Minor characters are often more important than they initially seem and can be just as engaging and complicated as the main characters. Furthermore, the protagonists are isolated without the people who surround them and influence them on a subliminal level. This applies to the intriguing minor characters one is privileged to discover in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Specifically, Lee uses minor characters to effectively refute stereotypes and establish the setting. They not only influence the direction of the plot, but also Scout and her development as a character. Lee carefully selects minor characters to send important messages and reinforce themes by using the characters as symbols. Crucially, the minor characters in “To Kill a Mockingbird” are crucial in making Harper Lee's novel beautiful, moving, and believable enough to touch every reader. First, the minor characters break stereotypes to breathe life into the sleepy town of Maycomb, establishing the setting. For example, Mr. Dolphus Raymond takes on the character of a drinker as a pretext to associate with black people, even though he is actually drinking coke and not alcohol, hiding the contents in a paper bag. He confesses this to Scout, saying, “Secretly, Miss Finch, I'm not much of a drinker, but you see they could never, ever understand that I live the way I do because that's the way I want to live” (Lee 200-201). This shows that what is most transparent and unpleasant in a character can be truly interesting and good-natured. Mr. Raymond's secret forces the reader to look beyond the paper bag and ask why a man would go so far as to hide his best qualities. It shows that, in Mr. Raymond's eyes, Maycomb still cannot handle the truth. He has to hide it behind... in the middle of paper... to reason with. Without a doubt, the symbolism of the minor characters effectively represents both the flaws and beauty of humanity. Ultimately, the minor characters in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird are crucial in making the novel a masterpiece. Their individuality is refreshing yet meaningful, as they break the stereotypes that attempt to limit a society full of prejudice. Scout herself is deeply influenced by the characters she encounters, and the experience only increases her wisdom. Additionally, the symbols depicted through the minor characters speak volumes about humanity, not just our flaws but the promise of change and redemption. In truth, minor characters are of the utmost importance in any story, because the world an author creates is only as good as the characters who populate it. Works Cited Lee, Harper. To kill a thrush. New York: Warner Books, 1982. Print.