Literature Guides
To Kill a Mockingbird Characters Analysis
The main characters of the book are:
Atticus Finch – Atticus works as a local lawyer in Maycomb and is the single father of Scout and Jem. He strives to raise the children with pride, honor, and integrity to believe in their ability to see and make decision on things appropriately. He makes a good model of what he preaches living his life to his principles and beliefs. The belief for truth and justice compels him to take the case of Tom Robinson. He envisions losing the fight but he is convinced the black man is innocent.
Scout Finch – Scout is the narrator and the main character of the novel. Growing up in Maycomb under the love and care of her single dad makes her learn more about her father and his beliefs especially the reason behind doing the right thing in life. She exhibits a rather mature disposition or qualities at an early age but acts like a tomboy. She is excessively preoccupied with the idea of making her reclusive neighbor Boo Radley come out of the house. She is the younger sister of Jem.
Jem Finch – Jem Finch is the eldest son of Atticus and the older brother of Scout. He finds the case of Tom difficult to accept and trying to come into terms with the reality of the town’s prejudice convicting an innocent man. He finally comes into terms with the people and his surrounding environment as he grows up watching the town. He sincerely takes the responsibility of taking care after his younger sister Scout and saves her from Bob’s attack that Halloween night.
Charles Baker “Dill” Harris – Dill Harris is the best friend of Scout and Jem. He lives in the town of Meridian and comes to the children’s place at summer vacation only. He vows to marry Scout someday. He has a thin body, blue eyes, blonde hair, an intelligent boy, and a dreamer. He also takes the obsession of the two children to make Boo Radley come out of the house.
Arthur “Boo” Radley – Boo Radley is the neighbor of Atticus. He does not go out of his house, which really makes the kids wonder. The children try to make him come out of his house many times with several tricks for many years but they fail. The Halloween night that Boo saves them from Bob is the only time that they see him come out of the house.
Tom Robinson – Tom Robinson is a black man who has a crippled left arm from a farm accident. The farm accident happened while he was still a child. Mayella Ewell accuses Tom Robinson of raping and beating her. The accusation was impossible for such a man with a crippled left arm since he was a child. The white woman’s attacker uses his left arm exclusively. Tom Robinson is a very gentle soft-spoken person and happily married with kids.
Mayella Ewell – Mayella Ewell lives in the dump area of the town. Mayella’s family lives in utter destitution. She accuses Tom Robinson of rape. Actually, she makes the advances with Tom. Her father knew what she did and beat her. She leads a very lonely life, struggling hard for a living, and has no social circle of friends.
Bob Ewell – Bob is the drunkard father of Mayella. He is rude and a very discriminating person. During the trial, he swears to make Atticus pay for the embarrassment he experiences in court during the trial and want him to pay back in some other ways, which he fulfills trying to kill his children later.
