Mr Dolphus Raymond Quotes

People are not always as they seem, is one of the many themes in Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Throughout the novel Jean Louise Finch (Scout) overhears countless rumors about certain folks in Maycomb County, such as Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose is a revolting old lady, Mr. Dolphus Raymond is an evil man, and Arthur Radley (Boo) is the most rebellious individual in Maycomb. However, truly in the end Scout comes to know the people she once feared; and she realizes that they are not as bad as Maycomb citizens make them out to be. Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose, is identified to the Finch children as the cranky old lady down the street who yells insults at the children. She torments them on everything they say and do; one day
Scout was passing Mrs. Dubose’s house and she said sunnily, “Hey, Mrs. Dubose,” then received a response of “Don’t you say hey to me, you ugly girl! You say good afternoon, Mrs. Dubose!” (Lee 114). Subsequently after she has her daily mouth full of invectives they would continue their promenade into town to meet Atticus coming from work. On Jeremy Finch’s (Jem) twelfth birthday he had a pocket full of change to spend, and so he and Scout made a trip into town. When they passed Mrs. Dubose’s house she triggered Jem, but not with insults towards him. It started with the usual comments on Scout’s appearance, “What are you doing in those overalls? You should be in a dress and a camisole, young lady! You’ll be waiting on tables if somebody doesn’t change your ways – a Finch waiting on tables at the O.K Café – hah!” (Lee 116). These quotes show Mrs. Dubose’s antagonizing side because she does not just tell Scout what she is thinking about, but the entire neighbourhood. However, in Jem’s book it went too far when she brought up their father: Atticus Finch, the lawyer of Maycomb. All it took to peeve Jem off were the words “Not only a Finch waiting on tables but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers!” (Lee 117). She is belittling the children and now their father as well. Scout and Jem continued their errands, Jem bought himself a steam engine and his sister a baton. However, on their way back home Jem came to the house of Mrs. Dubose and he lost his temper. He grabbed Scout’s baton and chopped all the tops of the camellias and then he abused Scout by pulling her hair, kicking her, and threatening her. As soon as Atticus found out he sent Jem right back out the door to go apologize to Mrs. Dubose. When Jem came back he told Atticus his punishment and it was (1) he had to re-grow the camellias and (2) he had read to Mrs. Dubose for two hours for an entire month. When it was time to start the reading sessions Scout decided to tag along with Jem when visiting Mrs. Dubose. Throughout the month Scout notices that the alarm clock was set for their reading period time and it rang later each day. After Jem fulfilled his pinishment Atticus then tells his children a week later that, “Mrs. Dubose has passed away. She was a morphine addict…” (Lee 127). From this point, Scout realizes that Mrs. Dubose used the children’s reading time to help break her addiction, and that she was not a mean old lady but instead to Atticus she was “the bravest person I knew” (Lee 128). Scout agreed. The day of Tom Robinson’s trial Jem, Scout, and Charles Baker Harris (Dill) decided to attend it and see Atticus in action.
As Jem and the others were waiting outside the courthouse, Jem pointed out to Scout and Dill a strange Maycombian: Mr. Dolphus Raymond. According to Jem, “Mr. Dolphus Raymond has a Coca-Cola bottle full of whiskey…” (Lee 183). This quote describes Mr. Raymond from Maycomb folks’ point of view. Later after hearing Jem babble on about that man, she then questioned as to why Mr. Raymond was sitting with the negroes, Jem responded, “…He likes ‘em better’n he likes us, I reckon. Lives by himself way down near the county line. He’s got a colored woman and all sorts of mix chillun…” (Lee 183). Jem went on to input that seemingly “… Mr. Raymond was supposed to marry… but after the rehearsal the bride went upstairs and blew her head off with a shotgun, apparently, she used her toes.” (Lee 184). The time passed while Jem states his “knowledge” on Mr. Raymond’s mixed children and how they are sad. At last, the trial began, as Mr. Gilmer, the prosecutor was cross-examining Tom; he kept saying “…boy?”. This caused Dill to burst into tears and leave the courtroom because of the way Mr. Gilmer was talking to Tom, “talking so hateful to him-” (Lee 227). The quote demonstrates to us that Dill is starting to mature and see the flaws of Maycomb. When they went outside under the tree Mr. Raymond spoke to Dill; and he said, “…it just makes you sick doesn’t it?” (Lee 227). Mr. Dolphus soon after invited Dill and Scout over to sit with him under the tree, and he offered Dill a sip of his beverage. Scout was query about the idea of Dill drinking “whiskey” but she was just going by Jem’s words. After Dill had a swig he told everyone it was just Coca-Cola. Scout went on to ask, “Then why do you pretend you’re half-?... I mean why do you do like you do?” (Lee 228). Scout in this moment corrects and rephrased her question To not offend Raymond. Mr. Dolphus
Raymond answered, “Well, it’s very simple… Some folks don’t – like the way I live… So I give ‘em a reason, you see.” The reason being, he does not want people to bother him because he is not interested in being the centre of attention or being apart Maycomb gossip. Scout later goes on think, “…I had never encountered a being who deliberately perpetrated fraud against himself…” (Lee 229). Interesting enough, she found out the truth about Mr. Raymond. After Scout finished talking to Mr. Raymond herself, she learns once again that Maycomb rumors are unreliable and false; and that he was a good man, not an evil one.