Boo Radley/Arthur
Boo Radley is the mysterious figure in Maycomb where his name is whispered while eyes watch carefully before speaking a word about him. However nobody really knows the truth behind Boo Radley and the mystery around him is heavily fueled by rumors and assumptions. His name ‘Boo’ means ghostly, mysterious. It was most probably derived from the French word ‘hanté’. Boo is often labeled as the perpetrator of all misdeeds and is turned into the scapegoat for everything that happens around town because the lack of reliable sources of truth. The town of Maycomb exaggerate that he is a cruel, ruthless man because he stabbed his father with a pair of scissors when he was 33 years old. However, Boo in truth, is a victim. He has been under house arrest by his father since he was 18 for attempting to steal a vehicle. Boo Radley is described by Scout in 'To Kill a Mockingbird' as being pale to the point of assumed sickness, grey eyes that leave in impression of blindness and thin hair and eyes. His character is shown to be quiet and someone who is not social but reclusive. Harper Lee shows an affectionate and more human side of Boo that is shrouded by the dark rumors weighing him down, when he leaves small gifts and toys for Jem and Scout in the hollow of a tree. His humanity is also seen when Jem, Scout and Dill decided to dare each other to go to the Radley house and after when they are escaping, Jem becomes stuck in the fence and narrowly escapes but without his pants. However, when he returns to rescue his pants, he finds them folded on the fence, as if waiting for him. Even though the book never directly shows Boo Radley as the person behind the act, it implies that there could not have been anybody else but him. He is truly protective and doesn’t do harm to anyone else. An example of this is when he saves Jam and Scout from Bob Ewell’s attack on them. Boo kills Bob in the process of saving the children. However, Atticus and the sheriff decide to protect Boo from anymore taunts and rumours by saying that Bob fell on his own knife and brought himself to his own downfall. This act of unprecedented kindness shows that Boo is a gentle, shy man who is just the helpless victim of the lies and curiousity of Maycomb. Afterwards, he is never heard or seen from again after the incident. He remains hidden inside the safety of his house. Boo Radley is a mockingbird. Like Tom Robinson, he is but an innocent character who is harmless but yet still accused and labelled as a murderer of innocence when he himself is the one being falsely attacked. If he was to go to a court case, he would probably be treated like a black man due to his reputation around town. |
