Atticus shows love to his children in many ways throughout the book, but perhaps my favorite example of his affection occurs early on in Part 1. When she starts going to school, Scout is told by her teacher, Miss Caroline, that she must stop reading at home, as doing so will "interfere" with Scout's public education. Scout is understandably upset, as reading is one of her favorite activities. However, Atticus shows his love for Scout by affirming that they can keep reading in secret.
This instance doesn't only show Atticus' love for Scout, but also reveals Harper Lee's mistrust of the public education system. Indeed, in this section she suggests that public education often stunts, rather than encourages, a child's intellectual growth, as the curriculum is too rigidly constructed to account for students' diverse learning styles.
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