What are some of Heck Tate's characteristics in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Heck Tate is forty-three, a lifelong resident of Maycomb County, and takes his job as sheriff seriously. 

Here are some character traits of Heck Tate:

—Practical

• When Sheriff Tate receives the call on the rabid dog traversing the street on which the Finches live, he arrives, accompanied by Atticus, who has come from his office. They wait until the dog comes into range for a good shot. When the dog heads toward the Radley...

Heck Tate is forty-three, a lifelong resident of Maycomb County, and takes his job as sheriff seriously. 

Here are some character traits of Heck Tate:

—Practical

• When Sheriff Tate receives the call on the rabid dog traversing the street on which the Finches live, he arrives, accompanied by Atticus, who has come from his office. They wait until the dog comes into range for a good shot. When the dog heads toward the Radley house, Mr.Tate insists Atticus shoot the dog, tossing him his rifle even though Atticus says he has not fired a gun in thirty years.

"For God's sake, Mr. Finch, look where he is! Miss and you'll go straight into the Radley house! I can't shoot that well and you know it!"

Tate's practicality is the key to the success of the situation as Atticus fires a perfect shot.

• In another instance of his practicality, Heck Tate chooses not to arrest Boo Radley for stabbing Bob Ewell as he threatened Jem's life, reasoning that it serves no good purpose to expose the shy recluse to publicity and scrutiny when Ewell is already dead. Tate chooses to bring fairness to prominence over textbook law enforcement. 

—Conscientious and Courageous

• Despite his doubt in the honesty of Bob Ewell, Sheriff Tate is duty-driven when he answers the call to come to the Ewells' home, where Mayella supposedly has been raped. He arrests Tom Robinson, as is his duty.


• Whenever duty demands he be there, Tate is. He goes with the men who come to the Finch home to ask Atticus to obtain a chain of venue, is at the jailhouse where Tom is held before the trial, and testifies honestly during Tom's trial.

—Average in Intelligence but always Honest

• While he usually performs his job well, Sheriff Tate allows himself to be deceived by the Old Sarum Bunch, who trick him into leaving the jailhouse on a bogus call.


• When Tate testifies at Tom Robinson's trial, Atticus questions Tate and leads him to understand that he assumed some things that were not necessarily true. For instance, Atticus asks the sheriff about the attack upon Mayella. Tate says there were already bruises appearing on her arms, "and it happened about thirty minutes before—" Here Atticus interrupts, asking, "How do you know?" Mr. Tate smiles in humility, "Sorry, that's what they said."
  Further, as he questions the sheriff, Atticus leads Heck Tate to realize Mayella was struck in the face by someone who is left-handed. This fact, of course, is crucial to Atticus's attempts to prove Tom, whose left arm is withered and useless, could not have struck Mayella.

Sheriff Heck Tate is a small-town sheriff, but he is not among the many in his position who are mere pawns of the area's businessmen and politicians. He is honest, duty-driven, stalwart, and genuine.