Theme Of Imprisonment In To Kill A Mockingbird

In addition to showing how the poor are trapped in the social codes and classes of society, the imprisonment throughout the book also shows how those who are perceived as “different” are also unable to escape from their roles. This group is represented by Arthur, or “Boo,” Radley. In the beginning of the book, Boo’s past is explained, including how he was locked in the courthouse basement for supposedly stabbing his father in the leg with scissors. Scout recalls the story, explaining that the sheriff “hadn’t the heart to put him in jail alongside Negroes, so Boo was locked in the courthouse basement” (14). Scout also tells how after Boo had been locked up for a while, “Some of the town council told Mr. Radley that if he didn’t take Boo back, Boo would die of mold from the

Atticus said no, it wasn’t that sort of thing, that there were other ways of making people into ghosts” (14). The rumors about Boo solidify his place in people’s minds, and he is contained within this image of himself; he is unable to prove people wrong. Also, Boo is considered a “ghost” not only by his family, but also by everyone else in the town as well; he is forgotten about and seen as invisible. Nobody cares about him, and he is trapped in his loneliness. Later in the story, as the children are growing up and gaining a more solid understanding of the world around them, Boo’s imprisonment is thought of in a new way by Jem, who remarks, “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” (304). Here, the reader can think about how Boo’s “prison” could be partly of his own making. His life has been so difficult and he has been contained for so long that he has come to desire isolation and think of it as peace. Boo’s prison cell has become his home, and this is what makes it impossible for Boo to ever reach beyond his current situation. If he does not want to escape, then there is no way for him ever to be