Third TKAM Reading Response

There are two choices, fight or run from a situation. Most people tend to run just because it's the easiest thing to do. These people have no idea how to deal with problems and it shows their weakness.

Dill is a runner. He runs from the real world. He couldn't deal with how Mr. Gilmer was treating Tom in the courtroom so he started crying and left. Dill even wants to be a clown when he grows up so that he can hide behind that identity. He wants to laugh at other people instead of joining them in growing up.

Dill has been this way his whole life. He hasn't had good role model parents to show him how to fight; in fact, it's like he hasn't had parents at all. His parents have a hard time dealing with Dill so they run from him and just leave him. They do the easiest thing and buy him anything he wants and then say, "OK now go play with it." Dill has had a hard life and instead of trying to deal with it, he hides. He hides in his dreams, in his imagination, and in movies. He even hides in Maycomb where he goes when he runs away from home.

It is always easier to be a runner. It takes a strong person to be a fighter. My mom is a true fighter. She stands up for what she believes in and faces problems head on. My dad, on the other hand, is more of a runner. His favorite thing to do is sit on the couch, watching a movie with his computer in his lap, and his phone right next to him. He tends to hide from his problems in his electronics.

I have chosen to follow my mom's example of being a fighter. I will admit, though, I can be a runner sometimes. Literally, I go on runs when I get angry. It gives me time to think on my own and be in my own world. Usually the reason I run is because I get in fights with my dad. One thing that we fight about a lot is my brother. My dad will ground him, but then let him do whatever he wants even when he has three C's which is the reason he gets grounded in the first place. I always try to tell my dad that he needs to be doing his school and my dad ends up yelling at me so I go for a run.

Figuratively, I run from problems with my friends. If one of my friends does something that makes me upset I don't say anything. Then, they do it again, but I still don't say anything. I let the anger build up and then eventually I explode. I start off running from them, but in the end I fight.