In life children need someone they can look up to and try to model. The father figure or a role model in a child's life teaches him/her the values and everyday common things the child will need to be well respected and successful in life. The role model encourages the child to do well in school and also teaches the child useful things that the child wouldn't learn in school. The role model teaches the child good manners and proper behavior so the child isn't shunned in public.
             The idea of having an important role model can be found in the novel SNOW IN AUGUST, by Pete Hamil, and the movie A BRONX TALE, directed by Robert DeNiro. In both the book and the movie a young boy has a father figure that teaches him how to go through life. In the book Michael Devlin has Rabbi Judah Hirsch as a father figure because his father had died in the war. The Rabbi gives him knowledge and brings out many things in Michael, such as courage, friendship, and trust. In the movie Calogero Anello learns the same things as Michael, but from his father Lorenzo, and the Mafia leader in his neighborhood, Sonny.
             In life everyone needs someone to look up to. In this case it is a father figure or role model for Michael and somewhat for Calogero. A father is someone who understands your feelings and understands what you are going through when you are upset as a child. A father figure is also someone for the child to model and try to talk and act like he does. The father figure teaches the child values and important stuff. The father figure is always there to protect and give shelter to the child when the child feels threatened or is in danger.
             In the book the person who understood how Michael was feeling was Rabbi Hirsch. The Rabbi understood why Michael hadn't told all the stuff hr knew about Mr. G's beating. The Rabbi understood that Michael was afraid of the Falcons coming and beating him up because he ratted out Franki...