Epic Father Roles in Popular Books

 
There is one character who is often forgotten or unappreciated in books: fatherly figures.

But there are some pretty cool superdads in books and we want to appreciate them. From serious and fair dads, loving and hard-working dads, and even cooky, crazy fun dads-all dads are great. Look for your fatherly figure in books and give it to them this #FathersDay.
 
 

1. Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Everyone knows of the father, Atticus Finch. He loves and dotes on his daughters, and his fairness in shown in his actions throughout the book. He is a brilliant, hard-working man who tries his best to take care of his family. He is seen as one of the heroes of the book due to what he is fighting for and against in the courtroom as he works to save an innocent mans life.
 

2. Jean-Joachim Goriot from Le Père Goriot by Honoré de Balzac

This father wants nothing more then the best for his daughters. Even though they are part of the bourgeois, he makes sure they have everything they need and want though out the book. Even though they take advantage of him, he continues to give to them regardless.
 

3. Bob Cratchit in a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

This father loves all his children equally, forming a special bond with his weakest child, Tiny Tim. Though his youngest is sick, he is treated as well as all the rest. Bob works hard to take care of his family, even working for the awful Ebenezer Scrooge in order to keep food on the table. The family may not have a lot, but Bob makes sure to give them the best he can manage.
 

4. Arthur Weasley in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Mr. Weasley is the ultimate, probably most well known father figure in a modern children’s book. Him and Mrs. Weasley do all they can to make sure all their seven children always have what they need, including big frumpy sweaters and the usual ill-fitting hand-me-downs. Mr. Weasley, as the only working parent, works hard at his Ministry job where is not always respected, but always gets his work done.
 

5. The Man from The Road by Cormac McCarthy

This father is one of the main protagonists, and can be seen as a hero in his own site. The Man keeps the son safe throughout the whole book, keeping him from robbers, the environment, and even a band of cannibals. He takes his son out on the dangerous road in order to try and find a place where him and his son can live in peace. He risks everything in this apocalyptic world in order to keep his son safe and to find him something and somewhere better in life. If The Man isn’t a hero of a dad, I don’t know who else could be.
 

6. Harry Silver from Man and Boy by Tony Parsons

This is another super dad story-the single father raising his son. Though this father has made some bad mistakes in his life, he begins to make up for them as he raises his son on his own. This book also has a deeper connection with the author taking from experience, as he was a single parent raising his own son. Reading this will really help you appreciate the great fathers of literature and the world.
 

7. Little from Stewart Little by Eb White

This story really shows a great father, who already has a son, but adopts another with his wife out of the goodness of his hearts. His great fathering comes in when you find out that he actually adopts a little orphan mouse. No matter how much trouble his little mouse son gets into, Mr. Little is always forgiving and always loves his children equally and indiscriminately.
 

8. Pa Ingalls from Little House on the Prarie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Pa Ingalls is the MaGuiver of superdads. This father provides for his children day and night and can build a house a skin an animal with his bare hands to guarantee they have somewhere to live and eat at all times. Even though he is a master pioneer, he still manages to be a courteous gentleman who is kind to his children and an upstanding husband to his wife.
 

9. Mr. Quinby in the Ramona series by Beverly Cleary

No matter what trouble or disaster Ramona gets into on a daily basis, and that trouble is always interesting, Mr. Quinby is always patient and kind to her and her siblings. He deals with real issues in an everyday household, and sometimes fights with his wife, but in the end he is a loving father who is affectionate toward his family.
 

10. Mr. Cuthberts from Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery

This is another adoption story. The Cuthbert siblings wanted to adopt for help on their farm, particularly a boy, but when they are left with Anne Mr. Cuthberts is everything like the doting father he should be. Anne is spirited, imaginative, and dramatic and, at times, a bit hard to handle, but Matthew Cuthberts never wavers in his affections towards his new daughter. At times he encourages Anne’s flights of fancy and frivolity, and it is up to Marilla to help Anne learn structure. However, all his encouragement is out of love. SPOILER: His death at the end of the first book his Anne hard, but it only strengthens her connection with Marilla.
 

11. Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car by Ian Fleming

Note that this book is very different from the movie version. As much as we all love Dick Van Dyke, those of us who have read the book also love Caractacus Potts. And who wouldn’t with a name like that? Caractacus is still a crackpot inventor who stumbles upon the magical car. He always tells his children to never say no to adventures, and encourages his kids to find fun in everything. He even joins them on their adventures in the magical car, keeping them safe-sort of-while making sure they always experience life to the fullest. He even saves the kids on countless occasions.
 
 
These dad’s are pretty cool, but none are as cool as your own or the other father figures in your life. So go appreciate them, and maybe even give them a book or ten (maybe our suggestions above?).
 
#fathersdaywithbooks #thedadheroesofbooks #superdadsinbooks