What is the significance of Dolphus Raymond's encounter with Scout and Dill? Free response post. - Park
Dill and Scout ran out of the court only to have Dolphus Raymond stumbles upon them. He confesses to both of them that he is no evil man, which Scout thinks at first and questions herself if they should go away from him. The Children find out that the supposed liquor that he is constantly drinking out of the paper bag is Coca Cola. Dolphus Raymond says, “Secretly Miss Finch, I’m not much of a drinker, but you see they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that's the way I want to live” (228). Harper Lee puts this line in the text to show how Dolphus copes with his feelings towards the discrimination that black folks face in Maycomb. How it is so easy to get a bad reputation if you don’t fit the Maycomb Way. He is seen as a “sinful” person who drinks constantly because that is the image he wants people to see. He puts fraud against himself and it’s his way of connecting to the black community.
This is important for Scouts growth because she is learning how people can be fooled just by the things they hear. She had yet to even meet Dolphus Raymond and from what she had heard of him, he was a crazy man who had mixed children, made his wife kill herself on her wedding day, and was an alcoholic. When Scout had finally met him, he ended up being a really fascinating man that was just misunderstood. Scout narrates, “I had never encountered a being who deliberately perpetrated fraud against himself” (228). Harper Lee writes this hinting back to Boo and giving Scout perspective on him. Scout doesn’t know anything about Boo other than the rumors that she’s heard of him. Now with the knowledge that Dolphus has gifted her with, she can better understand that Boo could be nothing like what she has heard.
This is important for Scouts growth because she is learning how people can be fooled just by the things they hear. She had yet to even meet Dolphus Raymond and from what she had heard of him, he was a crazy man who had mixed children, made his wife kill herself on her wedding day, and was an alcoholic. When Scout had finally met him, he ended up being a really fascinating man that was just misunderstood. Scout narrates, “I had never encountered a being who deliberately perpetrated fraud against himself” (228). Harper Lee writes this hinting back to Boo and giving Scout perspective on him. Scout doesn’t know anything about Boo other than the rumors that she’s heard of him. Now with the knowledge that Dolphus has gifted her with, she can better understand that Boo could be nothing like what she has heard.
Why is it important for Scout and Jem to see their father defending a man like Tom Robinson?
What is the meaning behind the cigar that Judge Taylor is smoking and why is it brought up throughout the trial?
Why is Jem and Scout so astonished that Tom Robinson was guilty after Atticus told them in advance that this was going to happen?
It is crucial for Scout and Jem to understand why Atticus is defending Tom Robinson because they both are still learning about the racism in Maycomb. After hearing Tom Robinson’s side of the story, both kids realize how upsetting the racism is in their town. Towards the beginning of the novel, Scout does not understand the trial and she can’t understand why her dad is defending a black man, however, after this trial, she has a much clearer idea of Atticus’s perspective. Both kids accept Tom Robinson’s viewpoint so much that they forget that Atticus tells them Tom will not win. When they find that Atticus has lost the case, they are heartbroken because it is hard for them to comprehend this kind of racism. Harper Lee chooses to include these ideas because it highlights how Scout has matured by learning more about Maycomb’s disappointing racism.
ReplyDeleteScout and Jem are young and immature. They don’t see the bounds of race and gender so they can’t understand what’s really happening when the jury decides the verdict. They see the decision and the evidence, but not the reason behind the decision. Racism has been happening for hundreds of years at this point. The adults at the trial grew up with it and to them it is just the way life works. Harper Lee shows just how deep racism runs in the culture of the South during this time period and shows the reader that Scout and Jem are still immature.
ReplyDeleteThe reason the children were so upset with the end result of the trial is because they don’t understand the racism at the time in Maycomb. When Atticus started the trial he made sure to tell his kids for this exact reason that they would not win. Throughout the whole trial Harper Lee made Robinson’s character look almost completely innocent. Atticus explains to the judge that Mayella was responsible for kissing a black man, which is true because during her testimony she stuttered when coming upon it. In the town of Maycomb that is not tolerated as it is a racist and segregated town. As things go, Thomas Robinson was still pronounced guilty because no matter what, he his a black man against a white woman. Since, he is black he was already at a default even before the trial. Jem and Scout were so upset because they thought they had it in the bag but what they didn't understand is that, if someone is black and isn’t guilty they become guilty because of their race and arbitrary decisions.
ReplyDeleteJem was so surprised that Tom Robinson's case did not go in his favor because he is still blind to the fact that the 'Maycomb Way' is really just racism and old-fashioned beliefs. Although his father warned him that this will happen, Jem listened to the trial intently and saw the truth, that Mayella was lying and Tom Robinson was innocent. Jem looks up to his father and knew that Atticus was doing a great job defending his client, but he did not take racism into consideration. Jem is still young and is just beginning to learn the reality of the injustice in the real world. Which is why, even with other people's warning signs, Jem's innocence prevented him from seeing that Tom Robinson could not win the case.
ReplyDeleteDuring the trial, Jem and Scout hear their father defending a man who to them obviously is innocent. This is because Scout and Jem are still young, and in their household, Jem and Scout treat black people as equals. Also, because Jem and Scout aren’t often exposed to major racism in Alabama, Scout and Jem don’t understand why Atticus lost the case. Throughout this trial, Scout has grown to understand the racism that exists in her society. She has also grown to realize that the world isn’t an amazing place, and that there is much unfairness in her society. Finally, Scout is beginning to realize that there is unfairness in many places in the world including animals who are being killed, and especially the eel that are being killed to create delicious unagi. Will Atticus explain why Tom Robinson is guilty? Why doesn’t Jem understand this racism even though he is older.
ReplyDeleteIt is important for Jem and Scout to see Atticus defending Tom Robinson because it makes them think about the Maycomb way from a different perspective. Based on what many of the other characters in the book say, Atticus should have just come up with a weak case, and left it at that, knowing that he was going to lose anyways. The fact that even after Harper Lee makes it so clear to the reader and to the citizens of Maycomb that Tom Robinson is innocent, and he is still convicted contributes to Scouts growth. Dolphus Raymond also plays into this, by showing scout that people are more comfortable seeing something different if it is associated with things that are considered bad.
ReplyDelete