Boo Radley

Here's what I think about Boo Radley:


I think that Boo chose to stay inside. Maybe he thought it would be easier to watch and not be a part of the world. So he could see the world without the world seeing him. Maybe he was scared of what people thought. And because he didn't interact around anyone but his brother, Nathan, he didn't know how to act around people. That's why he wanted to sit back in "deep shadow" because "Boo would feel more comfortable in the dark." (p.272) Mr. Radley prefers to be invisible and that's why Scott forgot that he was sitting next to her on the porch. What I don't know is if Mr. Radley killed Mr. Ewell? Or was it Jem? I don't think Jem did it, because his arm was broken and he was unconscious.


I think when the book says that Boo whispered, "in the voice of a child afraid of the dark"(p.278) that Scott is starting to realize that Boo is human and not like the rumors. In a way, Boo Radley was acting like Mr. Dolphus Raymonds, and letting the rumors about him explain his behavior. But for Mr. Raymonds, it was to explain why he prefered to be around blacks to whites. And for Mr. Radley, it was to explain why he didn't want to go outside.


Mr. Radley wasn't comfortable socially like Aunt Alexandra. That was part of what Aunt Alexandra was trying to teach Scott, except in the world of ladies. According to Aunt Alexandra and other Southern Belles, social skills were everything. Ladies and gentlemen had to act a certain way and people judged you by that. Boo wasn't talkive or anything like that so he chose to hide from the judging world that judged him on something he considered he didn't have. He prefered to let the rumors go on and watch two children grow up and help in anyway he could. He doesn't act like the man in my picture and he shouldn't have to. To me, a gentleman is a man with a kind heart and Boo Radley fits that description.

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I found a blogger that talks about Southern Belles. I'm sorry there is one bad word at the link, but I'm sure you have already read it in "To Kill A Mockingbird". I hope it is not a problem. Anyway, click on http://chronicleofameanderingtraveller.blogspot.com/2006/09/on-southern-belles.html. Sorry I still don't know how to make a one-word link.