The effectiveness of Harper Lee’s use of minor characters in To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Example

and his children. Both Atticus and his kids respond differently to Mrs Dubose's insults. Atticus handles the abuse calmly and greets her kindly. On the other hand, Jem and Scout become infuriated by the insults and feel the urge to retaliate against their father's offender. This is especially true for Jem as illustrated in the text.

During Mrs Dubose's calling Atticus a 'nigger-lover', Jem cuts off the heads of her camellias. Jem fails to comprehend his father's calmness towards the insults. Atticus esteems Mrs Dubose as an extraordinarily brave lady since she is trying to quit her morphine habit that she relied on to alleviate her pain for most of her life.

After being informed of her limited time left, she chooses to forgo morphine and pass away calmly. Atticus instructs Jem to read to her every day in order to teach him about true bravery. Scout accompanies Jem and witnesses the extent of Mrs. Dubose's suffering. Meanwhile, we learn from the text that Boo Radley was imprisoned by his own father for fifteen years. Despite this, he observes Jem, Scout, and Dill playing outside and leaves presents for them in a tree. Due to his long-term confinement, Boo is frightened and only ventures out at nighttime.

Arthur, more commonly known as Boo, has not been seen in Maycomb for quite some time. However, not only does he venture out of his hiding place, he also demonstrates great bravery by saving Jem and Scout on multiple occasions. The first instance occurred when the three children decided to investigate the Radley residence and Jem ended up losing his pants.

On his first visit to the Radley house to retrieve his

pants, he discovered they were neatly stitched and placed on the fence. Another occasion arose when Mrs. Maudie Atkinson's home caught fire, and Boo secretly draped a blanket over Scout. However, the most memorable instance was when he rescued Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell's attack. Despite rumors around town that paint him as a monster, Boo demonstrates his humanity by showing himself to be a regular person.

The display of courage through minor characters is demonstrated by Mrs. Dubose and Boo (Arthur) Radley in Harper Lee's novel. Moreover, the introduction of Aunt Alexandra provides a clear understanding of her character, as she expects boys and girls to adhere to their respective gender roles.

Throughout the novel, Aunt Alexandra disapproved of Scout's overalls as they did not meet her expectations of how a girl should dress. However, following the attack by Bob Ewell, her views changed, and she allowed Scout to wear her overalls, even helping her put them on to make her feel more comfortable. This shift in perspective shows that Aunt Alexandra has come to understand and accommodate the needs of the children.

Upon Scout’s enrollment at school, she finds herself in the same position as her new teacher, Miss Caroline, who is also new to the school. Even though Miss Caroline assumes that all of her pupils lack intelligence, Scout stands out due to her previous teachings from the Finch family housekeeper, Calpurnia. Despite Scout's young age, she surprises Miss Caroline with her intelligence, causing the teacher to feel outsmarted. In addition to Miss Caroline, the novel introduces another character named Miss Stephanie Crawford, who is known as the “town-gossip”.

The reason for her

prejudice is that she spreads gossip about others, regardless of its accuracy. Without verifying the information, she shares everything she hears in Maycomb. In one instance, she tells Miss Maudie Atkinson that Boo Radley is a monster and that she has seen him at her window. However, when Miss Maudie replies with a clever response, she is left speechless. The prejudiced attitudes of minor characters like Aunt Alexandra, Miss Caroline, and Miss Stephanie Crawford are demonstrated in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Despite being a white man engaged to a white woman, Mr. Dolphus Raymond's fiancee shot herself on their wedding day. This led him to enter into a long-term relationship with a black woman. Despite his whiteness, he is treated as if he were black by people in his neighborhood due to his relationship with a black woman.

On page 166, lines 21-23, the text highlights a stark separation between white individuals and those associated with black people. It describes how, in one area of the square, black people can be found quietly enjoying their meal of sardines, crackers, and Nehi cola under the sun.

During his time with them, Dolphus Raymond demonstrated the unfair treatment of black people in comparison to white people. This was exemplified through the discrepancy in the quality of food and drink, emphasizing the privilege of white individuals over black individuals. One might anticipate black individuals to resist and oppose this disparity, demanding equal treatment. However, they have become accustomed to the notion that white individuals will always hold greater advantage.

In Harper Lee's novel, the trial of Tom Robinson illustrates racial segregation. The seating plan denotes that the white attendees have no

visual contact with the black attendees. Specifically, the majority of white attendees occupy the front of the courtroom, while black attendees are located on a balcony located behind them.

Harper Lee effectively explores major themes in To Kill a Mockingbird through the use of minor characters, such as the lack of complaints from black people about their seating arrangements. By analyzing symbolism and other elements, themes of prejudice, courage, and racism are revealed. Our study included reading the novel and viewing the film adaptation.

Having seen the movie, it is my opinion that the book provides a more extensive retelling of the narrative. The film fails to include crucial elements of the plot and occasionally overlooks characters, such as Aunt Alexandra, who played a significant part in the book.