To Kill a Mockingbird

by

Harper Lee

Mr. Avery Character Analysis

An older and cantankerous neighbor who lives across the street from the Finches. He’s a portly man who whittles, though only to make himself toothpicks. Scout, Jem, and Dill find Mr. Avery fascinating since in the summers, he puts on a nightly show of sitting on his porch and sneezing—and one night, they caught him urinating an impressive distance off of his porch. Scout doesn’t like him much, but she takes him at his word that it’s written on the Rosetta Stone that Maycomb experiences bad weather when children misbehave. Despite being cantankerous, he’s one of the bravest men who fights the fire in Miss Maudie’s house.
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Mr. Avery Character Timeline in To Kill a Mockingbird

The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Avery appears in To Kill a Mockingbird. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 6
Prejudice Theme Icon
Courage Theme Icon
...by Miss Rachel’s fish pool with Dill the night before he leaves. They look for Mr. Avery , who lives across the street from Mrs. Dubose and whom they once watched urinate... (full context)
Chapter 8
Prejudice Theme Icon
Growing Up Theme Icon
Maycomb experiences its coldest weather since 1885. Mr. Avery insists that the Rosetta Stone indicates that when children disobey, smoke cigarettes, and fight, the... (full context)
Growing Up Theme Icon
Small Town Southern Life Theme Icon
...in it, which he insists is wasting it. They walk in Miss Maudie’s yard, where Mr. Avery accuses them of bringing on this bad weather. Scout, knowing that Mr. Avery knows it’s... (full context)
Growing Up Theme Icon
Small Town Southern Life Theme Icon
...At first the figure looks like Miss Stephanie, but Jem mischievously makes it look like Mr. Avery . Once he’s satisfied with the shape, he and Scout cover the mud with snow.... (full context)
Small Town Southern Life Theme Icon
...the cold, arrives, and the hydrant bursts. Half-dressed men carry Miss Maudie’s furniture out and Mr. Avery has to climb out a second-story window. When the flames reach the second floor, men... (full context)
Courage Theme Icon
...that she was most worried about the danger the fire posed to everyone else, especially Mr. Avery . She notes that she’ll make him a Lane cake when Miss Stephanie isn’t looking,... (full context)
Chapter 22
Growing Up Theme Icon
...and unbecoming, so Jem leads Dill and Scout outside. They see Miss Stephanie talking to Mr. Avery and Miss Maudie. Miss Maudie yells for Jem. Miss Stephanie starts asking why the children... (full context)
Growing Up Theme Icon
Small Town Southern Life Theme Icon
Outside, Miss Stephanie and Mr. Avery are still talking. Miss Rachel heads toward them as Dill says he’s going to be... (full context)