Read the novel HERE
Character ListJean Louise “Scout” Finch - The narrator and protagonist of the story. Scout lives with her father, Atticus, her brother, Jem, and their black cook, Calpurnia, in Maycomb. She is intelligent and, by the standards of her time and place, a tomboy.
Atticus Finch - Scout and Jem’s father, a lawyer in Maycomb descended from an old local family. A widower with a dry sense of humor, Atticus has instilled in his children his strong sense of morality and justice. Jeremy Atticus “Jem” Finch - Scout’s brother and constant playmate at the beginning of the story. Jem is something of a typical American boy, refusing to back down from dares and fantasizing about playing football. Charles Baker "Dill" Harris- An imaginative boy who comes to spend his summers in Maycomb. He becomes friends with Scout and Jem Arthur “Boo” Radley - A recluse who never sets foot outside his house, Boo dominates the imaginations of Jem, Scout, and Dill. He is a powerful symbol of goodness swathed in an initial shroud of creepiness. Nathan Radley - Boo Radley’s older brother. Bob Ewell - A drunken, mostly unemployed member of Maycomb’s poorest family. In his knowingly wrongful accusation that Tom Robinson raped his daughter, Ewell represents the dark side of the South: ignorance, poverty, squalor, and hate-filled racial prejudice. Mayella Ewell - Bob Ewell’s abused, lonely, unhappy daughter. Calpurnia - The Finches’ black cook. Calpurnia is a stern disciplinarian and the children’s bridge between the white world and her own black community. Miss Maudie Atkinson - The Finches’ neighbor, a sharp-tongued widow, and an old friend of the family. Aunt Alexandra - Atticus’s sister, a strong-willed woman with a fierce devotion to her family. Tom Robinson - The black field hand accused of rape. Link Deas - Tom Robinson’s employer. Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose - An elderly, ill-tempered, racist woman who lives near the Finches. Heck Tate - The sheriff of Maycomb and a major witness at Tom Robinson’s trial. Heck is a decent man who tries to protect the innocent from danger. Mr. Underwood - The publisher of Maycomb’s newspaper. Mr. Dolphus Raymond - A wealthy white man who lives with his black mistress and his mixed-race children. He pretends to be a drunk so that people will leave him alone. Mr. Walter Cunningham - A poor farmer and part of the mob that seeks to lynch Tom Robinson at the jail. Walter Cunningham - Son of Mr. Cunningham and classmate of Scout. |
ConflictsMan vs. Man--Many of the characters struggle with others in the novel; some are racist, some are not. Some of the characters do not approve of Atticus defending a black man or raising his children as a single father. Scout's Aunt Alexandra is not happy with the fact that she is a 'tomboy' rather than a 'proper' southern little lady.
Man vs. Society--In Maycomb, in the 1930's Jim Crow south, the town is divided both racially and along socioeconomic lines. (black vs. white, rich vs. poor, the 'good' side of town vs. the 'bad' side) Man vs. Self--Scout needs to figure out her society; what's right from wrong, her place in her family, and whether or not she should continue her pursuit of Boo Radley. Atticus has decided to defend Tom Robinson, but must live with the consequences if Tom is found guilty. Good vs. Evil--Many of the characters are seen as "Mockingbirds;" gentle, yet hunted or unfairly persecuted. (Boo Radley, Tom Robinson) SymbolismThe mockingbird as a symbol of innocence- Atticus, Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, Dill, Scout, and Mr. Raymond are all considered 'innocent' characters who are affected by evil in some way.
Boo Radley as a symbol of innocence and purity of heart -Boo Radley is an important measurement of their development from innocence toward a grown-up moral perspective. At the beginning of the book, Boo is merely a source of childhood superstition. At the beginning of the book, Boo is merely a source of childhood superstition. Despite the pain that Boo has suffered, the purity of his heart rules his interaction with the children.
|