“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). In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch is the father of main characters Jem and Scout. His wife, and mother of Jem and Scout, died when the children were very young. Being a single parent is quite arduous, and he does so while still teaching his children important morals. He stays patient with his children while the hard times of The Great Depression affect their world. Throughout the novel, he teaches his children valued life lessons of how to deal with the society around them. Despite making a few mistakes, Atticus does commendable work at being the best father possible to Jem and Scout by demonstrating integrity and kindness.
Atticus is a good father because he sets an example for his children of how to stand up for what they believe in. An african american man named Tom Robinson is charged for the alleged rape of Mayella Ewell. Atticus, a lawyer, defends Tom. He is one of the only white people in Maycomb who believe that Tom is innocent. He puts his heart and soul into the case because he believes this is the one case in his career that affects him personally. This is clear when he says, “I couldn’t hold my head up in town, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again” (Lee 100). Atticus explains to Scout that he needs to follow what is in heart, and if he doesn’t he would lose