To Kill a Mockingbird

by

Harper Lee

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:
Good, Evil, and Human Dignity Theme Icon
).
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
Page Number: 225
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
Page Number: 226
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire To Kill a Mockingbird LitChart as a printable PDF.
To Kill a Mockingbird PDF

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:
Good, Evil, and Human Dignity Theme Icon
).
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
Page Number: 225
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
Page Number: 226
Explanation and Analysis: