old. During the trial, Mr. Gillmer shows apparent embarrassment at Mr. Ewell's racist speech.

“Why, I run for Tate quick as I could. I knowed who it was, all right, lived down yonder in that nigger-nest, passed the house every day. Jedge, I’ve asked this county for fifteen years to clean out that nest down yonder, they’re dangerous to live around ‘sides devaluin’ my property—”

“Thank you, Mr. Ewell,” said Mr. Gilmer hurriedly.

However, despite his discomfort at Mr. Ewell's words, he is not affected by the shallowness of the latter's accusations. Later, Mr. Gillmer's comments about Atticus also demonstrate the camaraderie and the lack of animosity between the two lawyers.

Mr. Gilmer called attention to the hot day by wiping his head with his hand. “That’s all for the time being,” he said pleasantly, “but you stay there. I expect big bad Mr. Finch has some questions to ask you.”

“State will not prejudice the witness against counsel for the defense,” murmured Judge Taylor primly, “at least not at this time.”

Atticus got up grinning...

By calling Atticus "big bad Mr. Finch," Mr. Gilmer suggests a possible amiable relationship between the two of them.

Jem later tries to comfort Dill, who is upset at how Mr. Gilmer has been speaking to Tom Robinson.

“That’s just Mr. Gilmer’s way, Dill, he does ‘em all that way. You’ve never seen him get good’n down on one yet. Why, when—well, today Mr. Gilmer seemed to me like he wasn’t half trying. They do ’em all that way, most lawyers, I mean.”

Although this is in part Jem's attempt to comfort Dill, there may be some truth in this statement. So, in the story, Mr. Gilmer is a somewhat reluctant prosecutor: although he too may be prejudiced against Tom Robinson, there are some indications that he may simply be doing his best as a lawyer.

Mr. Gilmer comes upon the scene in Chapter 17 of To Kill a Mockingbird.Scout refers to him as the "solicitor." In the context of Scout's narrative, this term may suggest that Mr. Gilmer is a specialist in certain areas of the law and is very qualified.

Scout further describes Mr. Gilmer as having an odd eye that seems to be watching the jury at all times. Because the jury has the impression that they are

...under close scrutiny, [they] paid attention; so did the witnesses, thinking likewise.

Nevertheless, despite his expertise, Mr. Gilmer has trouble with Bob Ewell when this man is put on the witness stand. Ewell's disrespectful language and flippant attitude thwart Mr. Gilmer's intent when he instructs Ewell to answer "just in your own words." 

Later, when Tom Robinson is on the witness stand and he speaks "just in [his] own words," Mr. Gilmer repeats Tom's words for the purpose of the prosecution, knowing that in the Jim Crow South no juror (they are all white men) would like this black man's choice of words: "Mr. Gilmer paused a long time to let it [Tom's phrase] sink in." 

As the prosecutor, Mr. Gilmer continues to question Tom about Mayella's version of events, and the now-cautious Tom Robinson can only safely say that Mayella "was mistaken in her mind."

Mr. Horace Gilmer is the prosecutor of the Tom Robinson trial. He provides a contrast to Atticus as he is opposing him in court. Mr. Gilmer represents the traditional racist values and attributes of the South at the time the story is set.

Gilmer is an outsider—he comes from Abbotsville. Scout notes that he seemed to gain an advantage over others as he had a ‘slight cast’ in one eye, which meant that one could not be sure of where he was looking, or at whom—

 Thus he was hell on juries and witnesses.

Scout feels sorry for Mr. Gilmer as his witness, Mr. Ewell, is flippant in the witness box. She notices that he has a particular approach to questioning:

Just-in-your-own-words was Mr. Gilmer’s trademark.

He is not sharp enough to follow Atticus’s line of questioning about which hand Mr. Ewell uses. He does not seem to have the respect for his witnesses that Attics has, as Mayella and Bob Ewell are both difficult to manage.

Mr. Gilmer is clear in addressing Mr. Ewell, but when Tom is questioned, Mr. Gilmer refers to him as "Robinson" or "boy." It is Mr. Gilmer who elicits the words from Tom which seal his tragic fate—

"You felt sorry for her, you felt sorry for her?" Mr. Gilmer seemed ready to rise to the ceiling.

Mr. Horace Gilmer is the prosecutor in the Tom Robinson case. He squares off against Atticus and attempts to prove that Tom Robinson was guilty of assaulting and raping Mayella Ewell. Mr. Gilmer is one of the novel's antagonists who displays his prejudiced against African Americans throughout the trial. Scout does not view Mr. Gilmer's behavior as offensive because she realizes that the relationship between the prosecutor and defense lawyer is strictly professional. However, Dill notices the way Mr. Gilmer disrespects Tom by talking down to him and asking him unfair questions. Mr. Gilmer is not as erudite as Atticus and essentially relies on the fact that Tom's skin color is enough to convince the jury that he is guilty. Mr. Gilmer presents absolutely no evidence to convict Tom but uses the jury's prejudice to sway their decision. Mr. Gilmer successfully wins the case, but his victory is an example of blatant racial injustice.