Weekend Writing: Celebrating the Best Literary Fathers
With Father's Day just around the corner (Sunday, June 16), this is the time of the year for celebrating the father (or fatherly figures) in your life. Being a dad isn't always easy. They work hard to support their family. They keep their loved ones safe and they always have the best advice. They know what to say to make everything better, and they always have your best interest in mind. It's what makes them special: they love you, no matter what. They only want the best for you.
In honor of Father's Day next week, I compiled a list of the best literary fathers. We usually remember the mothers who care for their children, but there are plenty of memorable dads in fiction, too. While it's not easy being a father, these dads somehow make it look simple. They're great literary figures--shaping the lives of their children, making us love them all the more. While they might be considered secondary characters, the protagonists couldn't survive without them. The books wouldn't be the same without them!
1. Atticus Finch, To Kill a Mockingbird
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| The 1962 film, To Kill a Mockingbird (photo/chriswaldburger.com). |
Atticus Finch from Harper Lee's iconic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, is without a doubt one of the greatest literary fathers of all time. Raising two children as a single father (the unforgettable Scout and her older brother, Jem), he still manages to be involved in their lives. Living in a period of poverty and racism, Atticus manages to instill acceptance, gratitude, and open-mindedness in his children. He says, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view -- until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." He teaches his children the importance of standing up for those who need it.
Atticus is loyal, honest, loving, and principled. He's a hero without the cape. He proves himself to be the kind of dad you could always confide in, ask for advice, and you can truly look up to Atticus as a role model. Scout and Jem are very lucky to have Atticus in their lives. He's the perfect example of how they should live.
2. Mr. Bennet, Pride and Prejudice
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| The 1995 BBC television mini-series, Pride and Prejudice (photo/Austen Authors). |
Being the father of five daughters couldn't have been easy. It was a lot for any dad to handle, but when the daughters have as much drama as the Bennet sisters (and their high-strung mother) in Jane Austen's classic novel, Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Bennet is a hero surviving that household. He's up to the task to be a strong leader and role model, especially for his second-eldest daughter, Elizabeth (Lizzy).
A father ahead of his time, Mr. Bennet celebrates Lizzy's independence. He understands her desire to marry for love--and even encourages her to wait to marry until she finds "the one." Most fathers in early 19th-century Britain would not have agreed, but that's what makes Mr. Bennet so special. He has the right intentions. He wants his daughters to be happy, especially Lizzy. He's a reasonable father, and we must admire him for that.
3. Matthew Cuthbert, Anne of Green Gables
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| The 1985 television mini-series, Anne of Green Gables (photo/themarysue.com). |
Matthew Cuthbert wasn't supposed to become the adoptive father of Anne Shirley in L.M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, but life has unexpected surprises. Matthew and his sister, Marilla, originally wanted to adopt a young boy to help on the farm. Instead, Anne Shirley arrives and she causes so much trouble at Green Gables. The talkative redhead is nothing like what Matthew expected, but he quickly grows to love Anne. It doesn't take long for him to realize she's special. She's a breath of fresh air in his quiet life and their relationship becomes so special. While Matthew is a very reserved older man (when he talks, he doesn't have much to say), he grows attached to Anne.
He loves Anne, the daughter he never had. He loves her like every father should. He appreciates her and supports her dreams. He's proud of her, no matter what. While he may not be her birth father, he becomes her father in every sense. He proves you don't have to be someone's birth parent to love them unconditionally, making him very deserving of a place on this list.
4. Charles Ingalls, Little House on the Prairie
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| The television series, Little House on the Prairie (photo/Little House on the Prairie). |
When you're asked to name a favorite literary father, Charles "Pa" Ingalls from Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie series is often the answer. Supportive, wise, and always with love in his heart, Pa Ingalls isn't only a good father to his children but also a loving husband to his wife. He's a man of hard work and strength, serving as a leader in the community. Everyone respects Charles Ingalls, so it's easy to come to him for advice.
Pa Ingalls is an admirable man because of his strength for his family and friends. He learns from his imperfections, but he's always there to support his family, no matter what, and that's why we love him.
5. Bob Cratchit, A Christmas Carol
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| Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (photo/History Extra). |
Everyone knows the story of Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but there's another character we also love: Bob Cratchit. He is seriously one of the best literary fathers of all time. He's the epitome of the belief: "what we didn't have in money we made up for in love." He leads his family every step of the way, working hard at his thankless job for Ebenezer Scrooge to give his family a better life.
Bob Cratchit has a grateful attitude and a gentle spirit. This mindset enables him to save Christmas for his family, and it also manages to warm the Scrooge's cold heart. Bob Cratchit may not have had a lot to offer, but he offered so much love for his family. That's all we need.
Honorable Mention: John Baxter, Baxter Family series
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| Ted McGinley is soon to star as John Baxter in the upcoming television series, The Baxters (photo/Today Show). |
When I featured literary mothers for Mother's Day, I offered Elizabeth Baxter from Karen Kingsbury's Baxter Family series as an honorable mention. Well, the family's father, John Baxter, deserves to be featured, as well. While not everyone who reads this blog post has probably read the Baxter Family series, I don't want to neglect one of my favorite literary fathers. John Baxter is everything a father should be and more. He's caring, devoted to his wife and children, and he's always there to offer support and advice for his children in their many struggles.
John works as a prominent medical doctor in Bloomington, Indiana. But when he's not at the hospital, he's either at home with his family or at church, following God's Word. He raised his children to believe in and love Christ, and whenever they struggle, he's right there to pick them back up. To me, that's a good father. While Elizabeth Baxter might be the glue that holds the Baxter family together, John is their strength. He's their leader and he always knows what to say to make any situation better. He feels like a father to me. He reminds me so much of my own father. My dad is caring and devoted to his family, and he shares many of the same personality traits as John Baxter. It's like Karen Kingsbury knew my dad while she was writing the Baxter Family series. Everyone should be as lucky to have a father like John Baxter. He's one of the best.
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| (photo/123RF.com) |
Finally, Happy Father's Day to you, my readers. Whether you're a father, grandfather, foster parent, legal guardian, or simply a fatherly figure, remember that you are so loved. You are valued and appreciated every day of the year, not just on Father's Day.
Happy Father's Day to my own father. I love you so much. You're like these literary fathers and so much more. I'm so lucky to call you my dad.
-KJL-
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