The prosecutor in Tom Robinson’s trial. He could be anywhere between 40 and 60 years old and Scout doesn’t know him well, as he’s from Abbottsville. Despite representing the Ewells, Mr. Gilmer seems just as put off by them as everyone else in the courtroom. He treats Tom Robinson rudely during his questioning, which disturbs Dill.
Mr. Gilmer Quotes in To Kill a Mockingbird
The To Kill a Mockingbird quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Gilmer or refer to Mr. Gilmer. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 19
Quotes
“If you had a clear conscience, why were you scared?”
“Like I says before, it weren't safe for any nigger to be in a—fix like that.”
“But you weren't in a fix—you testified that you were resisting Miss Ewell. Were you so scared that she'd hurt you, you ran, a big buck like you?”
“No suh, I's scared I'd be in court, just like I am now.”
“Scared of arrest, scared you'd have to face up to what you did?”
“No suh, scared I'd hafta face up to what I didn't do.”
Related Characters:
Tom Robinson (speaker), Mr. Gilmer (speaker), Bob Ewell, Mayella Ewell
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
“The way that man called him 'boy' all the time an' sneered at him, an' looked around at the jury every time he answered— … It ain't right, somehow it ain't right to do 'em that way. Hasn't anybody got any business talkin' like that—it just makes me sick.”
Related Characters:
Charles Baker Harris (Dill) (speaker), Jean Louise Finch (Scout), Tom Robinson, Mr. Gilmer
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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Mr. Gilmer Character Timeline in To Kill a Mockingbird
The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Gilmer appears in To Kill a Mockingbird. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 17
...Ewells, but he turns her attention to Mr. Tate’s testimony. Scout doesn’t know the solicitor, Mr. Gilmer , well, as he’s from Abbottsville and she and Jem seldom come to court. Mr....
(full context)
Mr. Gilmer begins to question Mr. Ewell. Mr. Ewell is rude to Mr. Gilmer and makes a...
(full context)
...clean out the black settlement that devalues his property, but Judge Taylor cuts him off. Mr. Gilmer ends his questioning. Judge Taylor allows the courtroom to laugh when Mr. Ewell runs into...
(full context)
Chapter 18
...but fails to keep clean, and she thinks of the geraniums in the Ewell yard. Mr. Gilmer asks Mayella to share what happened. Mayella promptly bursts into tears and says that she’s...
(full context)
...points to the trial, but she’s not sure what they are—everything seemed normal, aside from Mr. Gilmer ’s obvious distaste for his witnesses. Judge Taylor returns and Scout punches Dill when Taylor...
(full context)
Chapter 19
...and that he ran because he was scared—being black, he couldn’t have fought back differently. Mr. Gilmer rises as Mr. Deas announces that he’s never had any trouble from Tom. Judge Taylor...
(full context)
...and sit under an oak tree. Dill says that he couldn’t stand the way that Mr. Gilmer spoke to Tom, calling him “boy” and sneering. Scout points out that Tom is “just...
(full context)
Chapter 21
...when Scout assures Reverend Sykes that she knows exactly what Jem is talking about. Atticus, Mr. Gilmer , and Judge Taylor all behave normally, but the rest of the courtroom still seems...
(full context)
