INTRO
A. Heroes can be seen in parents.
B. Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Erma Bombeck's "Daddy Doll Under the Bed," and Robert Anderson's I Never Sang for My Father all have characters who are heroes as parents.
C. Even though they might not receive as much respect as parents deserve, they continue to raise their children and provide what is best for them.
D. The actions and everything else parents do for their children make them heroes.
BP #1
TS: In To Kill a Mockingbird, Jem and Scout find a hero in their father, Atticus.
SO: He teaches them to place themselves in other people's positions before judging them.
DOC: When Scout doesn't like school because of her teacher, Atticus tells her to place herself in Miss Caroline's shoes.
COM: Jem and Scout learn to admire people's good qualities while at the same time understanding their bad qualities.
Screenshot of To Kill a Mockingbird(an American mo...
President George W. Bush awards the Presidential M...
Film producer Alan J. Pakula with Lee; Lee spent t...SO: Atticus is a lawyer and is able to teach Jem and Scout not to be racist or prejudiced like the people of Maycomb.
DOC: Despite the town's prejudice, Atticus agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black man who is accused of raping a white woman.
COM: Jem and Scout learn that all people are equal and that they should be treated that way.
SO: Atticus is a very wise parent that Jem and Scout can look up to.
DOC: Towards the end of the novel, Atticus says, "Before Jem looks at anyone else he looks at me, and I've tried to live so I can look squarely back at him."(CH.30)
COM: By saying this, Atticus wins both of his children's respect.
CLINCHER: By the end of the novel, Jem and Scout love Atticus incredibly and they are greatly devoted to him.
BP #2
TS: In "Daddy Doll Under the Bed," the little girl does not know what her father really does.
SO: When she played house, the mother doll had more things to do than the father doll.
DOC: The only thing she knew to do with the father doll was to send him to work and put him under the bed.
COM: She did not see any big responsibilities in her father.
SO: He would help her learn new things, like riding a bike.
DOC: "He ran alongside me for at least a thousand miles until I got the hang of it."(679)
COM: He sacrificed his time and strength to bring her joy.
SO: When no one else could do something, he would do it for them.
DOC: He would do simple tasks such as opening the jar of pickles or going into the basement by himself.(679)
COM: Her father was the strength and bravery of the family.
CLINCHER: However, she did not realize how much of a hero her father actually was until he was gone.
CONCLUSION
SS: A parent's actions are affected by the love for their children.
RoT Whether it is opening a jar of pickles or teaching that everyone is equal, a parent's actions can make them a hero.