Illustration of a bird perched on a scale of justice

To Kill a Mockingbird

by Harper Lee

Start Free Trial

Editor's Choice

What occupation does Dill aspire to in "To Kill a Mockingbird"?

Quick answer:

Dill aspires to be a clown when he grows up, reflecting his desire to cope with the world's injustices through laughter. His aspiration arises after witnessing the unfair treatment of Tom Robinson during the trial, where he becomes upset by the demeaning way the prosecuting attorney speaks to Tom. Dill expresses his wish to join a circus and laugh at people, envisioning himself as a "new type of clown."

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

Dill is a child with a tender heart. The reader first sees evidence of this early in the novel when Jem compares the task of getting Boo Radley outside to making a turtle come out of its shell. He says a turtle will come out if a match is struck underneath it. Dill says that this act would be "hateful." Later, during Tom Robinson's trial, Dill has to leave the courtroom because he starts crying. He becomes upset with how the prosecuting attorney speaks to Tom in a demeaning and disrespectful way. After the trial, Dill states that he would like to be a clown when he grows up. He is disappointed in Tom's guilty verdict and says that, "There ain’t one thing in this world I can do about folks except laugh." His plan is to join a circus and laugh at people although Jem attempts to explain to Dill that he has it "backwards." Jem says people laugh at clowns. It matters little to Dill. He simply replies that he will be a "new type of clown."

Approved by eNotes Editorial
An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

I think you are asking what Dill wants to be when he grows up. At one point he asserts that he would like to be a clown.

This matches his character for 2 reasons. On the one hand, he enjoys being an entertainer. The kids call him a pocket-merlin because he magically plays roles very quickly. On the other hand, he is a gifted and talented liar. He tells stretchers, big ones (according to Scout). And he wants to make people laugh.

Later in the story, he reports working on the railroad as an engineer with his dad (who we don't believe that he really has).

Get Ahead with eNotes

Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.

Get 48 Hours Free Access
Approved by eNotes Editorial