† (Lee 84). This demonstrates that Uncle Jack jumps to conclusions before hearing both sides of the story. Finally, Uncle Jack treats Scout and Jem maturely. Even though he is a young and single man, he understands the responsibilities of being a guardian. Uncle Jack is close to his family members, especially Scout and Jem, and would state â€Å"[ ] exactly what he was going to do, give [ ] an estimation [ ] and explain [ ]† (Lee 78). This confirms that Uncle Jack cares for them as an uncle and wants them to be educated. He wishes Jem and Scout to give their utmost effort to anything by using their attained knowledge in the right way. Atticus, Bob Ewell, and Uncle Jack, in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, do what they think is best for their children in their own ways through their separate experiences. Throughout a child’s life, their parent is most likely the one to shape their identity because they are the most influential people in their life. Work cited Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird. New York: Warner Books, December, 1982.