To Kill a Mockingbird By Harper Lee

Point of View in TKAM To Kill a Mockingbird is told in first person point of view, through the eyes of Scout Finch. The entire book is a flashback. She is looking back at the events leading up to her brother Jem breaking his arm “badly at the elbow.” (1) The story takes place over three years, from the time Scout is six, until she is nine.

Scout Finch Six years old at the start of the story Has an older brother Jem and a calls her dad Atticus Can already read Hasn’t started school yet Taller than Dill

Jem Finch Ten years old at the start of the story Scout’s older brother Has his arm badly broken when he’s 13, but we don’t know how yet

Atticus Finch Scout and Jem’s dad – but they call him Atticus He’s a lawyer, and a good one at that Often tries to do the right thing Descendant of Simon Finch

Maycomb, Alabama Small town, circa 1930s Friendly, slow-moving, and very Southern Poor (Great depression-era) Own little world Few people visit, few people leave Racially divided

Calpurnia She was all angles and bones; she was nearsighted; she squinted; her hand was wide as a bed slat and twice as hard. She was always ordering me out of the kitchen, asking me why I couldn't behave as well as Jem when she knew he was older, and calling me home when I wasn't ready to come. Our battles were epic and one-sided. Calpurnia always won, mainly because Atticus always took her side. She had been with us ever since Jem was born, and I had felt her tyrannical presence as long as I could remember. Calpurnia is the Finch’s cook, though she seems more like a stepmother or nanny. Scout describes her as thin, hard-hitting, and demanding. They often argue, but Calpurnia always wins.

Dill (Charles Baker Harris) Dill is from out of town and is visiting Maycomb for the summer. He’s seven but he’s short for his age and Jem doesn’t seem all that impressed with him at first. Then he finds out he’s seen Dracula. Jem has never seen Dracula because they don’t have a movie theater in town. As Jem puts it, the only movies in Maycomb are “Jesus” movies shown at the courthouse. Dill starts hanging out with Jem and Scout and is the one who encourages them to try to get Boo Radley to come out.

Boo Radley In the first chapter, we hear about Boo’s past. He got in with the wrong crowd and his dad locked him away in the house. After his dad died, his brother kept him locked up. There are a lot of rumors about Boo, but all we really know is he stabbed his dad with scissors. Eek. Boo is like the town “bigfoot.” The kids are scared of him because they never see him. They make up stories and act out scenes from his life. Oh, and they touch his house and run away scared.

Mr. Radley Passed away Nathan, Boo’s brother, takes his place as his caretaker after he dies

Miss Stephanie Crawford Town busybody, loves to gossip Likes to spread mean rumors about the townsfolk Tells Scout, Jem, and Dill about Boo Radley