Fathers come in all shapes and sizes. There are good fathers and bad fathers, fathers present in the lives of their children and fathers who are not. In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, “Jem” and “Scout” Finch, who are the main characters, are very lucky to have Atticus, a single parent and experienced lawyer, as a father. In the small town of Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s, life is hard for many people, like Bob Ewell, who has difficulty finding food for his children. However, Atticus tries his best to be the ideal father for Jem and Scout and is the best lawyer to defend Tom Robinson because he is brave, gentlemanly and wise. One of Atticus' predominant qualities is that he is a gentleman. He demonstrates this when he teaches Jem how to be a gentleman and sets an example when talking to Mrs. Dubose: Easy, son, Atticus would say. She's an old lady and she's sick. Keep your head high and act like a gentleman. Whatever he tells you, it's your job not to let him make you angry. Jem would have said she couldn't have been very sick, she was screaming so much. When the three of us arrived at her house, Atticus would take off his hat, greet her gallantly, and say, Good evening, Mrs. Doubose! You look like a painting tonight (115). This characteristic highlights Atticus' moral and genuine character. Another example is at the post office during the trial when Bob Ewell curses him, spits on him, and threatens to kill Atticus: “I wish Bob Ewell wouldn't chew tobacco” (248). That's all Atticus said about it, so that shows he's made up. It is Atticus' nature to always be a gentleman and never be fazed by the words of others. This is a skill that Atticus teaches Gem throughout the novel, and which helps Jem understand what it means to… middle of paper… be a disgrace to his nation. Atticus's wisdom helps him become the ideal person to defend Tom Robinson. Throughout the book, Atticus always gives his lessons to Jem and Scout, due to the ideas of what is right in his head. Atticus's gentlemanly actions help him shield the words of others and make him the perfect father to Jem and Scout because he is the perfect role model. Being brave affects how Atticus acts, for example he took the Tom Robinson case because even though he knew he would lose, he didn't back down. Atticus's wisdom is his most powerful quality; because he is wise he becomes the extraordinary father we know today. Wisdom also makes Atticus the perfect lawyer to defend Tom Robinson. Thanks to all these qualities, Atticus becomes the most suitable lawyer to defend Tom Robinson and the ideal father for Jem and Scout.