To Kill a Mockingbird is definitely an excellent novel in that

it portrays life and the role of racism in the 1930’s. A reader may

not interpret several aspects in and of the book through just the

plain text. Boo Radley, Atticus, and the title represent three such

things.

Not really disclosed to the reader until the end of the book,

Arthur "Boo" Radley plays an important role in the development of

both Scout and Jem. In the beginning of the story, Jem, Scout, and

Dill fabricate horror stories about Boo. They find Boo as a character

of their amusement, and one who has no feelings whatsoever. They

tried to get a peep at him, just to see what Boo looked like. Scout

connects Boo with the Mockingbird. Mrs. Maudie defines a mockingbird

as one who "…don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They

don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corncribs, they don’t do

one thing but sing their hearts out for us" (94). Boo is exactly

that. Boo is the person who put a blanket around Scout and Jem when

it was cold. Boo was the one putting "gifts" in the tree. Boo even

sewed up Jem’s pants that tore on Dill’s last night. Boo was the one

who saved their lives. On the contrary to Scout’s primary belief, Boo

never harms anyone. Scout also realizes that she wrongfully treated

Boo when she thinks about the gifts in the tree. She never gave

anything back to Boo, except love at the end. When Scout escorts

Arthur home and stands on his front porch, she sees the same street

she saw, just from an entirely different perspective. Scout learns

what a Mockingbird is, and who represents one.

Arthur Radley not only plays an important role in developing

Scout and Jem, but helps in developing the novel. Boo can be divided

into three stages. Primitively, Boo is Scout’s worst nightmare.

However, the author hints at Boo actually existing as a nice person

when he places things in the tree. The secondary stage is when Mrs.

Maudie’s house burned to the ground. As Scout and Jem were standing

near Boo’s house, it must have been rather cold. So, Boo places a

warm and snug blanket around Scout and Jem, to keep them warm. This

scene shows Boo’s more sensitive and caring side of him, and shows

that he really has changed after stabbing his father. The last and

definitely most important stage is when he kills Bob Ewell to save

Scout and Jem. This stage portrays Boo as the hero and one who has

indefinitely changed his personality and attitudes. After the final

stage, Boo does not deserve to be locked up inside his house.

Atticus Finch is a man of strong morals. He follows them

exclusively, and does not hold up to the Finch family name, as defined

by Aunt Alexandria. Atticus is the most pure and good-hearted person

one may ever `see.` Although it does not seem like it, Scout will

evolve into her father; Jem will not. Scout finally understand all

the things he says. For example, in the beginning Atticus tells

Scout, "You never really understand a person until you consider things

from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around

in it" (34). She then realizes that Mrs. Caroline did not know

Maycomb, and could not just learn it in one day. Scout comes to terms

that it was wrong to become upset with Mrs. Caroline. Scout learns

several other lessons. For example, on page 94, Atticus says his

most important line in the book, "…remember it’s a sin to kill a

mockingbird." Through clarifications from Mrs. Maudie, Scout accepts

her father’s words. Atticus also teaches his kids a lesson when he

defends Tom Robinson, an innocent black person. Although Atticus knew

from the instant he accepted the case that Tom had no chance, he had

to do his duty as an honest and impartial citizen of Maycomb. Atticus

poured his heart into defending Atticus, and did a damn fine job. He

taught his kids the right thing, that all individuals are created

equal. If Aunt Alexandria had raised Scout and Jem, they might have

not cried at the end of the trial; they would not want to hurt the

Finch family reputation. It was Atticus who received a standing

ovation from the Black’s Balcony. It is because of Atticus’ good

heart that Cal's black church accepted the children. Atticus has

probably built a better name for his family than Aunt Alexandria would

have, had she lived with the Finches.

Before reading To Kill a Mockingbird, the title itself means

nothing. The title is the foundation of a house. It is just a slob

of cement, and cannot be interpreted. While reading the book, pieces

of wood fit together and the house starts to stand up. After reading

the book, the house is fully painted and decorated. The landscaping

is complete, and the house is beautiful. Several things and people

represent the "Mockingbird" throughout the novel. The understanding

of the "Mockingbird" can bee seen in three steps. The first step is

in chapter 10. Atticus tells Jem to never shoot a mockingbird,

because it causes no harm. At this point, neither Jem nor Scout

understand what Atticus is saying. Secondly, Scout finds a roly-poly

in chapter 25. In answer to Scout’s desire to kill the bug, Jem says,

"Because they don’t bother you…" (241). At this second stage, Jem,

not yet Scout, has understood Atticus’ holy words. The last depiction

is in the final chapters of the book. This "Mockingbird" is Arthur

"Boo" Radley. Boo ends up to save both Jem and Scout’s lives, by

killing Bob Ewell. At this final stage in the book, Scout, as well as

Jem, understands Atticus and his saying. Scout realizes life.

To Kill a Mockingbird is a very inspirational book. Not only is it a

book for pleasure, it shows us today how far we have come, and yet the

long journey ahead. Boo Radley and Atticus were very important

characters, for both the developments of kids in the book and reader.

The title is something that can be interpreted in many ways. Each

one will be different, based on the reader’s philosophy and beliefs. -JM