In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird there were three unique families. The Ewells were poor and choose to live like animals. The Cunninghams were hardworking and only took what they could repay. The Finches were respected by all citizens in Maycomb and lived their life according to a definite code of values. This being said, the Ewells, Cunninghams and the Finches were three distinctly different families with differing code of values. Unquestionably, the Ewells were a filthy poor family that did not live by any code of values. This was shown to the reader by the way Maycomb bent the rules for this family. The Ewells were the only family in Maycomb who were allowed to hunt and trap year-round. The city allowed this due to that fact they would rather Mr. Ewell break a law if he was getting food for his children. “ ‘ … I don’t know of any landowner around here who begrudges those children any game their father can hit’ ” (41). In addition, the Ewells were an uneducated family. The children did not care to take the opportunity to get a proper education. This was due to the irresponsibility of their father in pushing them to attend school. “ ‘Been comin’ to the first grade o’ the first grade for three years now ’ ”(36). Furthermore, the Ewells did not value the quality of respect Mr. Ewell was evidently not respectful of his daughter Mayella nor was he respectful of the court of law. When he was called to testify he lied and even when so far as to pressure Mayella to lie too. “ ‘ I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin’ on my Mayella ’ ” (231). Throughout the novel the Ewells proved to be a different family who did not live by any code of values. The Ewells are distinct in their own way as are the Cunninghams. Certainly, the Cunninghams were proud hardworking farmers. They were a family that knew the value of an education. The Cunninghams were trying to make ends meet by farming, and therefore the children could not always attend school. Although, they may not have been able to complete their education in the same time frame as the other families they still valued the chance to get an education. “Walter Cunningham’s face told everyone in the first grade he had hookworms” (25). The Cunninghams also had a strong code of values because they were a family who would never take something in which they could not repay. When they had a debt to pay they would pay in goods. “ ‘ Because that’s the only way he can pay me. He has no money’ ” (27). The Cunninghams were a family that worked very hard on their farm. They were trying to make ends meet therefore everyone had to give all they had in order for them to have some money or goods. “ ‘ Reason I can’t pass the first grade, Mr. Finch, is I’ve had to stay out ever’ spring ’an help Papa with choppin’ …’ ”(31-32). The Cunninghams did live by a medicore code of values but nothing could compare to the Finches notable code of values. Indeed, the Finches were a family that lived by a definite code of values thus being respected by all citizens of Maycomb. They were a family who valued the quality of respect. This was shown to the reader throughout the novel by the way Atticus and Calpurnia taught Jem and Scout the importance of treating everyone as an equal. The Finches treated everyone with the respect they deserved no matter the colour of their skin. The Finches, in this way were distinctly different because they did not agree with the rest of Maycomb as to how people of colour should be treated. “ ‘… You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view—’ ” (39). In addition, the Finches again were a family that did not want to be treated differently than the rest of Maycomb because they come from generations of gentle breeding. They did not want the rules to have been bent for them just because the fact Atticus is an important figure in Maycomb and their families’ history in the region. The Finches had always spoken the truth no matter the situation. “ ‘…Best way to clear the air is to have it all out in the open …’ ” (366). Furthermore, the Finches were a family that had a lot of courage in many different situations. They were able to go help a neighbor in a time of need where they could have gotten hurt. The Finches also were courageous the way they supported the blacks in court and in many other ways shown to the reader in the novel. “ ‘ The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in legislature…’ ” (100). One could tell that the Finches were a family that lived by a strong code of values. In other words, the Ewells, the Cunninghams and the Finches were three distinctly different families with differing codes of values. The Ewells were a family that had been raised by a man who did not know proper manners and thus lived by no code of values. The Cunninghams who knew the value of an education and strived to achieve all that they could. The Finches lived by a strong code of valued that valued, respect, courage and having no special treatment. Thus being said Harper Lee had successfully created three unique families, each with their own unique set of values.