Coming of Age in to Kill a Mockingbird

Unveiled Eyes In Maycomb County, Alabama during the Great Depression, Atticus Finch, a lawyer in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, explains to Scout Finch, his daughter, that "you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it" (39). At first, Scout does not understand the meaning of his words, but as she matures through the novel, her eyes are unveiled, and she understands what Atticus is trying to tell her. Over time, Jem, too, starts to see the meaning and depth of the statement. Throughout the course of the book, Jem and Scout both learn that one must know and respect people for who they are as individuals, not for what they appear to be. Mr. Dolphus Raymond is a character who is known by the citizens of Maycomb County for what he appears to be, but Scout recognizes that he is not what he seems to be. Mr. Raymond is a wealthy white man who has mixed children, a black wife, and his company is usually made up of Negros. As a cover-up for his abnormal behavior, he pretends to be drunk all the time. Maycomb declares that “Dolphus Raymond’s in the clutches of whisky” (268). In truth, he is just trying to give Maycomb a reason for his unorthodox actions when it comes to his strong friendships with Negros. He says that “it helps folks if they can latch onto a reason” (268). Like Atticus, Mr. Raymond believes that blacks should be respected more and treated like people instead of animals. He is part of “the handful of people with enough humility to think when they look at a Negro” (316). Scout starts to get Mr. Raymond’s reasons for “drinking” and his preference for black company. She also begins to learn that in life, there is racism and persecution for those that are not up to Maycomb’s standards. Tom Robinson is a young black man who is discriminated against by Maycomb citizens because of his skin color, but Scout learns to think differently. He is accused of raping