Charles Baker "Dill" Harris
Because he comes from Mississippi, Dill Harris is an outsider. But since he has relatives in Maycomb, as well as being a child, he is granted immediate acceptance in the town. Dill is an interesting character because his personality is a combination of many of the story's other characters.
Dill is an observer to the people of the town. In his attempts to lure Boo Radley outside, Dill's not much different than Bob Ewell with Tom Robinson, although not nearly as violent. He tells enormous lies and concocts unlikely stories just like Mayella does during Tom's trial. He often pretends to be something he isn't, just like Dolphus Raymond does when he comes into town. He risks his safety to run away to Maycomb just like Jem risks his life when he goes to get his pants from the Radley's fence.
Dill's fantastic stories bring the question of lying to the surface of To Kill a Mockingbird. Dill's lies influence Scout, but she learns that "one must lie under certain circumstances and at all times when one can't do anything about them," a statement that foreshadows Mayella's predicament. Ironically it is Dill, who though he so easily lies, still sobs when the Ewell's succeed in the lies they tell about Tom Robinson.
Dill is an observer to the people of the town. In his attempts to lure Boo Radley outside, Dill's not much different than Bob Ewell with Tom Robinson, although not nearly as violent. He tells enormous lies and concocts unlikely stories just like Mayella does during Tom's trial. He often pretends to be something he isn't, just like Dolphus Raymond does when he comes into town. He risks his safety to run away to Maycomb just like Jem risks his life when he goes to get his pants from the Radley's fence.
Dill's fantastic stories bring the question of lying to the surface of To Kill a Mockingbird. Dill's lies influence Scout, but she learns that "one must lie under certain circumstances and at all times when one can't do anything about them," a statement that foreshadows Mayella's predicament. Ironically it is Dill, who though he so easily lies, still sobs when the Ewell's succeed in the lies they tell about Tom Robinson.
Calpurnia
Calpunia is the Finch's cook, nanny, and is a mother-figure to Scout and Jem. She is stern but loving underneath, and tries hard to keep Scout on the straight and narrow.
Arthur "Boo" Radley
Boo Radley lives on the same street as Jem and Scout, but he never comes out of his house. This, of course, endlessly fascinates the kids. They try for many years to get him to come out, and all their schemes never work. The only time they ever see him is the night he saves their lives from Bob Ewell.
Aunt Alexandra
Aunt Alexandra is Atticus's sister who comes to live with the Finches when the trial starts. She is obsessed with the background of the Finches, and tries hard to impress upon Jem and Scout that they are a "Fine Family", and that the children should act as such. Scout and Jem, who love wearing overalls and playing outside, let her scolding go "in one ear and out the other."
Uncle Jack Finch
Uncle Jack Finch is Atticus's brother, as well as a doctor. Jem and Scout are very fond of him. He is very much like Atticus. The children seem to confide in him when they don't want to worry their father. He does not have a wife or kids but seems to be a bridge between the adult and child world for Scout. Uncle Jack punishes Scout over an incident with her classmate, Francis, but realizes that he did not hear her side of the story before he jumped to conclusions. He is one of the few people who can acknowledge a mistake, especially to a child.
Tom Robinson
Tom is the African American man accused of beating and raping Mayella Ewell. His left arm is crippled from a farm accident that happened when he was a child, making it a physical impossibility that he beat the young woman because it was proven that her attacker used their left arm exclusively. He is married with children, and is very nice and soft-spoken.
Miss Maudie Atkinson
Miss Maudie is Scout's next door neighbor. She loves being outdoors and is one of the few people in town who feels that Tom Robinson deserves a fair trial, and that he most likely did not do what Mayella Ewell is accusing him of. She offers Jem and Scout many insights into their father's character, and helps them understand why he does what he does.
Miss Stephanie Crawford
Stephanie Crawford is the gossip of the neighborhood. She loves to tell everything she thinks she knows. She is good about making up things to attract more attention. She thinks Boo Radley is a monster and that Atticus is asking for trouble by doing this trial.
Miss Rachael Haverford
Miss Rachel is Dill's aunt and the least developed of the three unmarried neighbors of the Finches. She lives next door and hosts Dill in the summer.
Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose
Mrs. Dubose is a cantankerous, bitter old woman who lives at the end of the street. She never has anything good to say to anyone, but Atticus constantly tells the two of them to ignore her foul words and treat her with courtesy and respect.
Heck Tate
Heck Tate is the local sheriff, and is a good man like Atticus. He too, tries to help Tom Robinson out in his own way. He and Atticus are good friends.
Mr. Nathan Radley
Nathan Radley is Boo Radley’s older brother. Scout thinks that Nathan is similar to the deceased Mr. Radley, Boo and Nathan’s father. Nathan cruelly cuts off an important element of Boo’s relationship with Jem and Scout when he plugs up the knothole in which Boo leaves presents for the children.
Bob Ewell
Bob is Mayella's father, and is a drunk, mean-spirited man who is very prejudiced. Atticus embarrasses him in court, and he resolves to pay him back somehow, which he does when he tries to kill Jem and Scout.
Mayella Ewell
Mayella comes from a very poor family and lives by the town dump. She is the one accusing Tom Robinson of raping her, although it's obvious that she made advances toward Robinson and that when her father found out, he beat her. She lives a very sad life, with no friends, and a struggling family.
Walter Cunningham
Son of Mr. Walter Cunningham and classmate of Scout. Walter cannot afford lunch one day at school and accidentally gets Scout in trouble.
Link Deas
Tom Robinson’s employer. In his willingness to look past race and praise the integrity of Tom’s character, Deas epitomizes the opposite of prejudice.
Mr. Underwood
The publisher of Maycomb’s newspaper. Mr. Underwood respects Atticus and proves to be his ally.
Mr. Dolphus Raymond
Mr. Raymond is a wealthy white man who lives with his black mistress and mulatto children. Raymond pretends to be a drunk so that the citizens of Maycomb will have an explanation for his behavior. In reality, he is simply jaded by the hypocrisy of white society and prefers living among blacks.