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How Is Minor Character Important In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Almost every single book on the planet contains minor characters. But in every book, do minor characters serve importance? They certainly do in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird! The minor characters in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird play an important role in the lives of the children because it is they who teach the children important lessons about what it means to be human. First, Jem and Scout learn that things or people aren’t always what they seem to be. There are two minor characters that most help to emphasize this important lesson. To start, there is Ol’ One Shot. In the novel, Scout and Jem jump to the conclusion that Atticus is incapable of doing anything “cool” like the fathers of their schoolmates’ can. Because of Atticus’ old age, the children take notice that he never plays football, fishes, hunts, etc. However, after Atticus is handed a rifle, they realize what he can do. Miss Maudie shouts, “I saw that, One-Shot Finch” (128), and later tells Jem, “...Atticus Finch was the deadest shot in Maycomb County in his time” (129). By this statement, and by hearing about Ol’ One Shot, the children learned that they do not know every little detail about everyone, and that they shouldn’t make judgements so immediately like they did. Jem and Scout did not know about Ol’ One Shot, but once they found out, their opinions about their father changed. Thus, they took in that people aren’t always what they seem to be. The next character …show more content…

Thus, this proves that not all “background” characters are completely worthless in every story. Jem and Scout learn important lessons such as staying persistent, and to never assume anything about things or people. These minor characters are important, because their lessons allow the children to develop throughout the course of the

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