To Kill a Mockingbird: Week of 12/15/14

Prompt: Describe a character that you would like to meet (which doesn’t mean that you think you would like the character, but that you think the character would be interesting). List 3 questions that you would ask.

     One character that I would love to meet is Boo Radley. The prompt I chose reminds us that the character we would like to meet, doesn't have to be one we like, but one who we find interesting. Though, I find Boo Radley both likable and interesting. He is kind and heroic in the end, but quite humble and quiet about it. Everyone, though, seems to have the absolute worst ideas and thoughts about who they think he is. This makes the fact that he pretty much hides his identity through every compassionate gesture, so much more admirable. He could change all of the rumors, but he chooses to live with them. This leads to so many questions I would love to ask him! So, if I were to get the opportunity to meet him, here are three questions that I would be dying to ask!

      The first question I would ask Boo would be, Why have you stayed in hiding for all this time, and let rumors be told about you? There are many legends and rumors mentioned about Boo Radley throughout the story. For example, that when he was younger, he was cutting out pieces from the Maycomb Tribune, then out of the blue, drove his scissors into his parents legs. Or that he ate raw squirrels, had bloodstained hands, drooled all the time, and had yellow, rotting teeth. From these descriptions and stories, Boo sounds like a disgusting savage, who may have some mental issues. He seems insane; like a person who nobody would ever want to come encounter with. Though we later find out that he left gifts for Jem and Scout, and in the end, saved their lives! This whole time, the children were convinced that he was a horrible person, but he was really a kind man who was looking out for them all along! So, if this was all true, why wouldn't he want to come out and make that clear to the public? I would get sick of people thinking I was this menacing person, when really, I had a gracious heart. So, I would be extremely intrigued to know why Boo never came out to prove all of the rumors and legends wrong, and show that he was a thoughtful and courteous man.

     The second question I would ask Boo would be, Why did you choose Jem and Scout to look out for and show kind gestures towards, rather than the other children in Maycomb? Like I previously mentioned, Boo left the children gifts like a pocket watch, an aluminum knife, some carved soap, a spelling medal, and bubble gum, in the hollow of a tree. He also saved their lives when Bob Ewell came after them, we can assume, looking to kill them. He was kind of like the children's own little blessing, but it doesn't exactly make sense that he would do things like leave gifts and look to protect just Jem and Scout. Did he leave gifts for any other children? Was he secretly looking out for other people in Maycomb County? If not, again, why specifically Jem and Scout? Was it because they were only growing up with one parent? Was it because their father defended African Americans, and he wanted to make sure the fact that he did this didn't hurt the children in any way? Also, had he always been looking out for the children, in the time even before Scout was telling the story from? Did they just not realize it? Boo Radley really was like a protector for the children, but I'm very curious to know why.

     The third and final question I would ask Boo would be, Do you always come out at night, or was it just a coincidence that you were out when the children began to get attacked by Bob Ewell? Now, clearly this question wouldn't make sense if you didn't read the story (same with the rest of the questions) so, let's recap. On the night of the Halloween pageant, Jem and Scout were walking home in the pitch dark, with the slightest indication of where they were. It was about two months since the trial, and Bob Ewell still felt a need for vengeance against Atticus Finch for tarnishing his image in court (we can assume this is the reason for the actions he took). So, he came after Scout and Jem (Atticus's children) but Boo Radley was there to protect the children (even though they still got somewhat injured) and brought them back to their home. Now, it's pretty amazing that Boo was in the right place at the right time. So, I would definitely ask him if it was just a coincidence, or if he is always out at night, looking out for the children or not. We know his actions were heroic, but if it had only been a coincidence that he was there, imagine what actually could've happened! So, I would definitely ask Boo if he always comes out at night, or if it was just a coincidence that he was out when the children began to get attacked by Bob Ewell. 

     So, if I got to the opportunity to meet Boo Radley, those are the three questions I would ask him!