Mr. Dolphus Raymond is wealthy white man who has a black mistress and mixed children. He pretends to be a drunk so that the people of Maycomb have an explanation for his lifestyle. When the children are on their way to the trial, they see that Mr. Raymond sits with the black community instead of the white. In the middle of the trial Dill begins crying because of the treatment of Tom Robinson by Mr. Gilmer. Mr. Dolphus Raymond comes out and gives Dill some of the “whiskey” in his bag, but the children find out that it is not whiskey, but is in fact regular Coca-Cola. When Scout asks him why he does what he does, he responds by saying, “‘I try to give ’em a reason, you see. It helps folks if they can latch onto a reason. 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…’”(268) Do you agree with what Mr. Dolphus Raymond does? The people of Maycomb don’t understand why Mr. Dolphus Raymond prefers black people over white people, and he does not specifically state why either, but the white community does not specify exactly why the black community is inferior either, it is just assumed. By giving the people of Maycomb this explanation for what he does, the rumors about him are less malicious because they are more about his drinking than his racial preferences. Mr. Raymond also says, “‘…but you see they could never, never understand that I live like I do because that’s the way I want to live.’”(268) What does Mr. Raymond represent in the book? Why does Harper Lee include him in the novel? Is it slightly easier for Mr. Dolphus Raymond because he comes from an old and wealthy family, or is it harder for him? Does he relate to Calpurnia in any way because of his “double-life”? Is he a realistic character for that time period? Does Mr. Dolphus Raymond’s situation relate to any major themes in the novel?
Later in their conversation, Mr. Raymond looks at Dill and says, “‘Things haven’t caught up with that one’s instinct yet. Let him get a little older and he won’t get sick and cry. Maybe things’ll strike him as being—not quite right, say, but he won’t cry, not when he gets a few years on him.’”(269) Do any characters fit this description of what happens as children mature? Is Mr. Dolphus Raymond a “mockingbird”? If he is a “mockingbird”, are there differences between him and the other “mockingbirds” in the novel? Is there a reason why Harper Lee doesn’t have Mr. Dolphus Raymond go into the courtroom? Is Mr. Raymond “weak” for not standing up for his beliefs on race and for his lies about himself?
I believe there are others similar to Dolphus Raymond in belief, yet they do not reveal their contrasting ideas on race as they are fearful of the repercussions. Dolphus Raymond harbors revolutionary ideas on racial inequality which he chooses to confide in Dill and Scout about. Mr. Raymond does this because he knows the children are the new minds of the Southern lifestyle, and he also considers that the children are much more pure in belief, therefore they are more apt to see injustice. The racial situation of that time was severely close minded, and one has to consider what was permissible during the given period. If Mr. Raymond was to publicize his views, the present day generation might have larger respect for his courage, yet think him ignorant. The events of history led the South the believe in black inferiority, and by contradicting their beliefs, Mr. Raymond would be in danger. It was wiser of Dolphus Raymond to be the black's unspoken supporter, much like a Clark Kent of the young southern town of Maycomb.
ReplyDeleteI would like to start by saying that Mr. Raymond is included in the novel because he allows the children to realize how much Atticus is doing. Sure, there are many who support Atticus and want to help him, but they stay in hiding, not like Atticus. I would like to bring the story back to the part when Scout learns that Atticus was forced to participate in the and did not tell her, but he did not need to tell her because that is the way he is and he actually would support Tom anyway. Mr. Raymond would go around telling everyone he had to defend to, just like he hides his affection for colored people, which would not help Tom at all. But, since he is not proud of his affection, I wonder if Mr. Raymond just wanted to be different.
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