Perspectives of Boo Radley

Question

To Kill A Mockingbird novel. How does Harper Lee demonstrate Miss Maudie and Atticus have a different perspective of Boo Radley to the attitudes of the children? In your response reflect upon childhood innocence & fantasy and the maturity of compassion & reality?

Answer 1

Miss Maudie and Atticus speak to the children with compassion for Boo. Look for those quotes to support your argument. Remember that Harper Lee "lives" this as a child, so she writes the children from that perspective. Look for quotes from the children that show their fear of this sweet man-child, either from the gifts he leaves in the knothole or their terror when Jem loses his pants, but the reality is that they are lovingly folded. Boo's ultimate proof of who the real monster is, and kills it to save the children, does bring truth and compassion to the children. Find a quote from Scout that proves this. Also, look at the symbolism in the name BOO. Finally, Lee wrote this as an adult and has already grown out of her fear of the Boo's in her life as a child. She has experienced it, then wrote about it. As you compare the adults to children in the book, look at the changes in prejudice from the Depression to the year Lee wrote the book. In fact, there are three settings for the book, when it happens, when it was written, and when the reader studies it. What growth have we seen in our country, fought for, and how does that compare to the maturity from child vs. adult in the book?

Before writing, sift through this information and write an outline that closely answers your teacher's question. You'll be great!