Characters

MAJOR CHARACTERS

Jean Louise Finch (Scout)

Scout is essential to the story as she is both the narrator and the protagonist. She is portrayed as innocent and naïve which gives the reader a unique perspective of how a child might interpret prejudices and discrimination and how confusing it is for them. Scout is a tomboy with a very quick temper. At the beginning of the story Scout often lets her temper get the better of her, resulting in quite a few brawls. As she grows she learns to control her temper and is pressured by the society to dress and act as a proper young lady. For such a young child she is unusually intelligent, thoughtful, confident and responsible (e.g. walks herself to school, can already read and questions others beliefs). Scout was raised by Atticus, who brought her up with his own high moral values, let her read with him, explained things she did not understand and made her believe in herself. 

Atticus Finch

Atticus is a hero, with a moral and just character. Atticus has fair, well thought opinions and is wise. Harper Lee uses Atticus as a moral compass in the story and he provides the voice of reason in his community. He is the father of Jem and Scout Finch, nearly fifty years old which was considered quite old in the 1930s and a descendent of an old, honourable family. Atticus believes in equality and that everyone should be treated with respect and understanding. He has strong views against discrimination, often surprising Scout with how understanding he is of other people’s behaviours and beliefs. Atticus works as a lawyer and he is well aware of the impending miscarriage of justice as Tom Robinson goes to trial. Atticus is a good role model for his children and the town. Atticus is often brave, two examples of this are when he shot a dog with rabies before it could attack anyone in the village and when he accepts the case of defending a black man, Tom Robinson, against the accusations of a white man. It is in this way that Atticus is seen as a hero; he protects the neighbourhood against threats.

Jeremy Atticus Finch (Jem)

Jem is the older brother (by four years) of Scout. He has a curious and inquisitive nature and as he gets older his desire to impress his father shows his deep admiration for Atticus. Jem goes from being a constant playmate for Scout to an adolescent who wants to play football and hang around boys his own age. He offers words of wisdom and comfort to his little sister when things get tough at school.

Miss Maudie Atkinson

Maudie is also a fair-minded adult like Atticus. She is a mother-like influence on the children and one of the few people in Maycomb County that shows empathy and understanding towards others. She is a close friend of Atticus’ with similar views on people and discrimination. Maudie respects and admires Atticus for wanting to defend Tom Robinson. She believes he is doing the right thing “There are some men in this world who are born to do our unpleasant jobs for us. Your father's one of them” (pg 114). Even though Maudie was born and raised in Maycomb County she doesn’t engage in gossip that goes around the town.

Arthur Radley (Boo)

Arthur was incarcerated by his family. He is the victim of an abusive father and seems to have regressed into a childlike state. He appears to be lonely and starts to leave little gifts for The Finch children giving them a window into his world. He may or may not want contact with the rest of the outside world but is probably too afraid of society and he is powerless like a child against his parents. Arthur is the subject of unfair and wild gossip in the community. Early on he is portrayed as an evil monster but he becomes more human as the story progresses. One night Boo performs an act of kindness and bravery towards Jem and Scout by helping them when they were being attacked. Arthur comes to symbolise the good that exists within people and he is shown to be a “mockingbird.” Arthur’s character develops as the children mature because the reader only learns about him through the children’s eyes.

Calpurnia

Calpurnia is an African American maid in the Finch household who plays an important role in how the children, especially Scout, are raised. Calpurnia is like a mother to the children, she teaches them manners, takes care of them and helps them with their problems. Atticus even says she is a “faithful member of this family” (pg 142) Calpurnia is hard-working and fair-minded Christian. She goes to church every Sunday. When she is faced with missing church because she has to take care of the Finch children while Atticus is away on business, she quickly thinks up a solution and takes them with her to church. While at the church the children see that Calpurnia has a life away from their own with her own friends in the black community.

Charles Baker Harris (Dill)

Dill is Jem and Scout’s friend and they see him when he comes to stay at his Aunt Rachel’s house in the summers. He is a short, young boy who is neglected by his parents. Dill is curious, inquisitive and imaginative and often hatches up plans that get the children in trouble.  Dill is another representation of innocence in the novel. At court when Mr Gilmer (the prosecuting lawyer) begins a rude and undermining interrogation of Tom Robinson, Dill begins to cry at how awfully he is treating Tom. In Dill’s eyes Tom Robinson is the same as any white person and he is disgusted that one person could treat another that way.

Tom Robinson

Tom is a “mockingbird” in the story. He is a hard-working, helpful and kind black man who works for a low wage in the fields to support his wife and children. Tom Robinson is handicapped and is shown to have an honest and decent nature. Tom is frightened by discrimination and for good reason.

Mrs Henry Lafayette Dubose

Mrs Dubose is an elderly lady who is a neighbour of the Finch’s. In the beginning Scout and Jem are afraid of her and avoid going past her house. The children initially find that she is mean and rude. However, Mrs Dubose was actually a morphine addict who was slowly dying. She had decided she wanted to die free of morphine and with her strong will and the help of the children she was able to beat her addiction.

MINOR CHARACTERS

Heck Tate

Heck is the town sheriff, a friendly man and someone that cares for his community. He is empathetic towards the “mockingbirds” and therefore protective of both Tom Robinson and Arthur Radley. He is able to keep calm in a crisis.

Mayella Ewell

Mayella is a young woman who is desperately poor, lonely and a victim of physical, emotional and sexual abuse from her father. Mayella is powerless over her situation at home and is infatuated with Tom which makes her she desperate for his attention. She is unable to tell the truth in court as she is frightened by what society would think of her for loving a black man and also of her violent father.

Bob Ewell

Bob is a violent drunkard and a coward. He is poor, uneducated and lives in an undesirable area. He beats and rapes his oldest daughter but lies about it in court to save face. He later tries to harm Jem and Scout and has no redeeming features. His wife (like Atticus) has also died and the difference between the two families are stark.

Miss Stephanie Crawford

Miss Crawford is a superficial woman full of spite and gossip. She spreads her prejudiced and racist views to anyone that listens and loves to tell malicious tales about Boo. The Finch children don’t like her and try to avoid her.

Aunt Alexandra

Alexandra is Atticus’s sister and not at all fair-minded like her brother. She was a proper southern lady concerned with family connections and social hierarchy. Her views are narrow and racist and she upsets Scout by trying to make her conform into what society dictates girls should become; that is, a narrow minded, well-dressed gossip. Aunt Alexandra is one of the most discriminatory characters in the story.

Mr Radley

Mr Radley is a very private man who keeps his affairs to himself and is unemployed. He is extremely religious and takes the bible so literally that he is afraid to live. He keeps his son at home like a prisoner.  

Mr Dolphus Raymond

Mr Dolphus Raymond is a man that defies Maycomb’s social and racial codes. He chooses to live with his black wife and children and see people by their actions rather than their skin colour. Mr Raymond pretends to be a drunkard when he is around white people as this gives them a reason for his behaviour other than he doesn’t have racist views. Acting like this is Mr Raymond’s way of coping with society and he is often dismissed from their eyes because they think he is too drunk to know any better.

Mr Walter Cunningham

Walter is a farmer who is deeply affected by the Great Depression and very poor. He is a proud man who repays his debt to Atticus with food and wood instead of money but refuses to accept charity, a value he has installed in his children. He has a son in Scout’s class and one day when he is caught up in a ‘mob mentality’ towards Tom, he is able to reconsider his actions when Scout reminds him to say ‘hey’ to his son and behave in a more reasonable way, like a father and human.