To Kill a Mockingbird: Characters (Edexcel IGCSE English Literature)

Characters

Authors of fiction construct characters to embody concepts, represent ideas and convey the key themes they want to communicate. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee employs characters to convey themes, explore societal issues, and provide insight into human nature. Each character serves a distinct purpose, adding depth and meaning to the novel.

Main characters

• Scout (Jean Louise Finch)

• Atticus Finch  

• Jem Finch  

• Boo Radley

Other characters

• Calpurnia

• Dill (Charles Baker Harris)

• Bob Ewell

• Mayella Ewell

• Tom Robinson

• Mrs Dubose

• Aunt Alexandra

• Miss Maudie Atkinson

Scout (Jean Louise Finch)

• Scout Finch is the protagonist of the story who relays the events of the novel:

  • She is a retrospective narrator: the text is told by her as a child but is mediated by an adult

  • This adds a maturity and credibility to the events

  • By using the voice of a child, Lee is able to expose the injustices and absurdity of racism and discrimination

  • It also create pathos for the plight of Tom Robinson by interweaving her loss of innocence with his mistreatment

• Scout is intelligent and literate in contrast to her peers, who can only read and write in the “third grade”

• She is precocious and unafraid of speaking her mind:

  • This leads to her being punished at school when she explains why Walter Cunningham does not have his lunch money

  • However, this quality is shown to be important as it drives Scout to question the social norms that the community in the southern town of Maycomb, Alabama accept and propagate

• Scout understands that segregation does not espouse the American value of equality and realises this hypocrisy    

• Scout is presented as a tomboy who defies gender stereotypes, choosing to wear “overalls” and “britches” rather than dresses:

  • Even when she is in a dress, she wears her overalls underneath

  • She defies traditional gender roles with her rejection of feminine clothing, symbolising her rebellious nature

• Following the conventions of the bildungsroman genre, Scout is shown to mature and grow throughout the text:

  • She embraces kindness and empathy epitomised by the evolution of her attitude towards Boo

• Similar to her community, she first considers Boo an outcast, but by the end she realises that he is a harmless, kind and vulnerable person:

  • This allows Lee to comment on Atticus’s parenting style, and the importance of it in educating his children in empathy, kindness and tolerance

  • This may be seen as a Lee offering a wider critique of parenting and education as vital in overcoming the ills of society

  • By the end of the text, Scout embodies these qualities, suggesting that Atticus has been successful in raising her

Atticus Finch

• Atticus is a lawyer and state representative who takes on the Tom Robinson case even though he knows he will lose:

  • It causes him to be intimidated and shunned by others

  • He symbolises honour, bravery, heroism, intelligence and empathy and is the moral compass of the text

• Atticus rejects society’s prejudices even when it puts him in harm’s way and sets him apart from the rest of the town:

  • For example, he calls Tom Robinson “respectable” in court and visits his wife after his death:

    • Through his empathy, he considers Tom Robinson an equal and not as the other, undermining the idea of segregation

    • His shooting of the rabid dog becomes a motif for his attempt to eradicate racism in his community

• Atticus empathises with others, even though they do not do the same:

  • He helps Mr Cunningham with his legal affairs even though he cannot pay

  • He tells his children to hold their heads high and keep their fists down:

    • “No matter what anybody says to you, don’t let ‘em get your goat”

• Lee uses Atticus to represent the qualities that will help make society a better place:

  • Walter Cunningham is welcomed into the Finch home for a meal, despite the difficult economic situation of the time

  • Atticus employs Calpurnia and treats her well, despite prejudice towards black women:

    • He keeps her in employment during the Great Depression, when there were likely many white women looking for work  

• Through his insistence that it is a sin kill a mockingbird, Atticus is presented as believing that innocence should be protected:

  • He protects the vulnerable of the town by telling the children to leave Boo Radley alone, and by representing Tom Robinson

Jem Finch

• Jem is kind, mature and even tempered and is portrayed as a protective older brother to Scout:

  • When he catches his sister fighting with Walter Cunningham, he reprimands her and invites him round for dinner

  • This demonstrates the kindness and generosity of spirit he has learned from his father

• Although all of the children are fascinated by Boo Radley, Jem demonstrates leadership in a number of instances:

  • He takes charge of the idea to re-enact Boo's life, casting himself as the lead character

  • It is Jem who runs to the Radleys’ front porch to touch the front door

  • He protects Scout by telling her to run away during the Bob Ewell attack

• Lee presents Jem as intelligent and thoughtful, but also emotional:

  • When Nathan Radley seals the tree hole where the children find gifts, Jem is upset

  • In a fit of anger, he cuts Mrs Dubose’s camellia flowers, signifying his desire to cut intolerance out of his community:

    • After her death, he throws the flower she left for him into the fire

• As the novel progresses, Jem is presented as more mature than Scout, choosing to isolate himself and spend time reading instead of playing:

  • Jem’s introspection coincides with the beginning of the second part of the novel, bringing an end to the age of innocence at the start

  • Jem’s adherence to rules evolves over time, suggesting an understanding of the complexity of right and wrong:

    • During the midnight scene at the jail, he demonstrates a willingness to accept punishment rather than betray his father's trust

• Jem's character undergoes a profound shift following Tom Robinson's conviction:

  • The verdict shatters his faith in justice and exposes him to the harsh realities of prejudice and hatred:

    • Struggling to comprehend the divisions within society, Jem grapples with disillusionment and questions the inherent goodness of people

    • Despite this, like his father, he wants to become a lawyer so he can make a positive impact on the world

Boo Radley 

• Although Boo Radley is rarely seen in the novel, the symbolism of his character is central to the novel

• Boo is presented as being tormented by the children, who are fascinated by rumours that he stabbed his father with scissors and has been confined to the house ever since:

  • Described as a “malevolent phantom” by Scout at the beginning, it is Boo who saves her life with an act of bravery and selflessness at the end:

    • As such, he symbolises innocence, kindness and the juxtaposition of hearsay and reality

• He is ostracised by the community and stigmatised as an outsider to be feared and shunned as he does not adhere to social norms:

  • He is a motif for those who are marginalised due to ignorance and rumour

  • He leaves gifts for the children in the hollow of a tree, suggesting he is benevolent and desires friendship and human connection:

    • The tree is filled in with cement, signifying social barriers that keep people apart and hinder understanding

• After saving Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell, Lee presents Boo as gentle and vulnerable:

  • He asks to be taken home: “He almost whispered it, in the voice of a child afraid of the dark”  

• Scout’s realisation at the end of the novel that Boo seems “real nice” is symbolic of her evolution and maturity:

  • This represents the novel’s central message that people should be treated fairly and not discriminated against

Minor characters

Calpurnia

• As the sole female presence in Scout's predominantly male household at the beginning of the novel, Calpurnia serves as a strong role model for Scout:

  • She assumes the role of a teacher, imparting valuable life lessons to Scout and Jem, helping them to understand the intricacies of racial and social divides

• By introducing them to her congregation, Calpurnia allows them to experience an aspect of African-American culture:

  • Scout and Jem’s visit to the church expands their horizons and enhances their comprehension of social justice

• Throughout the novel, Calpurnia exhibits strength of character and upholds admirable morals:

  • Like Atticus, Calpurnia refrains from passing judgement on others, reprimanding Scout for doing so when she comments on Walter’s eating habits

• In the era of segregation in the American south, Calpurnia exemplifies resilience and dignity:

  • Her portrayal epitomises the resilience of the black community during a time of pervasive oppression

Dill (Charles Baker Harris)

• Dill is a playmate for Scout and Jem whose presence is associated with the school holidays, games and adventures:

  • He symbolises the happiness and innocence of childhood in contrast to the complex issues Scout and Jem later encounter

• Although he is not from Maycomb, Dill is accepted into the community:

  • This contrasts with the experience of other characters such as Tom Robinson and Boo Radley

• As children, Dill and Scout plan to marry when they are adults:

  • This alludes to a young understanding of accepted social norms and the impressionability of children

 Bob Ewell  

• Bob Ewell is the antagonist of the novel, epitomising racial hatred in the story:

  • Atticus reveals that Bob is responsible for his daughter’s injuries, having caught her trying to kiss Tom Robinson because he is black:

    • As such, he symbolises racial hatred and is used by Lee to attack the grotesqueness of segregation and racism in America

• Bob Ewell is a foil of Atticus, whose racist attitudes and moral corruption set a bad example to his children:

  • “As Judge Taylor banged his gavel, Mr Ewell was sitting smugly in the witness chair, surveying his handiwork”

• In attacking Mayella Ewell and trying to kill Scout and Jem, Bob represents the harm that hatred is able to wreak:

  • The portrayal of him living at the dump is not only a commentary on poverty and class, but also on the depravity of his attitudes

 Mayella Ewell

• Mayella Ewell is the oldest daughter of Bob Ewell and accuses Tom Robinson of raping her

• As a character, she does not appear until Chapter 18 when she gives her testimony in court:

  • Despite her false accusation, Lee invites the reader to feel some sympathy for her due to her miserable home circumstances

Tom Robinson

• Tom Robinson, a black man, stands as a poignant symbol of the injustice that plagues Maycomb:

  • Harper Lee depicts him as a hardworking family man wrongfully convicted of rape he did not commit:

    • Tom’s portrayal as a compassionate and honest character challenges the dehumanising stereotypes perpetuated by society

• By describing the injustice of Tom’s fate, Lee forces readers to consider the prejudices ingrained within the legal system and society at large:

  • His experience and subsequent death serve as a reminder of the devastating impact of racism and the need for justice and equality

 Mrs Dubose

• Mrs Dubose is portrayed as a stark embodiment of the racial prejudices deeply ingrained within Maycomb society

• Jem does not want to be in her presence but Atticus makes Jem read to her as a punishment for cutting her camelia flowers:

  • Their encounters with her expose the children to the harsh realities of racism and social injustice

  • They witness her illness and discomfort and learn about her history of addiction:

    • It becomes a pivotal moment in their moral education, emphasising the importance of confronting prejudice and fostering empathy

 Aunt Alexandra

• Aunt Alexandra is portrayed as a traditional and conservative character:

  • She can be seen as the antithesis of her brother, Atticus

  • She embodies a rigid conception of femininity that stands in contrast to the more unconventional roles embraced by characters like Calpurnia and Scout:

    • Her presence serves as a reminder of the societal expectations placed upon women in Maycomb, highlighting the tensions between tradition and progress in the novel

Miss Maudie Atkinson

• Miss Maudie Atkinson is one of the Finch’s neighbours in Maycomb

• She is depicted as a kind and compassionate character and provides a source of comfort and understanding for the children

• She has progressive views that stand in contrast to the rest of Maycomb society
  
  

Sources:

Lee, H. (2010). To Kill a Mockingbird. Arrow Books.