Use of Minor Characters in To Kill a Mockingbird

The town of Maycomb has created a horrible label for him because of his parents and social issues. Many people think as Jem, Scout and Dill that, “judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained (...) There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time” (16) all because of the stories they heard around. Boo Radley shows the theme of coexistence of good and evil, because no one knew who he was so they made up horrible rumours by pure ignorance although he is nothing of a monster as people describe. He turns out to be a protective, shy and caring person at the end of the book protecting Jem and Scout from Bob

The novel To Kill A Mockingbird is successful in delivering the story in a manner that captivates the audience. The story began by setting the scene, mood and also by introducing each character, which familiarized the reader with the environment. The author wrote the story in a manner that flowed with real life events of a time relative to the story, such as the segregation, racism and any financial struggles. It also did well to give each character a realistic mindset and reactions based on each person’s respective characterization. In a similar way, the story was written from the perspective of Scout, and the story was effectively narrated with the innocence and a lesser knowledge coming from someone of her age. Additionally, the story did a particularly good job at introducing details that were important to the story as it progressed so there were no surprises based on a sudden law change, for example. This aided in building the story to its climax, and other peaks of action. Each element to the story worked in sync to maneuver easily through the plot in a well thought out and executed story.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a beloved American classic set in 1930’s Alabama. The novel follows the lives of two children, Jem and Scout, as they grow up. However, the theme of this story is cultivated by two secondary characters-- Tom Robinson and Boo Radley. From them, we find out that things are not always as they seem to be.

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.

The developing maturity and growth of the main character, Scout, is the foundation that Lee expertly creates as a unique and subtle way to communicate and teach this theme to a reader. Lee portrays Scout as a young girl who is constantly growing as a person, and from a reader’s perspective, we are learning and growing along with her, which Lee utilizes to convey engrained messages throughout the novel. Scout in the first half of the novel is avidly immersed in the myths regarding Boo Radley, telling her brother that, “Every scratch of feet on gravel was Boo Radley seeking revenge”. But as issues surrounding Tom Robinson’s trial and Atticus’ struggles evolve, Scout’s involvement with the Radleys begins to dissipate, with her realising that, “So many things had happened to us, Boo Radley was the least of our fears”. The idea of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is to contrast this ‘fictional’ novel to the real world, and its civil issues which Scout becomes exposed too, and therefore the reader does too.

Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird is a study in the way people’s view of the world changes as they grow older. To Kill a Mockingbird is from the point of view of a six year old girl, Scout, the daughter of a lawyer. She is forced to grow up quickly when Atticus defends an innocent black man in the South, much to the dismay of most of the white citizens. Lee uses similes and personification in To Kill a Mockingbird to show the challenges and discoveries that children make while transitioning from a child to an adult.

Through the eyes of an innocent child, the story of To Kill a Mockingbird introduces a world of corruption. In the disordered town of Maycomb, certain character traits are developed and displayed in a specific local family. The opposition against their beliefs brings daunting situations to their door. Yet, this one family perseveres through the continuous corruption of Maycomb. Therefore, this recurring motif of character development really plays into the characters and, consequently, the story. This evident pattern of courage composes the Finch family: Jem, Scout, and Atticus.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” is one of the most recognizable books of all time. Ever since it’s July 1960 release date it has been hailed for its genius writing, relatable characters, and narration. The novel is told through the eyes of Scout, a young girl living in the fictional Alabama town of Maycomb, and how she develops during an important time in her childhood. Scout’s character will affect the story in many different ways. As the only narrator, all of what you know of Maycomb and its inhabitants is through her eyes. Her childlike demeanor, strong southern accent, and personality add to the book’s charm and memorability. You will get to see her evolve as a person throughout the entire story. Scout is not only the most memorable, but the most important.

America in the 1930s was drastically different from America today. Racism was common among normal people, the great depression transformed the rich into the poor and the poor into paupers. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird shows an interesting insight into what America was like in that time. Harper Lee expertly utilizes different elements of the novel to teach important lessons about how we should treat others. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the seemingly unimportant or insignificant characters and objects who make up the world of Maycomb actually teach the children, and us, important lessons about how to treat others.

When children grow up, there are always people they need in there life to help them be mature. There is family members, friends, idols, and teachers. In to kill a Mockingbird, it shows racism, courage, family status. This novel is told by from a maturing girl’s perspective named scout. Her challenges of seeing racism and the side of depression in this world,which she experienced in a little town, Maycomb. There are many characters that help scout throughout her experience all of this and realizing things that go on in this world. Three main characters that help scout come of age are Atticus Finch, Jem, and friends around.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee portrays the white citizens of Maycomb with a desire to continue the evils of discrimination, prejudice, and unjust beliefs and to ignore the truth of innocence as symbolized by the Mockingbird. This story is set in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930’s. As was common to small towns in the South, Maycomb is a racially and socially segregated society. The people of Maycomb base their general statements and ideas from the accepted norms that their group in society believes rather than the truth. This is demonstrated through the character of “Boo” who was perceived to be almost a monster when the reality was that he came to represent the good in people through his

To Kill A Mockingbird is a book that employs many lessons in the story, and also uses multiple characters in the book to represent different ideas. Harper Lee uses characters such as Scout Finch, Atticus Finch, and Mayella Ewell to represent these ideas in the book. First of all, Scout represents determination through her forwardness and curiosity. Secondly, Atticus represents rationalism through his patience and kindness with others. Finally, Mayella represents foolishness through her hatred and overreactions. Overall, the use of these characters and their roles convey the story of To Kill A Mockingbird in an interesting and clear way.

For example, together they work to try to convince Boo Radley to come out. Boo Radley is a man who lives on the same street as Scout and Jem and is described as a “half-human, half-monster” type of guy, and he is always inside his house. “Jem attached the note to the end of the fishing pole, let the pole out across the yard and pushed it toward the window he had selected.”(Lee 63), by trying to reel in a letter to Boo Radley they were just trying to help, and although it was unsuccessful, they still put in the effort. Along with that, Scout and Jem consistently defend their father, Atticus. When Atticus started defending Tom Robinson, a black man several people in Maycomb began calling him racist terms. Besides this Scout physically attacks her cousin after calling her father out for defending a black man. On a regular basis, these characters strive to make things fair for

Harper Lee has a number of characters that contribute to the novel and violent scenes in To Kill a Mockingbird, some that have meaning and some that do not. Some characters that appear often and some that have a minimal role in being seen in the novel, but the characters that do not appear often seem to have the biggest impact on the novel. There are three characters that are looked down on by society around them, one because of race and two because of their morals. Society disregarded these people simply because they were afraid that they could be like them and the unknown. Lee uses violence and alienation to help depict the things that are wrong within the small society.

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout is one of the main characters and the narrator. During the time the book begins, she is a little 6 year-old girl who is mature for her age, and she continues to mature as the book progresses. Over the course of the novel, Scout develops an exceptional character which is constantly changing from the effects of different events and characters. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee uses the minor characters Boo Radley, Miss Maudie, and Aunt Alexandra to help develop Scout into a strong and compassionate human being from the innocent child she used to be.