Understanding characters and how they relate to the story is imperative in understanding the true meaning and being able to dig deeper when reading. Now that you have read several chapters of To Kill a Mockingbird, you are able to recognize different character traits and understand how and why Harper Lee developed such characters. How exciting is it to know that the climaxhigh point of the story has not even happened?

Complex character - A complex character is a type of character that is more than one dimension. He/She changes attitudes and behaviors to suit certain situations. Scout is a complex character because she does not fit the mold of a normal young girl playing with dolls. She would rather play with Jem and is considered a tomboy; however, she can fit the mold of a young lady when prompted.

Static character- minor characters in a work of fiction that do not undergo substantial change or growth in the course of a story. An example of a static character in To Kill a Mockingbird is Dill. Dill is a static character because throughout the book he stays very immature.

Think of a complex character that you can remember from any novel, movie, or television show.

Harper Lee used four main ways to tell about a character:

• what they say,
• how they look (including mannerisms, habits, etc.),
• what they do, and
• what others say about them.

Please complete the Characterization Chart in Part 1 of 5.03 Character Assessment for the main characters of To Kill a Mockingbird. Consider: Do first impressions stay the same throughout the novel?

It is Dill's last night in Maycomb for the summer. Scout, Jem, and Dill are at Miss Rachel's pond. They decide to try one last time to see Boo Radley before Dill has to leave. Scout is reluctant but agrees to go along with them to the Radley house. They three sneak in the backyard. A man gets close to them in the backyard and scares them terribly. After the man passes the three rush out of the yard under the fence. Jem's pants get caught on the fence, and he has to take them off to escape. They hear a loud gunshot. The adults on the street congregate in front of the Radley house where the gunshot was heard. Nathan Radley explains that he shot the gun because there was an intruder in the backyard. The children have made their way around to the front of the Radley house and are standing next to Atticus. Atticus questions Jem as to him having on no pants. Dill quickly makes up a lie saying they were playing strip poker. After Atticus is asleep, Jem returns for his pants and finds they have been mended and are folded neatly over the fence waiting on his arrival.

Read Chapters 7 and 8 on your own.

Scout gets into a fight with a boy at school who says Atticus is defending "niggers"*. That night Scout tells Atticus about the fight and asks him why someone would say that about him. Atticus explains to Scout that he is defending Tom Robinson, and that many people in town think he should not. Atticus tells Scout she is not to fight anymore. Scout is confronted at school again with another boy talking badly about Atticus, but this time she does as Atticus told her and walks away from the fight.

Atticus’ brother, Jack, arrives for Christmas. Both Jem and Scout receive air rifles for Christmas. The family goes to Finch Landing for Christmas dinner where Scout’s bratty cousin calls Atticus a nigger lover. Scout attacks him and is whipped by her Uncle Jack. Scout is furious. Later, back at home, Jack listens to Scout’s side of the story about why she attacked her cousin, Francis.

Later that night, Atticus talks to Jack about the Tom Robinson case and all the problems it could that could arise.

*The N-word is the objectionable word to which we referred in the introduction of the previous lesson. If you will note, the prejudiced people who use this word make it sound offensive, even in the 60s when it was not taboo in Alabama.

Read Chapters 10 and 11 on your own.