Boo Radley Symbolism

The significance in use of the symbol of a mockingbird in quoting “Remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird. Mockingbirds . . . don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” later becomes apparent that it is primarily used to represent protection of innocence. The children live in a world of innocence, which mirrors the life of a mockingbird. Their love of mystery and adventure stories take over their natural curiosity. Moreover, they are fascinated by myths and rumors about the neighborhood legend, Boo Radley. In their imaginative play, they perceive Boo as a tall, ugly monster who eats cats and roams the neighborhood at night. At one point, the children decide to try to get Boo to come out of his house by running up and touching it. Despite the children’s initial inclination to create fantastic and terribly imaginative descriptions of Radley, the neighborhood legend treats the children well. Throughout the film, it becomes clear that Boo’s intentions are kind in nature. He befriends them in his own way by leaving presents in the knothole of an oak tree indicating he favors them. Boo commits another act of kindness when he untangles Jem’s pants, and hangs them neatly on the fence. Also, the night that Miss Maudie’s house caught

When he tells them, “If one lives with sympathy and understanding, then it is possible to retain faith in humanity despite its capacity for evil—to believe that most people are “real nice. You never know someone until you step inside their skin and walk around a little,” he is instructing his children in the importance of observing the commonalities among people. This lesson is intended to teach the children a tolerance for differences in order to avoid prejudice and racism. Prejudice and racism were rampant, disconcerting qualities that plagued their community, which is set in the