To Kill A Mockingbird

Scout (Jean Louise Finch)  narrator of the story  6-9 years old, but telling story as an adult looking back (takes place over three years)  By end of book, Scout has come to a new understanding of human nature, social expectations, and her own place in the world  Two sides to Scout: child and adult

Two Sides of Scout Child ScoutAdult Scout  little girl experiencing the story  complains about father  marvels that her father knew she was listening in on with Uncle Jack  adult telling the story  recognizes her father is exceptional  marvels that he wanted her to overhear the conversation

 functions as both an observer and questioner  Objective observer and reporter in the truest sense  She is unusual characteristically:  Intelligent: learned to read before beginning school  Confident: fights with boys without fear  Thoughtful: worries about the essential goodness and evil of mankind  Good: always acts with the best intentions  Socially unusual:  tomboy in the prim and proper Southern world of Maycomb

Scout’s Influence: Atticus  Atticus nurtured Scout’s mind, conscience, and individuality without fussing over social norms  girls wear dresses and learn manners  Scout wears overalls and does whatever her older brother does  Does not grasp social niceties, and human behavior often baffles her, but Atticus’ protection of Scout from hypocrisy and social pressure renders her open, forthright, and well meaning.

 Beginning: innocent, good-hearted 5 year-old who has no experience with the evil of the world  Middle: first contact with evil is racial prejudice  learns that though humanity is capable of great evil. it also has the capacity for good  End: Scout has developed into a person capable of assuming that whatever evil she encounters, she will retain her conscience without becoming cynical

Atticus  Maycomb attorney and state legislative representative  Represents Tom Robinson  Widower  Single parent of two children  most prominent citizen in Maycomb, during the Great Depression  well off: not rich, but comfortable

 functions as the moral backbone of Maycomb and voice of conscience  becomes an object of scorn for following his moral beliefs, but too impressive of a figure to be scorned for long  practices sympathy and understanding  never holds a grudge against the people of Maycomb  determined to admire the good in people while understanding and forgiving the bad  Atticus’ moral strength is passed on to Scout  At beginning, children are embarrassed of Atticus, but by end they respect him  Jem is devoted to him  Scout loves him without criticism  Atticus’ character remains consistent throughout the book

Jem (Jeremy Atticus Finch)  over the course of the book  represents bravery  Beginning: touch Radley house, and only because he never turns down a dare  Middle: learns about bravery through seeing his dad face the rabid dog, Mrs. Dubose’s fight with addiction, and from Scout’s confrontation with the mob outside the jail  End: tries to protect Scout and act like a young gentlemen towards Scout

 his disillusionment that justice does not always prevail leaves him vulnerable and confused  admirably upholds the commitment to justice the Atticus instilled in him  Jem is not without hope, Atticus is a constant source of stability for Jem  after seeing the unfair destruction of Tom Robinson, Jem wants to protect the fragile and harmless  in the end, Jem does manage to shed his innocence without losing his hope  Jem is the only one left with physical evidence of the trial