To Kill a Mockingbird Character Review, Part I

1. To Kill a Mockingbird Character Review, Part I

2. Scout Finch (Jean Louise) • Inquisitive • Looks up to Jem • Intelligent, learns to read at a young age • Narrator of the novel • Solves problems with her fists • Tomboy • Opinionated • Brave

3. Jem Finch (Jeremy Atticus) • Brave, daring • Curious about Boo Radley • Four years older than Scout • Obsessed with curiosity about the Radley family • Mature

4. Atticus Finch • Old One Shot • Smart • Lawyer defending a black man in court • Treats his children with mutual respect

5. Dill (Charles Baker Harris) • Unreliable, not sure when he is telling the truth • Spends the summer in Meridian, MS with his aunt Rachel Haverford • Proposes marriage to Scout! • Has seen Dracula • Curious • Passed around between relatives

6. Calpurnia (Cal) • “All angles and bones” (skinny) • Educated • Nanny for the Finch family, cooks and cares for the kids • Taught Scout how to write • Doesn’t know how old she is • Been friends with the Finch family since before Jem & Scout • Talks differently when in her neighborhood • Grammar slips when she’s angry • Taught her kids how to read and write

7. Miss Caroline Fisher • Looks and smells like a peppermint • New to Maycomb, from Northern Alabama • Brings the Dewey Decimal System to Maycomb • No more than 21 years old, straight out of college • Does not know the locals and family trends in Maycomb • The boy students like her

8. Ms. Maudie • Lives across the street from the Finch family • Likes to garden and bake • Optimistic • Her house burns down • Grew up with uncle Jack • Hates gossip • Treats Jem, Scout & Dill with respect • Baptist • Moves in with Stephanie Crawford • Makes Lane Cake without giving out her recipe

9. Miss Stephanie Crawford • Big Gossip • Lives on the same street as the Finch family • Not married, no children

10. Mr. Nathan Radley • Boo Radley’s older brother • Plugs up the knothole in the tree where Scout & Jem found gifts • Foot-washing Baptist • Jem & Scout are not interested/curious as much any more (in the second half) about the Radleys

11. Aunt Alexandra • Very strict & proper • Tries to keep family traditions • Constantly telling Atticus how he should raise his kids • Tries to get rid of Calpurnia • Concerned about Scout, trying to make her into a lady • Concerned about class, family history, and race

12. Reverend Sykes • Reverend at 1st Purchase Church (Cal’s church) • Sits with Jem & Scout in the colored balcony in the courtroom • Tries to raise $10 for Tom Robinson’s family

13. Mr. Heck Tate • Sheriff of Maycomb County • Testifies at the trial • Found Mayella bruised and beaten • Not a good shot

14. Mr. Horace Gilmer • Prosecutor defending the Ewell family • Made Dill cry • Scout doesn’t know him that well • Does not treat Tom Robinson respectfully during the trial.

15. Tom Robinson • Bad arm, stuck in a cotton gin when he was young, it is now useless • Has a wife and children • Honest, doesn’t take money from Mayella • Innocent in trial, accused of raping Mayella

16. Judge Taylor • Lazy, relaxed in trials/court • Fair • Doesn’t kiss his wife much ….has a wife • Chews cigars

17. Robert E. Lee (Bob) Ewell • Mayella’s dad • Drunk/alcoholic • Abusive • Lives behind a dump in a cabin • Racist • Has a lot of kids • Hunts • Spends most of his money on liquor • illiterate

18. MayellaEwell • Garden-red geraniums • Tries to be presentable, doesn’t like her lifestyle, makes due with what she has • Doesn’t have friends • 19 years old • Acts like a mother to siblings • Not used to respect, thinks Atticus is mocking her when he says “mam”….

19. Mr. Braxton Underwood • Runs the Maycomb paper • Back up for Atticus at the jail, guarding Tom Robinson

20. Mr. Link Deas

21. Boo Radley • Gave scout the blanket • Isolated from society • In a gang • Radleys become less interesting to Jem& Scout