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To kill a mockingbird symbols essay
Character analysis to kill a mockingbird
Use of symbolism to kill a mockingbird
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As the novel unfolds, the reader is introduced to the reclusive character, Arthur Radley, commonly known as Boo to Maycomb County. He is first described as a ghostly figure; hence his nickname, and known as the town’s madman who eats cats and who is over six feet tall. Nevertheless, there may be some reason behind his unusual behaviour. This character is represented as a mockingbird because of his innocence. Boo is wrongly interned by his father twenty-five years prior to the beginning of the novel. Most people in Maycomb do not believe that Boo has changed his ways, but it seems as though he has, when he leaves gifts for them in his old oak tree. Boo has no intentions of harming anybody; all he wants is to make the children’s lives a little …show more content…
Boo is actually a very shy character who is misjudged by society including Jem and Scout. However, as the story goes on, Scout begins to realise Boo's situation when she tells Atticus that exposing Boo would be "sort of like shootin' a mockingbird, wouldn't it?"(Lee 370). The children are the among the few members of the community, aside from Atticus, who are able to accept the fact that Boo is not forced to stay inside, he simply chooses to. They begin to respect his privacy and not bother him anymore. The children understand that if Boo wants to venture outside one day, he will. They just have to be patient. Finally, the night of the pageant, when Mr. Ewell attacks Jem and Scout, Boo rescues them. This shows that he is willing to leave the safety of his home in order to protect the children he cares for, even though they have not officially met. Afterwards, when Heck Tate is speaking to Atticus, he tells him that Bob Ewell had fallen onto his own knife and killed himself. This explanation will stop the gossip and accusation of Boo killing Mr. Ewell.
Boo Radley is the town hermit that the children fear. It is said that Boo leaves his house at night to peep in windows, commits all small crimes in Maycomb, and even once stabbed his father with a pair of
Boo Radley, also known as Arthur Radley, is the scary, evil creature that lives in the creepy old house down the street from Jem and Scout, and is misjudged at first. Jem and Scout, two main characters, first see Boo as some sort of scary monster. Jem described him in the first chapter as “...six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks...” and said “...he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that's why his hands were bloodstained- if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off...” Jem also mentioned Boo had a “...long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time.” Scout and Jem also call Boo a “...malevolent phantom...” As if that isn't bad enough, the kids hear and tell horrible stories about Boo. One is of how he stabbed his dad with a pair of scissors; another tells how he was locked up in the courthouse basement. Even with such a grisly initial perception at the beginning of...
Boo Radley is a squirrel eater. Boo Radley is one of the important characters in the book To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee. Boo’s real name is Arthur Radley. People call him Boo because they rarely see him and they do not understand him. That being said they came up with a way to explain his mysterious ways of living by making up stories about him. Despite what people say about him, he shows that he is kind, reclusive, and courageous.
He gets over his fear of the community of Maycomb County and does what is right and just. Boo is completely aware of the rumours about him, yet he continues to be a kind, selfless man who expects nothing in return for his generosity. “ ‘Thank you,’ I asked. The ‘Boo Radley’ is a.
Boo Radley is first introduced as a mysterious monster-like man that doesn’t leave his house, but the truth is later revealed. Boo’s backstory was one of a misunderstood teen that hung around the wrong crowd d out the truth with a strict father. Boo was preyed upon by a couple of boys that led him to get into trouble and then seen as a creepy shameful man although he was just a harmless mentally ill person. Boo was very reclusive and possibly autistic. This explains why his father was so protective, also why he was very shy never left his house because he could be socially awkward. Boo’s possible undiagnosed autism and lack of knowledge of mental illness
Throughout the book we watch the narrator, Scout Finch, go from a naive first grader that think Maycomb is the best place out there, to finally maturing and understanding the world around her. Throughout the book Scout is impressioned by so many people that Boo Radley is a monster that should be kept in at all times. Later we learn he isn’t, but one of the first impressions we get from him is a brute
Jem begins to understand that Boo is not dangerous instead he wants to help him and Scout. Boo leaves gifts for the children in hole in the tree and Mr. Nathan puts cement in the tree to stop Boo from communicating With the children. Also later in the story they find out that Boo put a blanket over them during the fire.
Boo Radley is a recluse. He never leaves his house. This leaves everyone in Maycomb County to imagine things about him. Boo Radley is sort of a timeline of growing up. He starts off as just a figment of the children’s imaginations, but at the end of the book, he reveals himself as a real person. All of the children’s ideas prove to be false. He is also a symbol of the good within people. After living in a box for a great part of his life, Boo Radley has the decency to give gifts to Jem and Scout. He even saves their lives in the end. The book ends with Atticus reading a book called The Gray Ghost.
Among the many plots within the story, many of them surround Boo Radley or attempting to have Boo Radley come out of his house. In these stories show Jem, Scout, and Dill are terrified of the Radley house and what be inside. However, they are mistaken, for Boo Radley wants to do the exact opposite of scaring the children. For example, Boo tries to show friendship to Scout and Jem by leaving them gifts in the tree outside of his house. These gifts include dolls, gum, a knife, a watch, etc. Boo also is thought to have wrapped Scout in a blanket during the chapter in which Miss Maudie’s house had burned down. Boo Radley is thought to have done it because Atticus says “Boo Radley. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn’t know it when he put the blanket around you.” (Lee 96) supporting the fact that Boo Radley was looking out for Scout. Lastly, Boo Radley saved Scout and Jem when they were attacked by Bob Ewell. This heroic effort was not only full of care, but also, full of
As the story progresses, Boo becomes more of a symbol of kindness and bravery than that of the "town freak" which he is made out to be. Boo leaves presents for the children in the hollow trunk of an old tree, as well as covers Scout with a blanket during Miss Maudie's fire. However, it is not until he saves Jem and Scout's life from the hands of the deranged Mr. Ewell, that Boo shows his true heroic character. Even though Boo is a physically weaker man, he shows no fear when it comes to protecting Jem and Scout's life.
But Boo tends to be a misunderstood character, just like the mockingbird. In chapter 28, when Jem and Scout were walking back home from school, they took the shortcut which happened to be pitch black. Jem heard a sound which alerted them. At first Jem thought it was Cecil Jacobs (a boy who liked to pull jokes on Jem and Scout), but then they realized it was someone else. They heard footsteps running after them to find that it was a grown man. Jem called out to Scout to run but she fell due to her costume.When Scout finally got back up to find Jem, the man squeezed her until she could barely breathe. Worriedly, Scout called out for Jem but didn’t get a response. She saw two men underneath the tree besides Jem and herself. She called out “Atticus?” but there was no answer once again. She noticed a man laying the ground that had the awful essence of booze, she got up and made her way over the road, and within the light of the street lamp Scout sees a man carrying Jem. The man headed towards the Finch house, where Atticus let him in. Scout eventually realized that “the man” was no other than Mr. Arthur or commonly referred to as Boo Radley. Mr. Arthur, despite his poor perception of
After his father died, his brother moved in with him. While Boo was locked up inside is house, the people of Maycomb County made up stories about him. The legend of Boo Radley was well-known to the people of Maycomb. Jem describes Boo, “Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained—if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time.”
In the case of Scout and Jem, they believed that Boo Radley, who is an outcast of Maycomb, possesses a horrific appearance, and that he is a savage, "he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained." However, as the story progresses, it is revealed that Boo is actually a kind-hearted person who has not done anybody wrong, but unfortunately, he was ruined by the hands of his family. Thus, Boo is an example of a mockingbird, as mentioned by Atticus. The disclosing of the character of Boo demonstrates Scout and Jem's loss of innocence. They can no longer see Boo as a mysterious threat in their life, instead they saw Boo as a person. "...he's crazy..but Atticus I swear to God he ain't ever harmed us, he coulda cut my throat...but he mend my pants instead..." In a way, Boo serves as a symbol of the transition of Scout and Jem's maturity, as the kids exhibit their ability to empathize with
Both Arthur Radley and Tom Robinson are innocent victims to judgment by others in Maycomb. Superstitious attributes follow Arthur, while Tom is struck by racism and prejudice. Arthur Radley is thought of as an intimidating, phantom-like person. As Jem is describing Arthur to Dill, he tells him “inside the house lived a malevolent phantom” (Lee 8). Jem’s behavior represents the community’s perception of Arthur. Another way Arthur is misjudged is by the nickname that was given to him; “Boo”. This nickname was developed by the pe...
Scout and Jem suffered Bob Ewell’s hate towards Atticus. Luckily Boo Radley saves them from Bob’s threat. Bob Ewell was lying on the ground with a kitchen knife stuck up under his ribs (Lee, 270). Hatred is developed from injustice. Bob Ewell attacking them shows the moral injustice in the book. To Kill a Mockingbird portrays the treatment of parents to their kids shape their future. Boo’s father, locked Boo up inside the Radley house. Boo, even after his parents death, never set out of his house when there was no reason to. “Thank You for my children Arthur” (Lee, 370). Atticus thanked Boo for saving Jem and Scout’s life from Bob Ewell. However, Boo didn’t respond which portrays Boo’s suffering from his dad’s punishment. Even with the death of his father, Boo’s dad shaped him to be that kind of