Rumors are a big part of reality and they are a major theme in To Kill A Mockingbird. The rumors in the story are what makes the story because they are the basis for plot elements such as the personification of the Radley House and Tom Robinson’s trial. Many characters like Scout and Dolphus Raymond are explained through the rumors that go around in the town. Rumors are expressed throughout the novel as a way to teach the reader a lesson about believing what you hear. Harper Lee conveys this theme and lesson through Scout’s experiences regarding the trial. The rumors and gossip about the people and events in the town along with the intensity of the trial is what has the ultimate effect on Scout and the story.
The rumors about Boo Radley are what helps move the plot forward the most. The climax of the story is when Boo finally comes out of his house and Scout learns that the rumors she heard about him were not true. The reader first learns of Boo when Scout explains the rumors to Dill. She states, “The Radleys, welcome anywhere in town, kept to themselves, a predilection unforgivable in Maycomb… Jem said he ‘bought cotton,’ a polite term for doing nothing- but Mr. Radley and his wife had lived there with their two sons as long as anybody could remember”(Lee 10). The Radleys had a reputation in the town, especially Boo and this causes them to be
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The plot is accelerated through the gossip that surrounds the characters of To Kill A Mockingbird. The Finches, Boo Radley, Tom Robinson, and Dolphus Raymond have many rumors spread about them, and because of the gossip they are forced to change their lives. Although each of these characters goes through their challenges in a different way their struggles help to move the story forward. The rumors continue to play a role in the character’s lives and inside the lesson that is hidden within the