The building blocks of one’s reputation consist of the judgements others have made to either praise or condemn one for their actions and overall character. A good reputation takes time and effort to build, but is fragile enough to break with actions that are sometimes unrecognizable until they go into effect. The fear of judgement can delay honesty in a person creating a barrier between one’s reputation and their character. Character cannot be manipulated by others, and remains constant. In contrast to character, reputation is a label that can change which others provide through judgement. Therefore, a hidden reputation may be the best option in many cases. This outlook is a focus of Harper Lee in To Kill A Mockingbird with Dolphus Raymond.
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Dolphus Raymond should not be judged with cruel thoughts, but rather pitied. The women that he loved killed herself the night of their wedding rehearsal, and Dolphus was so crushed and mentally disturbed that he let his reputation drown, by making people think he was crazy and drunk. This is a significant example of the way Maycomb handles situations such as these. Where Maycomb could’ve acted as a friend to their fellow citizen in need, they gave him a cold shoulder and cut him out, labeling him an …show more content…
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Maycomb judges Dolphus Raymond merely on his drinking problem, and does not consider the possibility that Mr. Raymond may not be who he seems.When Mr. Raymond calls Scout, Jem, and Dill over to him and offers Dill his bottle that is supposedly is full of alcohol, Scout follows the two boys hesitantly. She determines whether her elders would approve of these actions. “...Mr. Dolphus Raymond was an evil man. I accepted his invitation reluctantly somehow, I didn’t think Atticus would like it...and I knew Aunt Alexandra wouldn’t” (200). Scout realizes that due to Mr. Raymond’s “evil’s of drinking,” the adults may not appreciate her associating herself with him. Although Atticus realizes the discrimination against colored people, and the crude judgement that encroaches them, he seemingly does not recognize that the same type of judgement is affecting Dolphus Raymond’s reputation. Recognition of Dolphus Raymond’s social stance is crucial to examining the abusive judgement made upon him that exemplifies the social injustice that plagues the society of
Dolphus Raymond should not be judged with cruel thoughts, but rather pitied. The women that he loved killed herself the night of their wedding rehearsal, and Dolphus was so crushed and mentally disturbed that he let his reputation drown, by making people think he was crazy and drunk. This is a significant example of the way Maycomb handles situations such as these. Where Maycomb could’ve acted as a friend to their fellow citizen in need, they gave him a cold shoulder and cut him out, labeling him an …show more content…
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Maycomb judges Dolphus Raymond merely on his drinking problem, and does not consider the possibility that Mr. Raymond may not be who he seems.When Mr. Raymond calls Scout, Jem, and Dill over to him and offers Dill his bottle that is supposedly is full of alcohol, Scout follows the two boys hesitantly. She determines whether her elders would approve of these actions. “...Mr. Dolphus Raymond was an evil man. I accepted his invitation reluctantly somehow, I didn’t think Atticus would like it...and I knew Aunt Alexandra wouldn’t” (200). Scout realizes that due to Mr. Raymond’s “evil’s of drinking,” the adults may not appreciate her associating herself with him. Although Atticus realizes the discrimination against colored people, and the crude judgement that encroaches them, he seemingly does not recognize that the same type of judgement is affecting Dolphus Raymond’s reputation. Recognition of Dolphus Raymond’s social stance is crucial to examining the abusive judgement made upon him that exemplifies the social injustice that plagues the society of