People are Different In works of literature authors often use foil characters to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of main characters. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, the author uses the character Bob Ewell (minor character) and Atticus Finch (major character) to reveal the theme of respect. Atticus is a well dressed, politeful man who teaches his kids important life lessons. Bob is a rude, racist man who does not work, or take care of his family. Within the novel, the two foil characters give the reader a better understanding of a parent's respect towards themselves and others. In the novel Atticus strives to teach his kids important life lessons. Respect is the main lesson that Atticus stresses the most. Often, Atticus will set a good example of how to be respectful to elders by saying, “Good Evening, Mrs. Dubose!” (Lee 133) even after she was rude to his children. This shows his children …show more content…
Bob does not respect others as Atticus does, once he “stopped Atticus on the post office corner, spat in his face, and told him he’d get him if it took the rest of his life.” (290). Bob does not take care of his children, or work to support them. The kids only go to school on the first day of school, and when Bob does get some money he “spends his relief checks on green whiskey” (41) even though his children are “crying from hunger pains.” (41). Everyone in town looks down on the Ewell’s and views them as “a disgrace of Maycomb for three generations.” (40). Apart from all these things, another main way that Bob is not the same as Atticus, is they do not view black people the same. Atticus respects them just as anyone else and even defends Tom Robinson in court, while Bob often calls them terrible, disrespectful names. Atticus defending Tom upsets Bob and after spitting in his face he calls him a “nigger-lovin’ bastard”