A parent's most essential responsibility is to keep their children safe; most will not do so intentionally, but their children will be in danger. Harper Lee writes about a parent whose children are in danger and upset because of a decision he made. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch chooses to represent Tom Robinson in court, putting his children in potential danger, earning the respect of numerous people around him, and teaching his children valuable life lessons; if individuals always chose to do what is right, rather than settling for the easy solution, difficulties could often be eliminated. Atticus Finch, a moral perfection, takes Tom Robinson's case despite strong opposition from his neighbors; thus, Jem and Scout are put in danger. For starters, Tom Robinson's case involves controversial material, made even more controversial because of Tom's skin color. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the 1930s, during the Great Depression. Although slavery was abolished more than 50 years before the time in which this novel is set, in the southern county where the Finch family lives, Jim Crow oppression is still exercised on the area's black citizens. Bob Ewell, the town's scruffy free charger, accused Robinson of assault and rape of his daughter, Mayella. Atticus reasons with Scout, regarding why he chose to take Tom's case; “'...every lawyer gets at least one case in his life that affects him personally. This is mine, I guess”' (Lee 101). Atticus considers this situation a matter of pride. Someone in town needs to stand up to do the right thing, which is to represent Mr. Robinson, a man with a “clean life.” He makes it clear that he could no longer face his community, nor w...... middle of paper ...... occurs in the story, including Bob Ewell's attack on Jem and Scout, and when grateful fans of Mr.. Finch thanking him wouldn't have happened if Atticus had decided to drop the case. Being a parent is a challenge in itself. Finding the right balance for children to grow into happy, healthy adults can be difficult. Atticus faces these normal problems, as well as the choice of whether or not to put his children's lives in danger to stand up for what is right. Although taking Tom Robinson's case was not the easy solution, or the answer that most parents would find, by making this choice, Atticus improved his own life as well as the lives of numerous people around him. Whether to accept the easy solution or face the challenge is the question parents need to think about when making important decisions. Works Cited To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee