Parents hide childhood memories from their children for many reasons. Some are embarrassed, others are afraid and still others are ashamed. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch's nickname describes his childhood. Instead of learning his second personality from their father, his children, Jem and Scout, discover it from Heck Tate, the county sheriff, because Atticus is ashamed for a moment of his adolescence. In fact, this shapes how he lives the rest of his life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Atticus is one of Maycomb County's best shots. His children, however, do not learn about this characteristic until a dog with rabies appears before them. As they play, Calpurnia, their housekeeper, calls Atticus and Heck Tate. When they arrive on the scene, Heck Tate gives Atticus a gun to shoot and kill the dog, which he does successfully. Jem and Scout are in disbelief of what their father does when Miss Maudie says, "I saw it, One-Shot Finch" (Lee 128). Miss Maudie deduces that Atticus is an extraordinary gunman who has the ability to hit anything he wants using a single bullet. Furthermore, he deduces that One-Shot Finch has been Atticus' nickname since childhood. However, Atticus does not inform Jem and Scout of this ability, which is rather peculiar considering that most people in Maycomb find this attribute prestigious. Furthermore, this knowledge can easily change his children's perception of him. Atticus is portrayed as a boring character who doesn't have an exciting life, which is exactly what Jem and Scout think of him. Knowing this, Jem and Scout's thoughts about Atticus change dramatically. Instead, Jem and Scout, along with the reader, must understand Atticus's ambiguous reason for keeping a secret. Atticus does not tell his children about his second personality for an unclear reason. When he was a child, he had a life-changing experience with his gun, which is why he is reluctant to let Jem and Scout own guns. Eventually, Uncle Jack buys them rifles, which Atticus lets them keep. However, he institutes a policy for their use: “Shoot all the jays you want, if you can hit them, but it's a shame to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 119). Atticus uses the mockingbird to show innocence. He also tells his children that you cannot harm anything that is innocent. However, Atticus chooses not to use guns anymore because he killed a defenseless human when he was young. He blames himself because his unique shooting skills ended the life of a person who didn't deserve it. Furthermore, he regrets his actions because he didn't think it through thoroughly. As a teenager, Atticus wasn't as knowledgeable or wise, so he didn't think about long-term outcomes. However, this life-changing experience determined how he will live for the rest of his life. Atticus' shocking experience has shaped how he lives the rest of his life. His children think he is a boring old man who never does anything worthwhile and will never do anything exciting for the rest of his life, which shows when Scout says, “Our father didn't do anything. He worked in an office, not a pharmacy. Atticus did not drive a dump truck around the county, was not the sheriff, did not farm, work in a garage, or do anything that would arouse anyone's admiration” (Lee 188). After killing an innocent human, Atticus does not live his life to the extreme, which makes him seem boring. He chooses to help people in court.