Boo Radley Symbolism

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In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus tells Jem and Scout, ‘I’d rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you’ll go after birds. Shoot the bluejays all you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember, it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (Lee 119) Miss Maudie says to Scout, “Your father’s right. Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t tear up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do one thing for us but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”(Lee 119) Both Tom Robinson and Boo Radley were mockingbirds. The author, Harper Lee, incorporates the imagery of the mockingbird to symbolize the destruction of innocence. The mockingbird does not have…show more content…
Tom was not the "malevolent phantom" which common folk perceived, but a reserved and benevolent character. His personality was left untainted, even though suffering from rejection and hate. The Maycomb society shot a mockingbird; Boo Radley was vulnerable and righteous but was heavily misunderstood as he failed to integrate into society. Jem and Scout treat Boo with as much prejudice as the town shows Tom. Boo was a man who was never seen outside of his house. Since the people of the town saw that he was different than them, they labeled him as terrible and frightening. Like Boo, Tom is characterized by what the people of Maycomb say about him. Both characters were seen and judged from outside appearances or prejudices, not for who they actually were. Tom and Boo taught Jem and Scout about decency, morals, justice, and humility. When Tom was convicted of the crime he very clearly did not commit, it made the children realize that racism is a very big problem. Before the case, they did not see it as much of a problem, but rather something they’ve subconsciously lived with throughout their lives. Something very similar occurred when the children realized that Boo is not a horrendous cat eating monster, but rather a kind soul who had been watching out for them. So, something else these two characters have in common is teaching Jem and Scout valuable life…show more content…
Tom lost the use of his left hand, but an even larger disability for him is his ethnicity. Boo’s handicap is not specified or pointed out directly in the book, but it can be inferred that he is mentally unstable and is most likely physically unhealthy. One of the most obvious differences between Tom and Boo is that Tom is black and Boo is white. Another difference is that while Tom was killed by the brutality of southern society, Boo was only shunned by it. The sole reason for that is the ethnicity of the characters. If Tom had been white, he would have been acquitted. If Boo had been black, he would have been dragged out of his home and arrested. By attempting to escape from prison, Tom shows cowardice. Therefore, our final impression of Tom is that he is a coward. On the other hand, our final impression of Boo is that he is a caring hero. Boo started out as a negative example and ended as a positive one. Tom started as a positive example and ended as a negative
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