Boo Radley was Always Kind

The first, and biggest, example of misconception is Arthur “Boo” Radley. From the start of the book, Arthur is gossiped about as if he were some horrific monster who, as Jem tells us, “…dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch…” (Lee 16). As a result of his shy manner, he refuses to go outside, and these rumors continue to spread, with him doing nothing to stop them. Boo is seen by the town as a beast, but Miss Maudie tells Scout that “He [Boo] always spoke nicely to me, no matter what folks said he did.

Spoke as nicely as he knew how.” (Lee 61), proving his kindness and humanization. Arthur knew how to stay calm in situations and wanted to make people happy rather than show the bad person he supposedly was. Years after the incident, he even continued to show concern for Maycomb when Miss Maudie’s house burned down.

After Maycomb had settled down, Scout notices that someone had put a blanket around her. When she asks Jem, he responds, “Boo Radley. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn’t know it when he put the blanket behind you.” (Lee 96). Arthur cared so much about the children that he went out of the safety of his home where he had hid for years just to make sure that Scout stayed warm. This act of kindness showed the children what kind of person Boo Radley really was. These acts of kindness extended so far towards Scout, Jem, and the town of Maycomb that he risked his life to save both Jem and Scout when Bob Ewell attempted to murder them after he was nearly proven guilty in court. After all the gossip they had spread about him, Arthur still killed another man for their safety. He never asked for anything in return, doing so only out of the kindness of his heart. As Atticus headed outside his home the day after the incident, he stopped at his door to speak. “‘Thank you for my children, Arthur,’ he said.” (Lee 370).

Along with Arthur Radley, Tom Robinson is also misunderstood, being taken to legal action for a crime he never committed. Bob Ewell beat his daughter for loving Tom, a black man, and forced her to charge him for rape as if it were his doing. He knew his case was hopeless only because he was a black man. Even if Atticus’ evidence proved his innocence, he would be given a guilty verdict. Even Scout saw that Tom Robinson was a good person, saying, “It occurred to me that in their own way, Tom Robinson’s manners were as good as Atticus’.” (Lee 260).

Tom Robinson is eventually shown by the people as innocent, with decisive evidence being submitted by Atticus: Tom Robinson was unable to cause the damage done to Mayella Ewell’s right eye (coming from a left-handed person) because Tom’s left hand had been cut off years ago. The white jury, instead of considering the evidence, blindly proceeded to give Tom a guilty verdict. They unfairly tried a black man and unjustly charged him, disregarding his disability. It is then that Jem’s heart is devastated by the realization of what his beloved town really is. ‘“It ain’t right, Atticus,” Jem said.’ The town itself feels guilty for what they did, sending Atticus gifts because of his loss, not extending any kindness to Tom Robinson, who suffered the most from this injustice. Everyone in Maycomb knew what they were doing was wrong, yet they continued to do it.

With two atrocious acts to his name, Bob Ewell could easily be seen as a villain. However, as our book’s theme tells us, things are not as they seem. Behind everything, there is a story. As Atticus tells us, ‘The Ewells had been the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations’ (Lee 40), and the only education they received was the one day of the year they went to school. This sort of marginalization can warp someone’s sense of self-worth, turning them into the human equivalent of garbage. No one wished to associate with him or his children, a point proven when Mayella Ewell mistakes Atticus’ kindness for mockery.

The Ewells are unaccustomed to any form of politeness and feel threatened by such behavior, due to years of being treated poorly. Bob is an abusive alcoholic, also shown in the trial when Mayella falls silent at its mention. Falling into a trap of societal statuses and constant mockery, he surrendered to alcohol, possibly even drugs. This easily explains his constant anger and tendencies to lash out at others, usually his daughter. After the trial, when everyone in Maycomb learns the truth of how he treats his children, Bob Ewell’s already tarnished reputation plummets even further. Along with being a disgrace, poor, illiterate, and an alcoholic, he is now perceived as a criminal. This leads Bob to lash out again, this time vandalizing the Judge’s house, harassing Tom Robinson’s wife, and attempting to murder Atticus’s children. In turn, his life ends. While Bob Ewell may have done some horrible things, he hadn’t known any better and his family will continue to live in shame despite their efforts to change the town’s views on them. No one ever gave Bob Ewell a chance, and this isolation led him to trust no one for the rest of his life.

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