What insight is gained into Heck Tate's character?

Answer 1

We learn that Heck Tate is as stubborn as Atticus, but also, he cares for the people of Maycomb. He knows Arthur Radley’s need to be unsocial, so Heck is unwilling to bring up the truth that Arthur saved the children’s lives. If that information where known in Maycomb, the good hearted people would try to honor and thank Arthur for being a hero, giving him much unwanted attention. Heck feels to do something like that would be a “sin” and shouldn’t be done to someone who did a service to the town, but wants to remain anonymous. Or Heck Tate reveals his compassion and intelligence in Chapter 30. He never wanted to imprison Tom Robinson and he doesn't want to imprison Boo Radley. He knows what kind of man Bob Ewell is, and feels that Ewell had what was coming to him. He says this to Atticus, when Atticus is insistent on telling the truth: "I may not be much Mr. Finch, but I'm still sheriff of Maycomb County. And Bob Ewell fell on his knife." Tate is happy to tell a lie when it saves a good and decent man. When Atticus tells Scout of this, she also replies with compassion. She says to Atticus: "It’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?" Scout understands that putting Boo on trial would be unfair, both because he was trying to help the kids and because he is a good man who would not be able to handle the attention on himself, having lived as a hermit. In Chapter 31, Scout sees the town from Boo's eyes and says this: “You never really know a man until you stand in his shoes.” As Atticus suggested in the beginning, she has now done this, and has matured.

Answer 2

Heck Tate is shown to be a fair and responsible sheriff in the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird." He is depicted as a figure of authority who prioritizes justice and impartiality in his duties. Through his actions and decisions, we see that he is a man of integrity who upholds the law with a sense of compassion and understanding.