Comparing Atticus Finch and Bob Ewell is like comparing God to the devil. No two characters have ever been so antithetical. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee does an acceptable job in showing the audience that they have opposite roles in their community, their actions and interactions with individuals are completely different, but the most significant difference is how they raise, teach, and treat their children. According to ideas.ted.com, a successful way to raise a child is to pay attention to them and show them that you value who they are as people. Upon reading this novel, the audience can clearly see that Atticus is the better father because he nurtures his kids, he respects others and tries to be a virtuous person.
Atticus Finch is a warm and friendly character that is kind to every person, no matter their race, religion, or age, and believes that just because people have a different skin color than him, they are still people. He doesn’t believe in the stereotype of all blacks being liars, and is an extremely moral man who strives to deal with everyone fairly, is not quick to judge, and has a well-defined set of values. One can see and respect that he cares who Jem and Scout will grow up to become, and he wants to be able to shape their childhood with a pathway to success. An example of this is Scout was constantly found in fights, and Atticus teaches her that there are other ways to fight that don’t involve her fists. “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” (Lee 87). It’s proven to every reader that Atticus is not just a father, he portrays himself as an equal to his children. He proves to Scout that there are smarter ways to win battles, and he helps set her on the right path. Using her father’s advice, she begins to understand what he means and proceeds his advice. Atticus is an outstanding character that focuses on his kids and their struggles, even as they are in the midst of something that will cause the town of Maycomb to turn on one another.
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Bob Ewell is a treacherous man that does not offer his children a safe or stable home, does not offer them basic necessities, and is very racist and judgemental. Not only does he leave all the responsibilities of the children and the land on Mayella, he also abuses her. He uses his daughter to feel satisfactory, and he sickly thinks that that is okay. Bob is an evil, ignorant man that lives in “the dump” of Maycomb, and belongs to the lowest family in town. His indecency is portrayed through framing Tom Robinson, an innocent black man, of raping his eldest daughter. An example of his selfishness and lack of sympathy is shown when the Ewell children attend school on the first day. They are filthy, and clearly not taken care of.“The boy stood up. He was the filthiest human I had ever seen. His neck was dark gray, the backs of his hands were rusty, and his fingernails were black deep into the quick. He peered at Miss Caroline from a fist-sized clean space on his face” (Lee 29). Bob does not care that his children are filthy and shows the town that they should be categorized as trash. He is extremely selfish and very prideful of himself. The whole town knows of the atrocious way Bob raises his kids, and they bend the rules so that his children won’t hurt and suffer.
Atticus and Bob are opposing characters, but they are both single fathers who struggle to raise their children without a mother figure in their lives. They each have to step up and become not only fathers but a mothers and a friend to their kids. Adding to this, they are white men who live in a racist and segregated community. One of their last similarities is that they are both human, and they both possess weaknesses. The difference here is that Atticus’ weaknesses are his children, while Bob’s is alcohol. Another difference revealed in To Kill A Mockingbird is that though they live in a racist community, and the story takes place at a time where that is common and normal, Atticus still respects colored people as humans, and he never talks down to them or raises himself above them. Bob, on the contrary, believes in every stereotype about blacks and doesn’t respect them as humans. He believes that even though he is categorized as trash, he is higher than them because he is white.
As one reads this novel, it’s clear that Atticus is the better father because he nurtures his kids, he respects others and tries to be a virtuous person. Both love their children but show it in contrasting ways. Atticus is more open and treats them the same outside of his home as he does in their home. Bob Ewell, alternatively, is corrupt and dishonorable verified by his heavy drinking, and laziness. In conclusion, Atticus Finch portrays a better father figure than Bob Ewell in To Kill A Mockingbird.
Works Cited
- Chen, Daryl. “How to Raise Successful Kids Without Overparenting.” Ideas.ted.com, Ideas.ted.com, 7 Nov. 2017, ideas.ted.com/how-to-raise-successful-kids-without-overparenting/.
- Lee, Harper. To Kill A Mockingbird. New York: HarperCollins. 1960. Print.
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