Author: Harper Lee
※ Full summary of the movie "To Kill a Mockingbird"
Characters
Charles Baker "Dill" Harris:
Atticus Finch:
Atticus Finch is a well known good guy, attorney in Maycomb and the father of the protagonist of To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout, and her brother Jem. He is a wise and caring father throughout the novel. His children call him "Atticus" rather than "Dad," and he was originally known as "One-Shot Finch" because of his skill with the rifle (demonstrated when killing a rabid dog). Atticus' belief in equality leads him to defend Tom Robinson, a black man, from baseless charges of rape. Atticus has great character throughout the book and demonstrates it because he wants to set a good example for his kids. One of the reasons he takes the case is because if he doesn't do the right thing, then how can he expect his kids to follow in his footsteps and respect him. Mrs. Maudie may have a small crush on Atticus.
(from movie "To Kill a Mockingbird", 1962)
Jean Louise "Scout" Finch:
Jean Louise "Scout" Finch is the narrator and protagonist of To Kill a Mockingbird. The novel is written from the point of view of an adult Scout describing how she viewed things as a child, and she often comments about how she didn't understand something at the time, but now, having grown up, she does. Scout is considered smart for her age, and loves to read. In fact, she gets in trouble with her teacher Ms. Caroline because Ms. Caroline wants Scout to learn reading and writing her way, but Scout refuses. She is also a tomboy who spends the majority of her time with her brother and best friend Dill. She matures from age 6 to age 8 as the novel progresses but still remains naive and idealistic, despite an increased understanding of human nature and racism in her town. At the beginning of the book, Scout is confused by some of the words and names she has heard people directing towards her father, such as "nigger lover". Being only six, Scout does not know how to handle such situations so she tries to resolve her problems by fighting and talking to Atticus about what she has heard. By the end of the book, she realizes that racism does exist and has come to terms with its presence in her town. Scout also learns how to deal with others, including her nanny Calpurnia and her aunt. Scout is the only one of the novel's primary three children (Dill, Jem, and herself) to see and speak to Boo Radley during the course of the novel and realizes that he is harmless, despite her earlier fear of him. She also stops a mob that is trying to lynch Tom Robinson by informing the mob leader (Mr. Cunningham) about inviting his son over for dinner. Mr. Cunningham then tells the other mob members to get back in their cars and leave them alone. The members listen, and Scout unintentionally saves Robinson's life.
Jeremy Atticus 'Jem' Finch:
Jeremy Atticus 'Jem' Finch is the brother of Scout, and is four years older than her. Jem matures a lot throughout the course of the novel and is much more affected by events (his mother's death, before the novel begins, the racism in the town, the death of Tom Robinson) than Scout is due to his greater understanding of them. Jem is the best friend of Dill and the son of Atticus Finch. After the Maycomb pageant, Jem and Scout are attacked by Bob Ewell and he has his arm badly broken at the elbow, and is knocked unconscious. He is carried him by Boo (Arthur) Radley at the end of the book.
Charles Baker "Dill" Harris:
Charles Baker "Dill" Harris is Jem and Scout's best friend who visits Maycomb every summer and stays with his aunt Miss Rachel. His goal throughout the novel is to get Boo Radley to come out of his house, and for the first few summers the children concoct many plans to lure him out, until Atticus stops them. Dill promises to marry Scout, and they become "engaged". One night Dill runs away from his home in the city, because he feels like he is being replaced in the family by his stepfather. He gets on a train and goes to Maycomb County, then hides under Scout's bed until she finds him.
Unlike Scout and Jem, Dill lacks the security of family love. He is unwanted and unloved by his parents: "They do get on a lot better without me, I cannot help them any." As Francis, another Finch from the novel, says, "He hasn't got a home, he just gets passed around from relative to relative." Dill is described as not having a father; he doesn't know where he lives or when he'll come back, if he does.
Calpurnia "Cal":
Calpurnia is the Finch family's housekeeper, whom the children love and Atticus deeply respects (he remarks in her defense that she "never indulged [the children] like most colored nurses"). She is an important figure in Scout's life and provides discipline, instruction, and love. She also fills the maternal role for them after their mother's death. Calpurnia is one of the few black characters in the novel who is able to read and write, and it is she who taught Scout to write. She learned how to read from Miss Maudie's aunt, Miss Buford, who taught her how to read out of "Blackstone's Commentaries", a book given to her
While everyone in the novel is filtered through Scout’s perception, Calpurnia in particular appears for a long time more as Scout’s idea of her than as a real person. At the beginning of the novel, Scout appears to think of Calpurnia as the wicked stepmother to Scout’s own Cinderella. However, towards the end of the book, Scout views Calpurnia as someone she can look up to and realizes Calpurnia has only protected her over the years.
Arthur "Boo" Radley:
Arthur "Boo" Radley is the most mysterious character in To Kill a Mockingbird, and slowly reveals himself throughout the novel. Boo Radley is a very quiet, reclusivecharacter, who only passively presents himself until Jem and Scout's final interaction with Bob Ewell. Maycomb children believe that he is a horrible person, due to the rumors spread about him, and a trial he underwent as a teenager. It is implied during the story that Boo is a very lonely man who attempts to reach out to Jem and Scout for love and friendship, for instance by leaving them small gifts and figures in a tree stump. Scout finally meets him at the very end of the book, when he saves the children's lives. Scout describes him as being sickly white, with a thin mouth and hair and grey eyes, almost as if he was blind. During the same night, when Boo requests that Scout walk him back to the Radley house, Scout takes a moment to picture what it would be like to be Boo Radley, while standing on his porch, and realizes that his "exile" inside his house is really not that lonely.
Miss Maude "Maudie" Atkinson:
Miss Maude "Maudie" Atkinson lived across the street from the Finch family. She had known the Finches for many years, having been brought up on the Buford place, which was near the Finch's ancestral home, Finch's Landing. She is described as a woman of about 40 who enjoys baking and gardening; her cakes are especially held in high regard. However, she is frequently harassed by devout "Foot-Washing Baptists", who tell her that her enjoyment of gardening is a sin. Miss Maudie befriends Scout and Jem and tells them stories about Atticus as a boy. Also, she is one of the few adults that Jem and Scout hold in high regard and respect. She does not act condescendingly towards them, even though they are young children. During the course of the novel, her house burns down; however, she shows remarkable courage throughout this (even joking that she wanted to burn it down herself to make more room for her flowers). She is not prejudiced, unlike many of her Southern neighbors, and teaches Scout important lessons about racism and human nature. It is important to note that Miss Maudie fully explains that "it is a sin to kill a mockingbird", whereas Atticus Finch initially brings up the subject, but doesn't go into depth. When Jem gets older, and doesn't want to be bothered by Scout, Miss Maudie keeps her from going mad.
Robert 'Bob' Ewell:
Bob Ewell is the main antagonist of To Kill a Mockingbird. He has a daughter named Mayella, and a younger son named Burris, as well as six other unnamed children. He is an alcoholic who poaches game to feed his family, because he spends whatever money they legally gain (via "relief checks" from the government) on alcohol. It is implied and evidence suggests that he was the one who sexually abused his daughter Mayella Ewell, not Tom Robinson (The man accused of doing so). Though everyone in the town knows the Ewells are not to be trusted, it is made clear to the jury that Tom Robinson is to be convicted because he is black, and not because of Bob or Mayella's testimony. Upon hearing about Tom's death, Bob is absolutely gleeful, gloating about his success. After being humiliated at the trial, however, he goes on a quest for revenge, becoming increasingly violent. He begins by spitting in Atticus' face, followed by a failed attempt to break into Judge Taylor's house, and finally menacing Tom's widow. He then attempts to murder Jem and Scout Finch with a knife to complete his revenge. However, Boo Radley saves Jem and Scout and (it is believed) that he kills Bob. Heck Tate, the sheriff, then puts in the official report that Bob Ewell fell on his own knife and died after lying on the street for 45 minutes.
Mayella Violet Ewell:
Mayella Violet Ewell is Tom Robinson's 19-and-a-half-year-old accuser and the eldest daughter of Bob Ewell; she has to take care of her siblings (such as Burris Ewell) due to his alcoholism. Before the trial, Mayella is noted for growing red geraniums outside her otherwise dirty home. Due to her family's living situation, Mayella has no opportunity for human contact or love, and she eventually get so desperate that she attempts to seduce a black man, Tom Robinson. Through a window, her father sees this, and in punishment he beats her. Ewell then finds the sheriff, Heck Tate, and tells him that his daughter has been raped and beaten by Tom. At the trial, Atticus proves that it was her father who beat her by pointing out that the bruises are on the right side of her face only. This is important because Tom's left hand is mangled and useless, while Bob Ewell is left handed. When Atticus Finch asks her if she has any friends, she becomes confused because she does not know what a friend is. During her testimony, she is confused by Atticus' polite speech and thinks that his use of "Miss Mayella" is meant to mock her.
Tom Robinson:
Tom Robinson As Atticus notes, his left arm is "hardly nothing," because it was caught in a cotton gin at age 12; his exclusive right-handedness is the basis of Atticus's defense: since Mayella's bruises were only on the right side of her face, someone who leads with his left must have beaten her. During his testimony, Tom states that he had frequently helped Mayella with small household tasks because he felt sorry for her and her horrible life. This shocks the jury, as it was unheard of that a black man could feel sorry for a white woman. Despite Atticus's skillful defense, Robinson is declared guilty by the jury. Although Atticus feels confident that he will be acquitted on appeal, while in prison Tom is shot 17 times and killed by guards who later report that he had "attempted to escape."
Alexandra "Aunt Alexandra" Hancock:
Alexandra "Aunt Alexandra" Hancock (née Finch) is Atticus' and Jack's sister, married to James "Uncle Jimmy" Hancock. She has a son named Henry and a very spoiledgrandson named Francis. Around the middle of the book, Aunt Alexandra decides to leave her husband at Finch's Landing, the Finch family homestead, come stay with the Finches. Aunt Alexandra doesn't consider the black Calpurnia to be a very good motherly figure to Jem and Scout; she disapproves of Scout being a tomboy and wants to make Scout into a southern belle (encouraging her to act more 'lady like').[2] This is the cause of many conflicts between Scout and Alexandra throughout the course of the novel. However, as the trial progresses, Scout comes to see how much her aunt cares for her father and what a strong woman she is. This is especially evidenced by a tea party when Scout is horrified by the racism displayed, and her aunt and Miss Maudie help her deal with her feelings. By the end of the book, it's clear that Alexandra cares very much for her niece and nephew, though she and Scout will probably never really get along.
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