Similarities Between Boo Radley And To Kill A Mockingbird

The logic behind a good book are the characters. The more interesting they are the better the book. One way to make the characters more interesting and mysterious is to give them two different identities. For example, Katniss Everdeen has two identities, one is how she acts in public. Katniss comes off as strong to the public but in private she is not. Through Harper Lee’s character’s Boo Radley, Atticus, and Bob Ewell readers learn that it is necessary to develop a public and private self in To Kill A Mockingbird.
For Boo Radley it is very important for him to have a private and public identity. Not many people have ever seen him but they have heard stories of him. People make up stories of him that are not actually true. One of the crazy
stories goes like this, “People said he went out at night when the moon was down, and peeped in windows” (Lee 10). Boo has never been able to create a public self because he never leaves his house unless he knows no one is watching. Many people are afraid of him for many reasons but that is only because of all of the people who tell false stories that make him look creepy. Scout and Jem in a way see his private self one night. While Miss Maudie's house was on fire and there was so much commotion going on that Scout and Jem were not paying much attention to anything but the fire. That night Boo Radley decided to come outside and help Scout but she did not know he did until Atticus said, “Boo Radley. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn't know it when he put the blanket around you” (96). The kids are starting to see that Boo has a side to him that he tries to keep to himself. Boo knows that he is a good person but he is just afraid to come out because of what everyone says about him and he’s afraid that people will judge him. Now that the kids have seen another side of Boo they are beginning to not view him as scary but rather as kind.
Atticus has a private side that he tries to keep from his children.
When there was a mad dog in town someone had to solve the problem by shooting it. Everyone knew Atticus could shoot the best in the town except Jem and Scout. When the children found out that their dad had the best shot in Maycomb, they were amazed, yet shocked. Jem is so impressed and surprised that he said to Scout, “’d you see him, Scout? ’d you see him just standin’ there?...’n’ all of a sudden that gun was a part of him…” (129). Atticus believes that it is best for him to keep this part of him to himself in order to maintain the way Jem and Scout viewed him. Atticus did not want his kids to see him as reckless and crazy, but rather as wise and gentle. Atticus Finch clearly forms a public identity because of everything he tried to do for Tom Robinson in the trial. Atticus wants to show people that it is important to value equality and justice in the world. Many people in town do not quite understand why Atticus is defending Tom but he explains to Scout, “if I didn’t I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't represent this county in the legislature, I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do something again” (100). Atticus believes that if he does not do this that people will not respect him as much as they did and he will not be able to respect himself. No matter what, Atticus will always do his best to set a good example for his
children.
Bob Ewell is probably one of the most deceptive characters in this novel.
Mr. Ewell is the person who tries the hardest to hide his private self because of what would happen if people knew the truth. Atticus reveals who Bob is by asking Mayella two questions, “‘Who beat you up? Tom Robinson or your father?’ No answer” (251). Atticus saying this made people in the town realize who Bob is and how he treats his kids. While Atticus was cross examining Mayella people could tell that she was getting a bit nervous especially after the last questions which also proves to the people that they are lying. The jury and the people watching began to see that Bob may be lying about his whole analysis because of how nervous and twisted up Mayella was getting. Bob Ewell does not have much of a public self, people only notice how poor they are and where they live. Atticus believes that if Bob really cared about his kids that he would want to make sure that they are perfectly fine. Mr. Finch proves that Bob does not care whether or not Mayella is okay when he says, “Didn’t you think she should have had a doctor, immediately?” (235). If the injuries were as bad as they were telling the court they were, it would only make sense for Mayella to see a doctor unless Bob wanted to hide her injuries because he is the one who caused them in the first
place.
To these men it is very important for them to have a public and private self in order to preserve the way people look at him. If they did not have two different identities people would not treat them well. Katniss Everdeen wants to have a public and private self because she does not want the public to know that she is not strong all the time.