Deception causes quick judgment from others who do not know the whole story. People often have different personalities than what is perceived at first glance. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, examples of deception are everywhere: Mrs. Dubose, a racist elderly lady, Dolphus Raymond, a known town drunk, and Boo Radley, a malevolent phantom. The small Alabama town, Maycomb, depicts these people to be different than who they really are. With little knowledge about their actual lives, the people of Maycomb make assumptions about their personalities before understanding them. Although the townsfolk perceive these characters to be nothing more than what is on the surface, there is always a deeper side to someone’s story.
Mrs. Dubose, a menacing
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Considering his social status and the people he socializes with, African Americans, the people of Maycomb can only assume the reason why is because he is under the influence of alcohol. While Dolphus was in town, he observed Scout and Dill walking out of the courthouse with Dill appearing sick; and that was when Dolphus reveals his true self, “ When I come to town, which is seldom, if I weave a little and drink out of this sack, folks can say Dolphus Raymond's in the clutches of whiskey--that’s why he won’t change his ways. He can’t help himself, that’s why he lives the way he does,” and that is what the people have always assumed (Lee 268). Dolphus is considered a town drunk just by the way he acts around others. Mr. Raymond portrays a lie because no one will understand being friendly and equal to African Americans. Unfortunately, for Mr. Raymond, he lives in an utterly racist society, so he has to portray a different character every time he goes near white people so they have a reason to understand why he would spend his time with African Americans. Dolphus Raymond is a deceptive character by the way he acts and is judged based on his appearance rather than what his personality is