Over 265,000,000 people suffer from various anxiety disorders globally, and in this category stands Arthur “Boo” Radley. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout experiences racism, loss of innocence, and more while growing up in the small town of Maycomb County. Boo Radley is a reclusive character who lives across the street from Scout, known for never leaving his house. (INTRO TO EVIDENCE 1,2,3) Disenfranchisement is defined as the state of being deprived of a right or privilege, especially the right to vote. People can be disenfranchised from society by rumors, which can lead to social anxiety or agoraphobia, as well as stereotypes that lead to complete isolation to avoid social interaction and judgment, which is also seen throughout …show more content…
Britannica Scholar proves, “Many agoraphobic patients also experience panic attacks. These individuals often are afraid of having a panic attack in a public place, which they perceive as embarrassing, or of having a panic attack in a location distant from their physician or medical clinic or where affecting medical care might be difficult (...). At its most severe, agoraphobia can cause the sufferer to become housebound” (Agoraphobia). Panic attacks, fear of embarrassment, and isolation are all symptoms of anxiety disorders (Agoraphobia), but the information above specifically states the symptoms of a patient who suffers from agoraphobia. Boo Radley relates almost perfectly to this disorder because he is known to be housebound. This consistent isolation is proven to be a symptom of severe cases of Agoraphobia. The intense fear of public areas and panic attacks can lead to this isolation due to taking extreme measures to prevent embarrassment (Agoraphobia). This characterizes Boo Radley very well, because leaving his house is something he has never been seen doing, exactly how society would view an agoraphobe. This intense fear of public areas forces Boo to lose his rights and become disenfranchised. Society is to blame for his disenfranchisement, because it is the amount of rumors and stories that have led Boo to develop such a severe anxiety