Boo Radley Essay
Danielle Lucas
Period 5/6
“To Kill a Mockingbird”: Boo Radley “To Kill a Mockingbird” takes place in the early 1930’s when racial segregation, alcohol, and penniless people plagued the streets. The Finches managed to stay in a comfortable lifestyle. The bleak house down the street always seemed to catch the Finch children’s attention. This is why Boo Radley becomes an important character within the story line. He watches the children from inside his house. This was because of his strict father’s way of punishing him after he got involved with the illusive Cunningham boys. They were the town’s first gang and instead of the court punishing Boo, his father took matters into his own hands. Clearly, if someone stays inside a house for a number of years, then their social skills will diminish. He has lost all of his ability to communicate with other people. “…reached into the hole, and withdrew two pieces of chewing gum minus their outer wrappers.”(25) Throughout the novel Jem and Scout find little gifts in a knothole of a tree on the Radley place. The gifts consist of chewing gum, 2 Indian head pennies, a spelling bee medal, 2 carved dolls that look like them, and a watch. These items symbolize Boo trying to become friends with the children. His father would not let him out of the house and he doesn’t know how to acquaint himself with them. He has the mind of a child and that plays an important role in his later actions. Even though Boo has the mind of a child that doesn’t mean that he has a heart the size of a pea. He cares for the children with all his being and doesn’t want to hurt them like they first thought. During Miss Maudie’s house fire, Scout was outside watching her father try to save furniture from the house. She came home to find a blanket over her and not knowing where it came from.”Boo Radley. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn’t know it when he put the blanket about.”(60) It was Boo who thought Scout was cold and put a warm
Period 5/6
“To Kill a Mockingbird”: Boo Radley “To Kill a Mockingbird” takes place in the early 1930’s when racial segregation, alcohol, and penniless people plagued the streets. The Finches managed to stay in a comfortable lifestyle. The bleak house down the street always seemed to catch the Finch children’s attention. This is why Boo Radley becomes an important character within the story line. He watches the children from inside his house. This was because of his strict father’s way of punishing him after he got involved with the illusive Cunningham boys. They were the town’s first gang and instead of the court punishing Boo, his father took matters into his own hands. Clearly, if someone stays inside a house for a number of years, then their social skills will diminish. He has lost all of his ability to communicate with other people. “…reached into the hole, and withdrew two pieces of chewing gum minus their outer wrappers.”(25) Throughout the novel Jem and Scout find little gifts in a knothole of a tree on the Radley place. The gifts consist of chewing gum, 2 Indian head pennies, a spelling bee medal, 2 carved dolls that look like them, and a watch. These items symbolize Boo trying to become friends with the children. His father would not let him out of the house and he doesn’t know how to acquaint himself with them. He has the mind of a child and that plays an important role in his later actions. Even though Boo has the mind of a child that doesn’t mean that he has a heart the size of a pea. He cares for the children with all his being and doesn’t want to hurt them like they first thought. During Miss Maudie’s house fire, Scout was outside watching her father try to save furniture from the house. She came home to find a blanket over her and not knowing where it came from.”Boo Radley. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn’t know it when he put the blanket about.”(60) It was Boo who thought Scout was cold and put a warm