Who Is Arthur Boo Radley

Who is Arthur “Boo” Radley? After reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Boo Radley could easily be seen as the neighborhood pedophile who stalks the very young Finch children Jem and Jean Louise “Scout.” However Boo Radley is the backbone of the novel's central ideas showing Scout's character development and growth in perception and understanding. Scout’s changing conception of Boo Radley throughout the novel drives the main theme of exploration of the moral nature of human beings.

In the beginning of the novel Scout is a naive and innocent young girl who is terrified of the “malevolent phantom” (9) Boo Radley. When first referring to Boo, Scout describes him as a man who causes many indecent acts based on stories she has heard from

other neighbors including committing a “series of morbid nocturnal events” (9) mutilating neighborhood animals. These stories show both Scout’s impressionable nature and many people's unwillingness to think before passing inaccurate and unfair judgement upon a person. Scout’s immediate disregard in giving Boo the benefit of the doubt and attempting to understand that he is a human being represents how many people acted in the 1930’s and beyond. As well as Jem and Dill, Scout’s fear of even being near the house of the “squirrel eater” was evident. From running past the house on her way home to tormenting the man with hurtful games, Scout’s childish acts prove her innocence in not knowing the seriousness of others feelings. Although intelligent for her age, Scout is easily influenced in the early stages of her life causing her to see Boo Radley as a monster.
Scout quickly begins to experience many lessons that help her understand that Boo may not be the terrible person he has been perceived to be. Although not directly regarding Boo, Atticus telling Scout how she will never “really understand a person until [she] considers things from his point of view” (33) taught Scout how she must begin to look deeper before judging a person. Following this conversation Scout no longer runs by the Radley Place, but instead looks a little closer at the house of who she thought was a monster. Boo even begins leaving gifts for Scout starting with “two pieces of chewing gum minus their outer wrapper.” (37) This attempt at friendship is sketchy to Jem and Scout but they become more aware of the fact that someone within the area is being kind. Scout begins to realize that Boo’s actions have been misinterpreted her entire life and starts to try to be more understanding of his situation.