In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the relationship between innocence and guilt is an extremely thin line. The two most innocent characters in this novel (Tom Robinson and Boo Radley), get vilified and condemned for pure concern, helpfulness, and support. Within the book, Atticus, the father within the story that holds morals and is at the top of the pecking order in Maycomb, states that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird: "Atticus said to Jem one day, 'I'd rather you shot at tin cans in the backyard, but I know you'll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.'"That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie …show more content…
They assign characteristics to Boo without any purpose but entertainment and peculiarness; they want to see Boo not as their neighbor, but as an ugly, twisted, mutant, with a taste for eating rodents and cats. Watching the injustice that Tom suffers from being a black man in a white world helps the children understand why Boo may choose to be a recluse. "Scout, I think I'm beginning to understand something. I think I'm beginning to understand why Boo Radley's stayed shut up in the house all this time... it's because he wants to stay inside." (Lee, 117) Boo chooses to not engage with people in Maycomb. Perhaps because of how distasteful and judgemental everyone is. But it turns out only the ugly side of humanity can actually drag Boo out, when he sees Bob Ewell attacking the Finch …show more content…
Since no one saw it (except, presumably, Boo), there's no way to know for certain. Rather than drag Boo into court, Tate decides to "let the dead bury their dead" (Lee, 160). Weirdly, Tate seems less concerned about the negative outcomes for Boo than the positive ones. This shows that he cares about Boo’s wellbeing and reputation. This is a pinnacle part of the book because not many people care about Boo’s reputation or feelings. In fact, a lot would think they were doing Boo a favor by lionizing him. Tate was thinking from Boo’s perspective. He understood that Boo wouldn’t like spotlight, good or bad. Tom, on the other hand, needed only positive spotlight but was receiving only negative attention. Sadly, it was for a reason he couldn't control: his skin