Do rumors and gossip affect the judgement of other people? To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a book taught for many years that shows racial prejudice and follows Jean Louise Finch, known as Scout, as she learns things that influence her life. She hears tales about Boo (Arthur) Radley, who is supposedly a violent man who never leaves his house so she does not know if she should trust the stories or not. There are many events in the book that impact her understanding of Boo; from leaving the children gifts to putting a blanket over Scout to protecting the children when Bob Ewell is after them, it is evident that Boo is misunderstood, and these events assist with Scout’s understanding of Boo Radley and reveal how he grows as a character.
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He left the children presents in a knothole in the tree; he gave them sticks of gum, a spelling medal, soap figures of Jem and Scout, and many more gifts. Through every individual gift, Boo delivers a message. The gum symbolizes friendship because gum brings people together, the spelling medal is Boo trying to display that he is an individual with achievements like anyone else, and the soap figures show that Boo observes Jem and Scout and cares about them; the gifts illustrate the hidden personality of Boo. In addition to leaving presents, Boo also covers Scout up with a blanket when she is watching Miss Maudie’s house fire. “ ‘… You were so busy looking at the fire you didn’t know it when he put the blanket around you.’ My stomach turned to water and I nearly threw up when Jem held out the blanket and crept toward me.” (Lee 72) Upon knowing that Boo was the one who put the blanket around her, Scout feels uneasy. She is later grateful for him putting the blanket because she developed a soft spot for him. Additionally, Boo also safeguarded Jem and Scout when Bob Ewell appeared in the night. He carries Jem to his house and Scout sees him in person for the first time. “The man was walking with the staccato steps of someone carrying a load too heavy for him … He was carrying Jem. Jem’s arm was dangling crazily in front of him ” (Lee 263) She then asked him to come pet Jem and to escort her down the sidewalk so Miss Stephanie Crawford would see he was a gentleman. Scout feels about Boo differently now that she has seen him and has had experiences with him, and now understands he is a normal being. Overall, these events changed Scout’s impression of Boo
He left the children presents in a knothole in the tree; he gave them sticks of gum, a spelling medal, soap figures of Jem and Scout, and many more gifts. Through every individual gift, Boo delivers a message. The gum symbolizes friendship because gum brings people together, the spelling medal is Boo trying to display that he is an individual with achievements like anyone else, and the soap figures show that Boo observes Jem and Scout and cares about them; the gifts illustrate the hidden personality of Boo. In addition to leaving presents, Boo also covers Scout up with a blanket when she is watching Miss Maudie’s house fire. “ ‘… You were so busy looking at the fire you didn’t know it when he put the blanket around you.’ My stomach turned to water and I nearly threw up when Jem held out the blanket and crept toward me.” (Lee 72) Upon knowing that Boo was the one who put the blanket around her, Scout feels uneasy. She is later grateful for him putting the blanket because she developed a soft spot for him. Additionally, Boo also safeguarded Jem and Scout when Bob Ewell appeared in the night. He carries Jem to his house and Scout sees him in person for the first time. “The man was walking with the staccato steps of someone carrying a load too heavy for him … He was carrying Jem. Jem’s arm was dangling crazily in front of him ” (Lee 263) She then asked him to come pet Jem and to escort her down the sidewalk so Miss Stephanie Crawford would see he was a gentleman. Scout feels about Boo differently now that she has seen him and has had experiences with him, and now understands he is a normal being. Overall, these events changed Scout’s impression of Boo