Family in To Kill a Mockingbird Essay

In the United States today the average American family consists of four people; a father, mother, and two children. But of course there are exceptions. Exceptions like, widows, divorces, remarriages, and more or less children. In To Kill a Mockingbird not one family is the same all of them are familys range dramatically in size, race, income, and morals. The Ewells, Cunninghams, and Finchs are all families from the storey To Kill a Mockingbird. These families have little similarities but have profound differences. All of these families are poor but it is how they bring up there children that separate the families.

The Ewells family is known in town to be the very poor white trash family; in fact they live in the towns dump. The Ewell family is all white and consists of at least seven children and a father. The oldest child, Mayella, who is nineteen serves as the mother figure to the children. Mayella watches after the children during the day and also does chores around the house like cleaning and chopping wood. Every year the Ewell children show up for the first day of school, but then vanish after that to help their father with work the rest of the school year. The teacher said the children are so filthy that she can see the lice in there hair. Many times Mayella pays Tom Robinson, a slave that lives in town who was accused of raping Mayella, to do the chores, which he willing does for free. Many people in town say the Ewells are filthy people who do not take care of themselves, and many people do not know the exact number of children in the family because the Ewell children are hardly seen around town. As many people in town know the Ewell family has very low standards of morals. In the court case Atticus clearly provides enough substantial evidence that suggest Mr. Bob Ewell of beating his daughter. The Ewell family demonstrates how income, family size, and lifestyle choice greatly affects an individuals morals.

The Finch family on the other hand is a great example of a family without a mother like the Ewells that still have great morals and are great people. The Finch family is an all white family which consists of Atticus, the father, Jem, the oldest son, and Jean (Scout), the youngest daughter, and an African American cook named Calpurina. The Finch family is not wealthy by any mean, and they do not even make much money but as a family that make do with what they have. Atticus is the towns lawyer, and Atticus defends Tom Robinsons court case. Jem and Scout are brother and sister who are like best friends who play together all the time, and they also become friends with Dill who comes to Maycomb for the summer. Calpurina is they Finch family maid, but serves as the mother figure throughout the story. Calpurina also lives with the Negros when she does not stay the night with the Finchs. Later on in the story Aunt Alexandra moves in with the Finch family and also becomes a prominent mother figure. Aunt Alexandra is stern and strict with the children but sometimes can be understanding. Aunt Alexandra is determined to turn Scout into a lady because she has to represent the family name, but of course Scout is disgruntled with the idea of becoming a lady. The Finch family is known by everyone in Maycomb and reasonably well liked; except for they few who are infuriated that Atticus is defending Tom Robinson. Atticus has instilled very strong morals in his children who see the injustice in Tom Robisons court case, or that it is a sin to kill a mocking bird. The children have the up most respect for there elders; except for the occasional occurrence when they disturb Mr. Radley. The Finch family is the closest resemblance to the average American family in this story.

The Cunningham family is also another poor family like the Ewells except the Cunninghams are very respectable people in town. This family never takes anything from some else without paying them back. The Cunninghams might not pay you back in money; instead they will pay you back in firewood, food, clothing, or something else.