Who is the primary antagonist of To Kill a Mockingbird?

The primary antagonist of To Kill a Mockingbird is Bob Ewell. He is Mayella Ewell’s father and falsely accuses Tom Robinson of rape after discovering Tom with Mayella.

Ewell represents the story’s most direct combination of racism, violence, poverty, and resentment. At Tom Robinson’s trial, Atticus Finch exposes weaknesses in Ewell’s testimony, including evidence that Mayella’s injuries were consistent with an attack by a left-handed person—Ewell himself—while Tom’s left arm is disabled.

Even after Tom is convicted, Ewell continues to threaten the Finch family. He spits in Atticus’s face, harasses Helen Robinson, and later attacks Jem and Scout. Boo Radley intervenes, and Ewell dies during the assault. Atticus is the moral opponent of injustice, while Tom Robinson is a victim rather than an antagonist; Boo Radley is also misunderstood, not villainous.