Minor characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird” Essay

Harper lee side uses lowly characters in a variety of different ways to help look for and expose some of the main concerns brought up in the book, ranging from strict township morals, justice, all the way to racism and death due to racism. I gain chosen to outline some of the ways in which Harper Lee uses three minor characters, Mayella Ewell, Heck Tate and Dolfus Raymond, to help emphasise and explore some of the study concerns in the book.Mayella Ewell is the first minor character I shall discuss a beacon of racial preconceived idea and the injustice of the hailhouses. She is considered to be trash along with the equilibrium of the Ewells despite the fact that she is one of the few Ewells who can read and write. As well as being literate she tries her best to make that closely of what shes got, the quote about the flowers she keeps. scorn her decency compared to the others in her family Mayella still only cares for her own wellbeing.When she forces herself upon Tom Robi nson, in a last ditch attempt to feel some affection from a man, she is soon to realise the error of her ways. As Atticus says,She has committed no hatred, she has merely bemused a rigid and time honoured code of our nine by going after a disconsolate man she has broken the rules of Maycomb and thus she tries to hide the truth by abusing Maycombs harsh twist of injustice and racism. She is white and Tom is black meaning the court case, as she well knows, can only suffer one outcome. She would rather article of faith a man to death for something she had do to him, She reached up and kissed me side of th face. She said she never kissed a grown man before ans she might as well kiss a common raccoon. than tell the court and the towns folk that she had come onto a black man.Harper Lee uses Mayella and her make up story to show the racism of thejustice system, she shows that simply by lying and having someone to lie with you when the case is white words against black the white wi ll win. Despite Mayellas story falling away under cross-examination Toms version of what happened isnt taken stemma of, as he is black.Also in this case, we have the testimonial of the topical anaesthetic sheriff Heck Tate he too is a tool of great injustice for the blacks. In his testimony we read that he was called by Bob Ewell and told that some niggerd raped his girl upon arrival he found Mayella and asked who had done it Tom Robinson. A black man accused by a white woman, Heck went and rounded him up instantly to be identified by Mayella. No questioning, no looking for evidence or any sorting of service a white man could expect, Heck presumes that he is black and thus must have committed some kind of crime.However, despite Hecks injustice towards the black population of Maycomb he does fulfil his duties to the white. After hoot stabs Bob to save Atticus children Heck decides that for the greater good nothing should be said and the incident should be considered an acciden tal suicide. Heck shields the town from the truth and allows doll to go back to his normal life after all he had done the town a favour.Another man who shields the town from the truth, plainly about a very different subject is Dolphus Raymond, a presumed wrong alcoholic who spends most of his time with the black townsfolk. Come round here, son, I got something thatll settle your stomach. Is the invitation departn by Dolphus to dill weed outside the courthouse. He offers Dill his brown paper bag with straws in and tells the boy to take a good sip. Scout says Dill, you watch out, now as she, like the rest of the town believes that Dolphus is always sipping from a bottle of gin within his bag. He pretends to be drinking all day as its properly helpful to folks.He is forced to pretend to be drinking all day and to be messed up in the head to help the prejudice people of Maycomb understand why he would want to spend most of his time with the black people. Only the uncorrupted child ren are trusted with Mr. Raymonds deepest secret as he feels that because theyare children they can understand why he pretends to drink and why he has to give the people a reason as to why he spends his time with black people. This helps give an idea of the intolerance in the town. Intolerance towards black people and towards anyone who has connexion with black people as a friend, rather than just a slave.Harper Lee uses minor characters traits and beliefs to show the reader some of the issues at hand in the book. Whether it be a girl pretending to have been raped to highlight the levels of injustice and the racial prejudice in the book, or whether its Heck Tait acting under the powerful words of a white soulfulness to do wrong to blacks, or his truth shielding to help a white man stay out of prison for a crime he really did commit.