We’ve seen some of the bad guys of the fathering world, so now let’s lighten the mood and take a look at a couple of the good ones!
You may hate the story or the writing style (it’s distinctly sparse with a lack of standard punctuation), or you may even feel distinctly cold towards the characters that we never really get to know (we don’t even learn their names), but from this bookworm’s point of view you can’t deny the strength of the father-son bond which endures throughout McCarthy’s gloomy tale. Set in post-apocalyptic America, The Road is the story of a literal and metaphorical journey of a father and son as they travel through the wasteland of their country, following a road which takes them to the coast.
The environment and the remaining survivors are hostile and dangerous, and the only real sustenance for the two characters is the love that they have for each other. The Man’s desire to protect his son is so fierce and realistic that it carries the entire book, especially when we know so little about the circumstances of the apocalypse. This book goes to show that no matter what the situation, the relationship between father and son can still endure.
Slight curveball, perhaps? Feel free to argue against this one. There are plenty of other candidates who act as a father figure to young Mr Potter, but I think Dumbledore represents the best combination of them all. Presumably, we all know by now that Rowling’s series of books are about a young orphaned boy who discovers that he’s a wizard. Crikey! He’s then shipped off to the famous Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he hones his magical skills, makes friends and gets caught up in all manner of mishaps. The seven books cover a variety of adventures as Harry gets older and learns more about his link to the darkest wizard of them all, Lord Voldemort.
Dumbledore, the school headmaster, is the greatest mentor and guide that Harry has at his disposal. For me, Dumbledore is the one who shapes Harry into a capable man, willing to face challenges and embrace his destiny. He encourages Harry to engage his brain; to think and to question. Dumbledore loves Harry like a son, no doubt about it, and I think the feeling is mutual. Yes, I suppose Dumbledore doesn’t *always* keep Harry safe, but at least he doesn’t wrap him up in cotton wool. There’s always room for Harry to make mistakes, discover, change and grow. Dumbledore certainly facilitates all of that.
In the final book, during the battle of Hogwarts, who is it that appears on the station platform when Harry needs to talk to someone? (I’m keeping this loose just in case there is the slight possibility that somebody hasn’t read it). Dumbledore, of course.
Arguably the greatest literary father that has ever been created. Set in the American Deep South of the 1930’s, To Kill a Mockingbird is told through the eyes of Scout Finch as she recounts her childhood. Her father, Atticus Finch, is a respected lawyer and widower, bringing up Scout and her brother Jem alone. Facing the wrath of the white community, Atticus agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white girl. Amidst a distinctly racist society, Atticus’s commitment to the case and to racial equality overall is testament to the strength of his convictions.
Atticus instills into his children a sense of what is right; of strong justice and morality against the backdrop of an unjust and ruthless community. The love, respect, understanding and empathy that the Finch children and Atticus demonstrate towards each other is palpable, leaping from the pages. Atticus Finch is wise, he’s clever, he’s fervently moral but he’s also an excellent example of a single father raising his children in the best possible way. This book has one of the most beautiful and touching depictions of the bond a father can have with his children.