TKaM Atticus Good Parent

As a father Atticus is loving with his children, Jem and Scout, ready with a hug when they need comfort and available to spend time reading to them. Although he allows his children freedom to play and explore, he is also forces firm discipline, always teaching his children to think of how their actions will affect others and giving punishments to teach his children valuable lessons. For example, when Jem damages the camellia bushes of Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose, a neighbor who insults the children, Atticus tells him to read to her each day for his punishment. It seems as though Atticus is a good father because he has struck a good balance between being supportive and being an authority figure. Which shows them that the mistakes that they makes come with consequence and have to be ready to service them.

For instance, when Scout balks at going to school, fearing that her valuable reading time with her father will be lost due to lack of time in the evening. Atticus, a lawyerly type, makes a compromise or a deal, "'Do you know what a compromise is?' he asked. 'Bending the law?' 'No, an agreement reached by mutual concessions. It works this way,' he said. 'If you'll concede the necessity of going to school, we'll go on reading every night just as we always have. Is it a bargain?'"

"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." What this quote means is that you have to look at and understand things from the way that other people do. This quote tells us that Atticus is a good father figure as he is trying to instill good moral values into his children; he is endorsing the value of equality. This lesson of equality is important because Maycomb is a town that is full of social prejudices, specifically social prejudice towards the black community.