How Is Dolphus Raymond Presented In To Kill A Mockingbird

Have you ever been judged just because of your actions? Well if you have then you can relate to Dolphus Raymond. In this passage of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the literary elements of irony, symbol and the character of Dolphus Raymond help convey the theme that people have the right to live life the way they choose to live it, and if people wish to criticize you, let them because at the end of the day it is your happiness that really matters. The character of Dolphus Raymond is constantly criticized for having a different lifestyle than everyone else and in chapter 20 Dolphus is sipping on a bottle of Coca- Cola and is explaining to the children about how he deals with people and their opinions. ¨Some folks don't- like the way

Raymond makes Scout question why she is even talking to Mr. Raymond but at the same time she is fascinated by him. ¨I had a feeling that I shouldn't be here listening to this sinful man who had mixed children and didn't care who knew it, but he was fascinating¨ (Lee 268) Scout has acquired a better understanding of Mr. Raymond's situation and now we can see how she actually feels about him. I understand that Dolphus may have his reasons for what he does but I think he should come right out and tell people what's actually going on rather than letting the whole community think of him as something he's not. Although it makes sense why he would want people to think of him as a drunk rather than have the whole town interrogate him. I don't think that Scout has ever gotten to know Mr. Raymond until now and already she has these strong feeling regarding him, and part of that could be because of the atmosphere she lives in. It is amazing how parents pass on their opinions to their children, even if they don't mean to, they should still monitor what their saying because children can be impressionable and they should be taught better than to judge someone based on what they see, hear or seem to be true. Scout referring to Mr. Raymond as a sinful man makes sense because in the time period this book is based you don't see a lot of interracial marriages, it is looked down upon. Although it's a possibility that Dolphus views black and white people as equals and

Raymond having Coca-Cola in his sack and not whiskey is a complete shock to the kids. ¨You mean all you drink in that sacks coca-cola? Just plain coca-cola?¨ (Lee 267). Scout is bewildered because, what she had previously thought of Mr. Raymond was wrong and now she has a list of questions regarding the decisions he has made. ¨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”(Lee 268). Dolphus Raymond is living a double life because he pretends to be an alcoholic and sits with black people in public but secretly he is not really much of a drinker. He carries coca-cola in his sack while the world thinks he has whiskey hidden in that bag. Another person that seems to be living a double life is Calpurnia because in the Finches home she speaks in a different tone, but when Cal and Scout go to church together Calpurnia's tone shifts. Scout said that ¨She was talking like the rest of them¨ (Lee 158). Calpurnia started talking the same way the other black do, and I don't understand why she is trying to be like the rest of them. Is it because of the fact that she works in a white person's house or does she not want to act like they are beneath