The audience learns that Mr. Dolphus Raymond is a white man who pretends to be drunk because he prefers the company of Black people over the judgmental attitudes of white people in the town. He is sympathetic to the struggles of Black people and chooses to live on the margins of society to avoid facing prejudice.
Mr. Dolphus Raymond
Mr. Dolphus Raymond gave Dill a drink of Coca-Cola to settle his stomach. However, he led others to believe that he was drinking alcohol, when in fact it was only Coca-Cola in a bottle.
In Mr. Dolphus Raymond's bottle bag, there is not alcohol, as many assume, but actually just Coca-Cola. He pretends to drink whiskey from it in order to give the townspeople a reason to explain his behavior of siding with African Americans.
During the court case, the children talk to Mr Raymond, and he explains how the brown bag only contains Coke, not whiskey, and that sometimes it's easier to pretend to not care, than to explain why he prefers to live with the Negro population of Maycomb.
Dolphus Raymond, Aunt Alexandria, Mr. Link Deas, and Miss Rachel
Mr. Dolphus Raymond is different from the rest of the community because he is in love with a black woman, which was not accepted. He had children with her who are mixed races and also are not accepted in the community. In order to live the life he wishes to, Mr. Dolphus Raymond carries a bottle around of what everyone thinks is whiskey in a paper bag and drinks it. However, the drink is actually Coca-Cola, but he acts like a drunk because it allows everyone to think that he is too drunk to realize what he is doing is wrong.
In chapter 20 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Mr. Raymond tells Dill and Scout that he pretends to be a drunk to provide the other white people with an explanation for his lifestyle, when, in fact, he simply prefers black people to whites.They learn that Mr. Raymond was not really a drunk instead of drinking whiskey it was coca cola and he pretend to be drunk all the time
Mr. Dolphus Raymond was unusual in Maycomb because he was a wealthy white man who socialized with African Americans and was rumored to drink alcohol out of a paper bag. In reality, he was pretending to be a drunk to provide a cover for his defiance of racial norms in a deeply segregated society.
Mr. Dolphus Raymond's fiance died because of the pressure and social stigma she faced from their interracial relationship, which caused her distress and ultimately led to her death. The intolerance and discrimination against their relationship took a toll on her mental and emotional well-being.
Dolphus Raymond understands that Dill is crying because Mr. Gilmer is being so condescending to Tom. While Dolphus does all he can to comfort Dill, he tells Dill that he (Dill) had better get used to it, because this is the way that whites treat blacks (and white who chose to associate with blacks). Dolphus doesn't have the optimistic outlook that Atticus and Miss Maudie seem to possess--that life and society can get better if people just learn that blacks are humans with feelings and rights just like whites.
Mr. Dolphus Raymond is a white man in "To Kill a Mockingbird" who pretends to be drunk so that society will have an explanation for his choices, like having a biracial family. He is empathetic towards others who are judged by society and tries to help them cope with injustices they face.
Mr. Dolphus Raymond's big secret is that he pretends to be a drunkard to give the townspeople a reason for his behavior, when in reality he is not actually drinking alcohol but instead hides his true lifestyle and choice to marry a black woman. He does this to avoid the prejudices and judgment of the community.