Lee further establishes a strong theme of racism and religion “Don’t have any pictures shows here except Jesus ones”, and that was evident at this time “ some of it as previously mentioned reminiscent of her own childhood, “being Southerners”. This theme runs throughout the first few chapters allowing the characters, and their hereditary status to develop.
Lee presents Scout as being very wise, she knows a lot about the town people and the history of Maycomb compared to most of the town folk her age “the Radley place was inhabited by an unknown entity”. Scout is also very overconfident, and cheeky at times, as you learn within the first two chapters ‘so what’, Scout replied in a harsh tone to Charles Baker Harris (Dill), and “he hasn’t taught me anything”. Scout comes across quite prejudice against the opposite race although often saying prejudice factual information without realising “a Negro would not pass at night”, in this way she comes across as impulsive of what she says and does. This incorporates a theme of racism. Humour also arises from Scouts innocence and ignorance “I turned to the class for an answer”.
The reader should think Harper Lee was very successful in establishing Scout’s unique character. Within the first couple of chapters of the book you have a clear image of Scout and her personality. In establishing Scouts character there are many themes introduced, racism, family, community, childhood, friendship and education.
Jem’s character has been an ongoing establishment as the story is written when Jem is ten and finishes when he is thirteen. During this time he approaches adolescence and matures away from Scout “during school hours I was not to bother him”. In the start of the book he enjoys playing football and other childish games with Dill and Scout but as the story unfolds Jem prefers to be on his own.
Jem is portrayed as very mature but Scout and Dill like to think he’s just scared “you’re still scared”, Jem reacted bravely to this comment thinking that he’ll prove Dill wrong, “Jem wanted Dill to know once and for all that he wasn’t scared of anything”.
Jem’s character has been well established as older brother to Scout, although their relationship is built upon in each chapter, with the protective element coming from Jem over his little sister. “Besides Jem had his little sister to think about”. At times Lee describes a strong family bond between them “Jem and I had decided that Boo got her at last”, when they were describing Mrs Radleys death, which gives the impression of unity. Setting the scene is equally important as knowing how Mrs Radley lived enabled the curiosity to be created in Jem and Scout. They wanted something sinister to have happened to her, each prodding the other to find the answer from their father, and were disappointed “she died of natural causes”. Here Lee successfully portrays their childhood status, as this was about her death, and they could only see the excitement in how she died. Then Jem and Scouts age difference was portrayed, “You ask him you’re the oldest”, perhaps because it suited Scout on this occasion. I believe the clever use of description and being able to picture the scene in the history of the characters and settings, certainly left me feeling eager to read more. The further their relationship and events unfolded, the more I wanted to know, so I believe Lee was extremely successful in establishing these characters and themes.
Boo Radley is one of the other dominant characters within the book. Boo’s character creates suspicion and mystery throughout the book, “inhabited by an unknown entity”. Boo Radley comes across as a figure of fear to the children, at the beginning of the book. They think he is a monster due to the exaggerated superstitious stories told about him by the town people, “Radley pecans would kill you”. As the story builds up, the children find gifts in a tree outside Boo’s house the children realise that these gifts are being left for them by Boo, “they’d been sewed up. Not like a lady sewed em”. Jem and Dill are very surprised and curious about Boo, whether he is kind or nasty there is evidence on both sides though, like Boo stabbed his father in the leg which is a act of hatred yet boo places gifts in the tree for the children which is act of kindness.
Harper Lee is very successful in establishing Boo’s strong mysterious character, she has also integrated many themes while describing Boo’s character like mystery, friendship, and hatred. The themes to do with Boo are very important throughout the book.
Atticus Finch, the father of Scout and Jem, plays a main role in this book. He is the only lawyer in Maycomb to defend a Negro. Harper Lee gives us a fair understanding of him within the first page “our father said we were both right” this tells us that he seems very fair. He is also very just as he treats Calpurnia with respect even though she is a Negro. He stands as a man of reason and courage, and tries to make his children be the same, to use one’s head instead of their fists, or even worse. You learn that Atticus has a strong belief in equality of people, whether they are a different race or not, before the law