1. Tom Robinson
1.1. Quotes
1.1.1. "His left arm was fully twelve inches shorter than his right, and hung dead at his side. It ended in a small shriveled hand and from as far away as the balcony I could see that it was no use to him."
1.1.1.1. Mayella was beaten on the right dise of her face indicating that she was beaten by someone left handed. Tom's left arm was injured and therefore it is very unlikely that he was the one who beat Mayella. This quote illustrates the fact that the evidence was overwhelmingly in Tom's favour however he was convicted regardless.
1.1.2. He's just gone over the evidence...and we're gonna win, Scout. I don't see how we can't. He's been at it 'bout five minutes. He made it as plain and easy as—well, as I'da explained it to you. You could've understood it, even.
1.1.2.1. This quote from Jem after Atticus has presented his case shows that even a young child can see that the evidence practically confirms Tom's innocence.
1.1.3. "I told him what I thought, but I couldn't in truth say that we had more than a good chance. I guess Tom was tired of white men's chances and preferred to take his own."
1.1.3.1. This quote from Atticus shows that towards the end of the book Tom loses faith in the white dominated legal system and decides to take his own chance.
1.1.4. ''Looks like she didn't have nobody to help her. I felt right sorry for her. She seemed...''
1.1.4.1. By Tom saying this he shows that he is kind and sympathetic.
1.1.5. ''No Suh,not after she offered me a nickel the first time, I was glad to do it.''
1.1.5.1. Tom shows that he is a proud and respectful man by refusing to take money from Mayella.
1.2. Appearance/Background
1.2.1. His wife's name is Helen.
1.2.2. He has 3 children.
1.2.3. He is a black man.
1.2.4. His left arm is injured and hangs 12 inches shorter than his right.
1.3. Role in the novel
1.3.1. He is convicted of raping Mayella Ewell, a crime he did not commit
1.3.2. After conviction, Tom dies while trying to escape prison. Cause of death is shooting.
1.3.3. Tom represents all black people at the time. In a sense, his trial is a metaphor for the prejudice and racism that exists within Maycomb. The jury allow their decision to be influenced by fear of judgement even though it is clear to everyone that Tom has committed no crime.
2. Atticus Finch
2.1. Appearance/ Background
2.1.1. A widower, Atticus is a single father to 2 children; Jean Louise and Jeremy.
2.1.2. Atticus is a middle aged man around his early 50's, it is said throughout the novel however, that he does not look his age. He is tall, with dark hair and wears glasses.
2.1.3. Atticus works as a lawyer.
2.2. Quotes
2.2.1. "You aren't really a nigger-lover, then, are you?" "I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody... I'm hard put, sometimes—baby, it's never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesn't hurt you."
2.2.1.1. Atticus explains to Scout that she shouldn't give any thought to the gossip that circulates the town of Maycomb. He also suggests that just because an opinion isn't popular does not mean that it isn't right.
2.2.2. "As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don't you forget it—whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash."
2.2.2.1. Atticus illustrates his belief that men should be held accountable for their actions regardless of race, status and wealth.
2.2.3. "I'd rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember its a sin to kill a mockingbird."
2.2.3.1. Atticus would rather that Jem do no harm at all. He knows that this is unlikely to happen. He teaches his children that they must not go after or attack innocent beings. This quote is foreshadowing what is soon to happen to Tom Robinson.
2.3. Role in the novel
2.3.1. Atticus is father of the narrator of the story, Scout. Throughout the novel he is a consistent source of wisdom and comfort for both Scout and Jem.
2.3.2. Towards the end of the novel he takes on a case he knows he is very unlikely to win. He agrees to defend Tom Robinson (a black man) in court where he is being accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a crime he did not commit. Despite his best efforts, Atticus inevitably loses the case.
3. Jeremy Atticus 'Jem' Fich
3.1. Quotes
3.1.1. Jem wanted Dill to know once and for all that he wasn't scared of anything: "It's just that I can't think of a way to make him come out without him gettin' us." Besides, Jem had his little sister to think of. When he said that, I knew he was afraid.
3.1.1.1. This quote from Scout shows that Jem is very proud and likes to be thought of as brave even though he may not be at times. Jem sees fear as something to be ashamed of.
3.1.2. Jem said, "Our daddy's a friend of your daddy's. Scout here, she's crazy-she won't fight you any more."
3.1.2.1. This quote shows Jem's maturity as he invites Walter home for lunch after Scout beats him up.
3.2. Appearance/Background
3.2.1. Jem lives with his sister Scout, his father Atticus and towards the end of the novel, his aunt Alexandra moves in.
3.2.2. Jem is a young boy. He wears a shirt and overalls.
3.3. Role in the novel
3.3.1. Jem is the brother of Scout, the narrator of the novel. Throughout the novel we see him mature as he grows up and learns that the world is not as fair as he had once thought.
4. Mrs Dubose
4.1. Appearance/Background
4.1.1. Mrs Dubose is an elderly lady that lives near the Finches. She is ill-tempered and racist and frequently yells insults at Scout and Jem as they pass her house.
4.1.2. At the end of the novel we learn that she is battling a morphine addiction.
4.2. Quotes
4.2.1. Jem and I hated her. If she was on the porch when we passed, we would be raked by her wrathful gaze, subjected to ruthless interrogation regarding our behavior, and given a melancholy prediction on what we would amount to when we grew up, which was always nothing.
4.2.1.1. Scout tells us that Mrs Dubose is rude and that they do not like her.
4.2.2. "I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. Mrs. Dubose won, all ninety-eight pounds of her. According to her views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew."
4.2.2.1. This quote illustrates Atticus' respect for mrs Dubose and shows how brave she was.
4.3. Role in the novel
4.3.1. Jem and Scout believe that Mrs Dubose is nothing more that a grouchy old woman. Atticus however, admires Mrs Dubose as she bravely battles her morphine addiction.
4.3.2. Upon Mrs Dubose yelling at Jem that her father is a 'nigger-lover' he becomes very angry and proceeds to cut the heads off of all her camelias. As punishment, Atticus tells Jem that he must read to Mrs Dubose evry day for severl months. Each day Jem is forced to read for a little bit longer. It turns out that the exercise is designed to help Mrs Dubose stay off of morphine for longer and longer periods of time.
5. Miss Maudie Atkinson
5.1. Appearance/Background
5.1.1. Miss Maudie Atkinson is the Finches neighbour. She is a middle aged widow.
5.1.2. Miss Maudie has a sharp tongue and a dry sense of humour.
5.2. Quotes
5.2.1. "Stephanie Crawford even told me once she woke up in the middle of the night and found him looking in the window at her. I said what did you do, Stephanie, move over in the bed and make room for him? That shut her up a while."
5.2.1.1. This quote illustrates Miss Maudie's sharp tongue.
5.3. Role in the novel
5.3.1. Jem and Scout count Miss Maudie as a friend. She behaves exactly the same towards children and adults alike. She, unlike many of the adults of Maycomb, respects the children.
6. Mayella Ewell
6.1. Appearance/Background
6.1.1. Mayella is a young girl.
6.1.2. She is one of the many children of Bob Ewell. Though we are never explicitly told how many children Bob has but it is implied that anywhere up to 9 children live on the Ewell property.
6.1.3. Mayella's father beats her.
6.1.4. She appears impoverished and disheveled.
6.2. Role in the novel
6.2.1. Mayella invited a black man named Tom Robinson onto the Ewell property many times as he walks past on his way to work. She asks him for help with things around the house.
6.2.2. Mayella attemps to rape Tom, whether out of love or out of loneliness and desperation we will never know.
6.2.3. Upon getting caught in the act by her father Mayella claims that Tom attacked her. Bob subsequently takes the incident to court.
6.2.4. Even will the Ewell's being the lowest of the low, they are still above black people in the jury's eyes. Tom is convicted of a crime he did not commit.
6.2.5. Mayella allows Tom to be convicted and likely face the death penalty in the interest of self preservation and keeping the shred of dignity that the people of Maycomb still have for her.
6.3. Quotes
6.3.1. Suddenly Mayella became articulate. "I got somethin' to say," she said. Atticus raised his head. "Do you want to tell us what happened?" But she did not hear the compassion in his invitation.
6.3.1.1. Mayella does not recognise the compassion with which Atticus is speaking to her. Through her experience with people in the past, she has learnt to be cautious and suspicious.
6.3.2. ''It came to me that Mayella Ewell must have been the loneliest person in the world. She was even lonelier than Boo Radley, who had not been out of the house in twenty-five years.''
6.3.2.1. This quote from Scout shows us that even the children of Maycomb have heard things about the Ewells and how they live.
7. Bob Ewell
7.1. Appearance/ Background
7.1.1. Bob is a middle aged man.
7.1.2. He is rumoured to be father to as many as 9 children including Mayella Ewell.
7.1.3. He beats his children.
7.1.4. He is uneducated and appears dirty and unhygienic. He is racist, aggressive and cruel.
7.2. Quotes
7.2.1. ''A little bantam cock of a man rose and strutted to the stand, the back of his neck reddening to the sound of his name.''
7.2.1.1. This is quote in which Scout describes Bob Ewell. She uses the metaphor of the bantam cock, a small but fierce chicken often used in cock fights. By doing this she is implying that although small, bob is angry and ready to fight.
7.3. Role in the novel
7.3.1. Bob is father to Mayella Ewell.
7.3.2. After the trial he feels that Atticus has destroyed the last shred of respect that the people of Maycomb had for him. He begins his revenge with spitting in Atticus' face.
7.3.3. He then seeks revenge by attacking Atticus' children and attempting to kill them. He is unsuccessful and is inevitably killed by Arthur Radley.
8. Jean Louise 'Scout' Finch
8.1. Quotes
8.1.1. How could this be so, I wondered, as I read Mr. Underwood's editorial. Senseless killing—Tom had been given due process of law to the day of his death; he had been tried openly and convicted by twelve good men and true; my father had fought for him all the way. Then Mr. Underwood's meaning became clear: Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.
8.1.1.1. This quote shows Scout's maturity towards the novel. It shows that she is no longer the naive and innocent girl that she once was. She now understands the prejudice and racism that plague Maycomb.
8.1.2. "I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks."
8.1.2.1. Scout shows that hate and prejudice aren't things that come naturally but instead are learned.
8.2. Appearance/Background
8.2.1. Scout lives with her father Atticus and brother Jem. Towards the end of the novel, she also begins living with her Aunt Alexandra.
8.2.2. Scout is a tomboy. She prefers to solve problems with her fists than her words.
8.2.3. She has a short bowl-like haircut. She has freckles and dresses in overalls.
8.3. Role in the novel
8.3.1. Scout is the narrator of the novel, the book is written from her perspective as she grows up in Maycomb, Alabama. The story begins with her at age 6 and ends with her at age 9. Throughout the novel we see Scout mature and learn how her experiences kill the innocence that she once had.
9. Calpurnia
9.1. Appearance/Background
9.1.1. Calpurnia is an african american woman.
9.2. Quotes
9.2.1. "Suppose you and Scout talked colored-folks' talk at home it'd be out of place, wouldn't it? Now what if I talked white-folks' talk at church, and with my neighbors? They'd think I was puttin' on airs to beat Moses."
9.2.1.1. Calpurnia has two different personalities. One that she uses when in the presence of the Finches and one that she uses when with her friends and family.
9.2.2. "There's some folks who don't eat like us," she whispered fiercely, "but you ain't called on to contradict 'em at the table when they don't. That boy's yo' comp'ny and if he wants to eat up the table cloth you let him, you hear?"
9.2.2.1. Calpurnia is a mother figure to Scout and teaches her manners and etiquette.
9.3. Role in the novel
9.3.1. Calpurnia is the Finches maid/cook/housekeeper. As Atticus is a widower, Calpurnia is also somewhat of a mother figure to Jem and Scout.