Atticus Flaws

Atticus may have many flaws, but those flaws are what makes him a good character, and not bad father. This essay is on the book To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, and the subject is that Atticus is a good parent to his children because he helps them grow, does not coddle them and tells them the truth. The essay will start with evidence of how he helps them grow, then how he does not coddle them, and finally, how he is truthful to them.

Firstly, Atticus shows good parenting skills by helping Jem and Scout grow and mature. For example, “’What Mr. Radley did might seem peculiar to us, but … not … to him. Furthermore, had it never occurred to us that the civil way to communicate … was by the front door instead of a side window’” (Lee, 65). Atticus

For example, “’When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness sake. … but they can spot an evasion quicker than adults, and evasion simply muddles ‘em’” (116). This shows he is a good parent because he does not run in circles, as Uncle Jack was doing in the scene before with Scout. It is evident he does not believe in dodging difficult questions his children may have. My second example is, “’What’s rape?’ I asked him that night … and said rape was carnal knowledge of a female by force and without consent” (180). This is evidence he does not coddle his children unlike most parents from this time period, he just bites the bullet. He does not sugarcoat the truth, and this is good because it helps Scour get ready for life back then, and the risks. Lastly, “’In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins. They’re ugly, but those are the facts of life’” (295). This shows Atticus does not baby Jem because, as this essay has stated before, he does not run in circles around the topic. He says the facts, straight and narrow, and gets to the point, which not a lot of parents in this time

For example, “’Atticus, are we going to win it?’ ‘No honey’” (101). He shows truthfulness to Scout here because she questions if he is going to win Tom Robinson’s case, and he knows he is not. He realizes that the white man’s word has more weight to it, and that is what he tells Scout. Secondly, “’nigger-lover is just one of those terms that don’t mean anything … ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody’s favoring Negroes over and above themselves’” (144). Atticus is being a truthful person to his daughter because she wants to know what this derogatory slur is, and he tells her. Granted, it is his personal opinion, but it is an accurate one. Finally, “’ If you had been on that jury, son, and eleven other boys like you, Tom would be a free man’” (295). Atticus is being truthful, and a good parent, to Jem here because he is reminding his son of his strengths. Atticus is a good parent in this instance because he is telling Jem that he is worth it, that he is a good