Characters in TKAM

Atticus Finch:

• he is maycomb's lawyer and conscience
• atticus teaches his children important lessons such as understanding other peoples viewpoints (chapter 3)
• atticus soots a mad dog to protect the community (chapter 10)
• Atticus sits outside the maycomb jail to protect tom robinson from a lynch mob (chapter 15)
• he defends tom robinson (chapters 17-21)
• atticus agrees to keep quiet about the details of the incident with bob ewell (chapter 30)
• 'we were... free to inturrupt atticus for a translation' - atticus uses formal dialect but is patient and happy to explain things. he believes in being honest, respectful and straightforward with his children
• 'atticus finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets' - atticus is always consistent and courteous. this is usually a good thing but his ideals and principles can put him and his family at risk in society.
• 'he sat in the living room and read'- he is a studious lawyer, not young and active. he does not conform to society's view of what it is to be a Sotuerhn gentlemand and is something of a loner
• 'he's the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long' - a persuasive lawyer. he is determined that tom gets a fair trial. racial prejudice means he can't win, but this is evidence of how he is trying to change things
• harper lee's spokesman
• emodies the themes of justice, tolerance, goodness and courage 
• despite his strong principles and idealism, he is trapped within the prejudice society he lives in 
• stands out as a man of reason and courage
• he tries to make his own children to see that it is better to use one's head than resort to fists, or even worse, to guns
• he is driven by a strong belief in the equality of people before the law and although he doesn't gain a just verdict, it does not diminish his faith in law
• 'before i can live with other folks i've got to live with myself. the one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience' - atticus (chapter 11) 
• people who matter in maycomb hold atticus in high regard
• he is subjected to critism by his brother and sister for the way he raises his kids
• he demands high standards of courtesy, honesty and good manners from jem and scout
• despite his virtues, atticus is not unapproachable
• his faith in the goodness of man leads him to underestimate bob ewell, with almost fatal consequences
• forward - thinking

Jean Louise 'Scout' Finch

• narrator of the novel
• scout starts school for the first time (chapter 2)
• scout discovers gifts hidden in a tree near the Radley place (chapter 4)
• scout finds her father outside maycomb jail and helps bring to and end a dangerous situation (chapter 15)
• scout is present at the trail of tom (chapters 17 - 21)
• she attends a missionary meeting (chapter 24)
• scout performs in the halloween pageant and is attacked…