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MANILA, Philippines — Fatherhood can come in many different forms, and the books and stories we have read allow us to learn about the resilience and multi-faceted nature of being one. While there are many father figures to guide us in our personal lives, fiction does just as well in showcasing the complexities of being a dad.
From silly to stern characters, here’s a list of father figures in literature that we can’t help but admire.
Atticus Finch of To Kill a Mockingbird
Atticus certainly wins Father of the Year not only for raising Scout and Jem with love and care, but being a leading example of courage and integrity. As a lawyer in a racist, conservative town, he did the best he could to defend and fight for Tom Robinson when no one would.
This inherent respect and compassion he holds for those around him shines in the way that he parents his children. When his daughter Scout asks him difficult and often uncomfortable questions, he never condescends her. Instead, he treats her like someone worthy of being spoken to with the seriousness she deserves.
His continued insistence to walk in the shoes of others guides him to stand up for what is right even when he must bear the consequences of following his own values. While he is far from perfect, Atticus proves that making mistakes along the way is not the end all be all of who we can be in the future.
Dr. Loid Forger of Spy x Family
Being a father goes beyond simply being blood related, and Dr. Loid Forger’s story takes this to an extreme. Tired enough as a full-time spy, he is forced to become a fake dad to adorable child Anya as part of a cover story for his real mission.
Despite not being obligated to form a deeply caring relationship with his fake daughter, he still goes the extra mile to be her biggest cheerleader and supporter.
Slowly, this on-the-job family grows on him as he begins to care for them beyond his task. Though Loid stumbles many times, he illustrates that fatherhood can be a choice that is earned through commitment.
Matthew Cuthbert of Anne of Green Gables
Many men expect to be fathers by the time they hit their 30s, that is, if they even want to build a family in the first place. This makes Matthew Cuthbert, a 60-year-old man that is well past the expected age for fatherhood, a curious outlier.
When talkative and outgoing Anne Shirley shows up to the Cuthbert household, he accepts her wholeheartedly. Daring and bold, Anne Shirley is everything that Matthew is outwardly not. She is loud-mouthed and unafraid to question the restrictive rules and etiquette her community imposes on young girls.
Yet, he sees all these traits as something to encourage and foster as Anne’s guardian. Rather than shaming her for who she is, he quietly but clearly has her back no matter what trouble she gets into.
Daniel LeBlanc of All the Light We Cannot See
Daniel LeBlanc teaches us that there’s more to being a father than simply acting as a protector. Instead, he goes above and beyond to instill strength, independence, and confidence in his daughter Marie-Laure, when she goes blind.
By building a small-scale replica of their neighborhood, he teaches her how to navigate their area and solve intricate problems on her own. He also dares her to dream big by inspiring her with stories of triumph.
It is through Daniel that Marie-Laure’s disability is transformed into something that she grows to embrace and use to her advantage. This eventually becomes an integral reason as to why Marie-Laure manages to gather strength when Paris becomes a war-torn city, proving that parenting means allowing children to stand on their own when they are no longer there to guide them.
Grandpa Joe of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Arguably the most controversial pick of the list, Grandpa Joe is a polarizing figure for many of those who watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Though he is not perfect by any means, even going as far as to encourage risks that could harm Charlie, he instilled a daring spirit that allowed Charlie to eventually inherit the Wonka Factory.
It is this mindset that allowed Grandpa Joe and Charlie to find wonder and hope despite the scarce meals they share and the shabby house that they live in. While the world they live in is dull and bleak, Grandpa Joe manages to shield the young boy of these realities and kindle his sense of imagination and endless possibilities.
Bilbo Baggins of The Lord of the Rings
Maybe the real father figure in our lives can be that odd and eccentric uncle who accompanies you on life-changing adventures. For Frodo, Bilbo Baggins is exactly the unusual person he needed.
Because of Bilbo, Frodo learned how to speak Elvish, as they bonded over their interest in poetry, maps, and stories. Their close relationship urged Frodo to make (life-threatening) risks throughout his journey, with the guidance of Baggins’ alarmingly plenty experience with dangerous dark lords.
Baba of The Kite Runner
Growing up in Kabul, Amir always looked up to his business savvy and silently strong father. In his childhood and adolescence, Baba seemed to have the answers to everything, and became a role model that Amir aspired to be.
However, when Afghanistan suffers the political turmoil caused by the Taliban’s rising power, the father-son duo are forced to flee to the United States. Here, Amir sees his Baba slowly weaken and become a faded version of who he once was back home.
It is with their migration to the United States did Amir gather the love and learnings his father taught him as a child, to support him in the same way his Baba used to. While Baba is a man of few words, he shares a secret language with Amir, and their care for one another continued to grow even if they were forced to leave their native land.
Bandit Heeler of Bluey
If there is one thing Bandit Heeler does best, it is that he will always commit to the bit. This silly Australian cattle dog is the definition of a hands-on father. With a whole lot of whimsy within him, he creates a wild and wonderful world for his children to interact and immerse themselves in.
What’s more, is that he encourages Bluey and Bingo to be messy and care-free, embodying the easy going nature of the present-day dad.
Through his optimism and happy-go-lucky attitude, he challenges the stern, quiet and emotionally distant roles fathers are still expected to fall into.
Uncle Iroh of Avatar: The Last Airbender
Uncle Iroh may not be Zuko’s real father but he is certainly the father figure he needed to navigate the pressures of being the prince of the tyrannical Fire Nation. Iroh’s peaceful and serene outlook on life makes for a comedic punchline that contrasts Zuko’s brooding moments and his fits of rage.
While Zuko is preoccupied trying to find the Avatar, Uncle Iroh teaches him that power and greatness should not come from anger and hatred. Instead, learning to control one’s emotions is the first great step to pushing back against the pressures that has filled Zuko with so much anger and resentment.
Uncle Iroh shows that being a father figure is an opportunity to be the moral compass that guides the next generation to break the cycle of tradition and injustice that his fellowmen were unable to break themselves.
These stories teach us that fatherhood can come in many shapes and sizes. While these fathers are certainly not perfect and have made questionable decisions throughout their character arc, they prove that a little bit of love, care and commitment goes a long way. – Rappler.com
Mika Layda is a Rappler intern studying Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in English Literature at the Ateneo de Manila University.
