Family

===There are many main themes in the book __To Kill A Mockingbird__ probably one of the most important themes it this book is Family. In this Book all the charecters are strongly influenced by their families. I will tell you who and how.=== ===In the year 1930 family meant a lot more to people than it does today. Back then everyone knew everyone in the neighborhood because they all grew up together and considered each other as family. Today we try to avoid our neighbors and are either in our houses or somewhere away from home. Also back then people ate together. The dinner table is where all discussions start and is where most family time is spent. Now everyone eats separately and at different times only exchanging a glance at each other. Back then families sat together and talked and played. Now we try to avoid our families because they embarrass us or are not old enough.===

===Also in this book Scout saw Jem as her best friend. Back then you had to be best friend with your siblings because they were the only people around you. Jem was a little annoyed with Scout but, he still saw her as a friend. Lately in our culture sibling have been depicted as people who torture you your whole life. This is not what god wants us to be like. He want you and your siblings to be better friends than you are with anyone else.===

===Parents back in the 1930's had a lot more respect from their children. Back then you would refer to your parents as Sir and Mam. They were seen as mentors and role models. Now parents are viewed as embarrassing mean old people. We see our parents as people who enjoy seeing us miserable. In the book Atticus is Scout and Jem friend. Scout reads the paper with her dad every night and enjoys it, today no kid would do that. Jem wants to be either a lawyer or a football player. His dad is a lawyer that is why he is so interested in law. Jem and Scout sort of adopt Calpurnia as their mom that shows how much people were willing to love back then. They loved and respected Cal as they would their white mom.===

===In the black culture family meant a lot too. When children and family members were sold they would often be seperated from their biological families. Other people had to take the new slave in and take care of them as they were family. This is one of the main points of emphasis of family in the book.===

===I think that the families in __To Kill A Mockingbird__ are a good example of how we should treat each other today. They are kind and forgiving to each other, love each other, and they respect each other. I think that we should try to work these attributes into our families for the good of all of us.===