Boo Radley

1. How others see him or her

1.1. In the novel Boo Radley is seen as someone to be feared of as he is described as a "malevolant phantom." The children are scared of Boo. "I ran by the Radley Place as fast as I could, not stopping until I reached the safety of our front porch.

1.2. People also see him as a violent person as he was described as "about six-and-a-half feet tall …he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, … his hands were bloodstained … There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled…" this is also after he stabbed his father with a pair of scissors.

2. Motivated by

2.1. Boo Radley is motivated by the want of friends. He is shy and sad and all he wants is some companionship and to be kind to others. When he puts the blanket over Scout and when he saves Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell, Boo shows his kindness from the inside.

3. Textual concerns

3.1. In the text he is one of the Mockingbirds. The idea of the mockingbird is raised in scenes in the book. Boo is the mockingbird as he is the one that kills Bob Ewell to save the children. "It's a sin and I'm not about to have it on my head. If it was any other man it would be different. But not this man, Mr Finch" This is the sherrif Heck Tate referring to Boo Radley.

4. Beliefs and Values

4.1. Friendship and Kindness o “Neighbors bring food with death and flowers with sickness and little things in between. Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives.” o Boo reaches out and tries to befriend Scout and Jem by leaving them presents

4.2. o He is protective o "Anyway, Jem hollered and I didn't hear him any more an' the next thing- Mr. Ewell was tryin' to squeeze me to death, I reckon... then somebody yanked Mr. Ewell down. o He saves the children when Bob Ewell attempts to kill them and it shows how he cares for the children

5. Looks Like

5.1. Almost Ghost like o “sickly white hands that had never seen the sun, so white they stood out garishly against the dull cream wall” o This is reinforced by his name “Boo” because he is almost like a ghost or shadow

5.2. He is very skinny and almost unwell looking o “his hair is thin and wispy”, and he is also described as “exceedingly thin and gaunt” o Does not seem to care about appearance

6. Acts Like

6.1. Reclusive and separated o “She was even lonelier than Boo Radley, who had not been out of the house in twenty-five years.” o “I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in the house all this time... it's because he wants to stay inside." o He stays inside separate from everyone else. No one makes him stay inside but he chooses.

6.2. Courage o Boo is extremely courageous to go and sew Jem’s pants that were stuck in the fence. o He also acts courageous when he goes and puts the blanket on Scout because both of these things are out of Boo’s hiding and he would much rather stay in the safety of his home o He is courageous for the protection of the children