Scout also learns her lessons from minor characters in the novel, including Miss Maudie, Calpurnia, Boo Radley and others. Calpurnia takes the children on a visit to the black church “First Purchase” where Lula illustrates her views to Scout. It is then that she realises that racism can work both ways, as Lula feels that all white people are prejudiced and narrow-minded. Atticus and Cal both ensure that Scout does not mock people, as is exemplified when Walter Cunningham comes to dinner at the Finches’ house. Furthermore, Miss Caroline shows her (involuntarily) that not everyone is familiar with or understands Maycomb’s ways. She also teaches her about the Holocaust, which ironically corresponds to the attitudes in Maycomb but it seems that she does not make the connection between that and Maycomb’s racist opinions.
The reader often understands events better than the children, Scout in particular. For example, when Jem and Scout go around asking Calpurnia and Miss Maudie if Atticus is good at anything, they don’t realise that Atticus is very good at his job and even better at being fair and not prejudiced, “Atticus can’t do anything…”. However, at the end of the novel Scout realises Atticus is correct after she understands his teaching to her. Also, they learn of his modesty. However, Jem manages this before Scout due to the fact that he is older and, as a result, more mature. This is made particularly obvious in chapter 10, when the dog-shooting incident occurs. He has learnt not to use violent action from Scout’s behaviour in the previous chapter when she attempts to beat up Cecil Jacobs at school. So he understands Atticus’ reluctance to shoot the dog when requested by Heck Tate, Maycomb County’s Sheriff. However, he also realises that Atticus is unwilling to brag about his talents and would prefer them to believe he was useless than boast about it. Jem’s behaviour shows his understanding as he warns Scout when she wishes to show off about Atticus’ talent.
Jem’s development is shown actively by some of the minor characters in the novel, which make the stages of his adolescence more obvious to the reader. Miss Maudie allows him to have a larger slice of cake, while Dill and Scout receive small cakes. Cal begins to call him “Mr Jem” as opposed to simply “Jem” and his body begins to change, much to his glee. Jem matures more suddenly than the other two children, but they still learn together. Dill learns from the events and people in the novel, as Scout and Jem do, though he also manages to teach Scout in a small way. Dill is greatly affected by the court case, which he shows by exiting the courtroom, crying. When Scout questions him she seems to think that Dill is overreacting (“he’s only Negro”) but Dill is adamant that the prosecutor’s attitude towards Tom Robinson is unacceptable. This reinforces Atticus’ teachings to Scout. Dill manages to assert his masculinity from this point, more than he did earlier in the novel, which shows his gradual maturity towards the end. Jem is also greatly affected by the novel, but he becomes more reflective at this point so he expresses himself differently. The trial helps him to understand the truth and reality of such issues as racism, prejudice and inequality that are present, not just in Maycomb, but in the world.
Dill plays a key role in the novel, as Harper Lee uses his to signify time and act as a dynamo in Jem and Scout’s investigation into the Radleys. He often initiates the Radley games they play and spurs on Jem, near the beginning of the novel, to get closer to the Radley house. However, Dill is very different to Jem and Scout Finch, due to his background, which the reader gradually learns about as To Kill a Mockingbird progresses.
As a ‘part-time’ resident of Maycomb, Dill only returns during the summer. This gives an idea of time, as he is associated with this season. The reader may also associate him with humour and imagination due to his seemingly comical personality and fertile mind for story-telling. However, as more is revealed about him, one begins to realise that his life is sadder than is first apparent. He feels unwanted by his parents, as is exemplified on page 149 – “they get on a lot better without me, I can’t help them any”. Due to this feeling of neglect, he often tells stories to compensate for his lack of family stability. An example of this imaginary world is his ‘marriage’ to Scout, which shows his wish for a family. His wish is granted when he stays with the Finch family, which results in him no longer ‘telling tales’ at the end of the novel. He instead uses his imagination to describe real events in a poetic way e.g. on page 246 when he describes Helen Robinson, “…she fell down in the dirt, like a giant with a big foot just came along and stepped on her… like you’d step on an ant.” However, it is still obvious that he has a lot of time before he matures to the extent of Jem and even Scout, due to his undiscerning comments such as the description above. Despite this, it is important to argue his innocence in that he did not mean to be insensitive about the situation. He may take longer due to his background ,which will always act as a barrier in his character’s development.
Therefore, it is important to conclude that, although the children learn and develop in different ways, there is still some correlation between them as they learn together and teach one another. Harper Lee uses various techniques of structure and literary skill to make this possible. She allows them to be taught by other characters and events happening around them, which often correspond to one another in order to reinforce important teachings. The first half sets them up for the second part, during which the trial takes place. This further catalysis of the characters’ education clinches the efforts of the first part.