Foil Characters In To Kill A Mockingbird

In this story, a few characters are turning out to have multiple sides to their personality. The newly found side is not necessarily the total opposite of their apparent characterization, but it does provide a considerable amount of contrast. One example of a character who turns out that she has a side different from what she seems to be like is Calpurnia. From the beginning of the story, she has some clear- cut characteristics while working in the Finch household. While working, she pretty much always stays within the Finch household, except for emergencies. While inside, she does chores and little yet important things like washing the dishes and making meals. In addition, she acts as a mother figure of sorts towards Jem and Scout. Accordingly, feeding them and calibrating their moral compass

Another example of this foil within one character comes up while looking at Atticus. A gentle, well-educated, articulate lawyer is what comes to mind from the author’s characterization of Atticus. Even while scolding Jem or Scout, he talks calmly. Never has he ever done anything close to spanking or hurting them. His face always seems to be in one book or another. The Jew’s Harp was an instrument Atticus could play well, as mentioned by Miss Maudie. But all of these rather subtle qualities serve as a stark contrast to the Atticus of old. “One Shot” Finch is what people used to call him, for he was the best shot in town. Upon missing one target, the old Atticus complained about wasting ammunition. All of this leads one to conclude that many animals died under his reign. The stark reality of Atticus being a dead shot even rendered Jem speechless. The qualities of both Calpurnia and Atticus at different times show that some of the characters in this story have been or are, at times, quite different from what they