"Dill's real name is Charles Baker Harris. Jem and Scout meet him when he comes to stay with his aunt who is their next-door neighbour."
"Although he only plays a small part in the novel, it is an important part. It is largely through Dill's prompting that Jem and Scout attempt to make Boo Radley come out."
" "
"The memorable aspect of Dill's character is his inventiveness; that is, he tells some very tall stories and has a lively imagination."
"Some of Dill's stories make us pity him, for he comes from a broken home, and he lies to cover up this fact."
"His imagination also makes him a natural in the children's dramatisation of the life of the Radley family."
6
"Dill is also alert enough to come up with a brilliant excuse when Jem is caught without his pants in Chapter 6."
" "
"As well as adding interest to the novel with his wild schemes and unlikely stories, Dill adds an element of humour."
"Scout regards him as her fiance, and we can chuckle at the seeming sincerity of this childish love affair."
" "
"Dill's unhappy family life also serves to show up how fortunate Jem and Scout are to have a loving father and a settled life."
7
"Another feature of Dill's character is his sensitivity. He breaks down in tears when the prosecution attorney questions Tom Robinson roughly."
"Unlike Scout, he cannot stand to even think about the injustice of the case."
" "
"His perceptiveness also lets him see through the hypocrisy and shallow-minded ways of the Maycomb gossips (including his own aunt), and he says sarcastically"
"*Every one of 'em oughta be ridin' broomsticks."
" "
"This, and his wish to be a new kind of clown, who laughs at the people, show his disillusionment with the adult world that has let him down so many times."
