Who Is Boo Radley's Death In To Kill A Mockingbird

Based upon To Kill a Mockingbird as well as “How Southern Socialites Rewrote Civil War History,” one can conclude that stories prove powerful, as they allow the storyteller to impose his will upon others. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the story of Boo Radley’s death proves powerful, as Jem utilizes it to impose his will on Scout, forcing her to take part in his play. Jem accomplishes this action by developing a dismissive tone towards Scout’s trepidation, as evidenced when he states, “He (Boo Radley) died years ago, and they (Boo Radley’s family) stuffed him up the chimney” (Lee 51). Here, Jem references the image of a chimney, an item associated with allowing smoke to exit a structure, preserving the safety of those inside. In much the same way, Jem states that Boo Radley’s family places him up a figurative chimney, thus eliminating the threat that he poses to Maycomb residents. By

This reverence, in turn, allows Dill to impose his will upon the Finch children, rendering his story powerful. For instance, Scout reflects upon her notions of inferiority in relation to Dill by characterizing his father, as evidenced when she states, “Dill’s father was taller than ours, had a black beard (pointed), and was president of the L&N Railroad” (Lee 48). In this statement, “father” maintains an association with notions of dominance, and “taller” as well as “president” relate to ideas of superiority. Though the Finch children maintain the same social status as Dill, he leads them to believe otherwise, as his diction instills notions of perceived inferiority in his newfound friends. Thus, Dill shares this tale, as he desires for Jem and Scout to view him with respect and admiration. Such views allow Dill to impose his will upon the Finch children, as they believe that he exhibits wisdom and life