To Kill A Mockingbird Fear Analysis

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, we are introduced to the small town of Maycomb where the society at the time was extremely unaccepting and difference was frowned upon. Throughout the novel, Lee explores the ideas of fear, ignorance and hate through several events and characters. The fear of Boo Radley is caused by misunderstandings and ignorance. The segregation between the two races also further develops the idea that fear is the root of almost all hate. However, once the ignorance is removed, the fear and hate will also disappear along with it. Although the novel illustrates that fear of the unknown is what causes hate, there is still hope of a positive outcome.

In the novel, the ignorance of the townspeople in Maycomb is demonstrated through their fear of Boo Radley. At the start of the novel, Dill dares Jem to knock on Boo Radley’s door and we get the idea that Boo Radley is a fearsome person. The only information people have on the Radleys come from the rumours about him which have

This is demonstrated by when Jem and Scout begin to understand and no longer fear Boo Radley. The whole time the children had thought of him as a monster and played games pretending to be Boo. However, when Boo saves their lives, they find out that he is not like what they had heard from the rumours and their image of him completely changes. We know this when Scout says, “His lips parted into a timid smile, and our neighbour’s blurred with my sudden tears.” Since their fear had been overcome, they were no longer blinded by ignorance. Jem and Scout learnt that Boo was just like any other person except that he simply chose to not go outside and face the unaccepting town of Maycomb. Although Jem and Scout were influenced by the ignorance of those around them towards Boo, they were ultimately able to overcome it when they realised that what they had feared was not