To Kill a Mockingbird Forum

Which characters in the novel are classified as individuals? Why?

The ALL are. That's Lee's whole point--people should not be grouped by their race, or their name, or their background. "Maycomb's usual disease" is the practice of judging people based on race or name or background rather than getting to know them as individuals. Atticus is trying to teach his children not to have that disease. It is the disease that makes people assume that Tom is guilty of rape because of his race, that makes people assume that Arthur Radley is "a malevolent phantom" because he is not as sociable as others, that makes Alexandra assume that the Penfield girl who giggled in church is flighty because her name is Penfield or that Walter Cunningham is not fit company for Scout because her name is Finch.

Stella, I think you've been asked a trick question.

coco, I think you mean that NONE of the characters are classified as individuals. Everyone is pegged according to family name. A Cunningham is trash, a Finch is perfect, a Buford walks funny, a Delafield is dishonest, a black is worthless, a Ewell is trash, a Haverford is a jackass.

I agree that it's a trick question. If one is "classified" he is put into a group. This is the opposite of being treated as an individual.