Dill, through his curious and innovative character, also helps to heighten and shed light on the mystery around the Radley house. "'Let's try to make him come out," said Dill. "I'd like to see what he looks like.'" Jem said if Dill wanted to get himself killed, all he had to do was go up and knock on the front door. Our first raid came to pass only because Dill bet Jem The Gray Ghost against two Tom Swifts that Jem wouldn't get any farther than the Radley gate. In all his life, Jem had never declined a dare. (p.13)
Furthermore, on top of all the misjudgments brought on by the children, Radley is discriminated upon by the general public. "People said he went out at night when the moon was down, and peeped in windows. When people's azaleas froze in a cold snap, it was because he breathed on them. Any stealthy small crimes committed in Maycomb were his work." (p.9) At this point, Radley's impressions are clearly outlined as being extremely unfavorable and highly discriminatory of his nature. Perhaps it is by the children's burning desire to understand Radley, that their impressions of him evolve. In the first part of the novel, the first impressions of Radley are made. Though they are not easily forgotten or changed, they are progressively altered, making Radley's true nature reveal itself. Evidently, it is Atticus who first tries to discourage the children from their fantasies about the Radley's, but, through the events with Jem's pants, the neighborhood fire and the presents in the tree, the children themselves begin to realize that Radley is more of a friend than a villain. Although Atticus' attempt at dissuasion is not totally successful, it is aided by Miss Maudie who helps Scout make an important realization: "Do you think they're true, all those things they say about Mr. Arthur?" "What things?" I told her... "No, child," she said, "that is a sad house. I remember Arthur Radley when he was a boy. He always spoke nicely to me, no matter what folks said he did. Spoke as nicely as he knew how." (p.46) Here, Scout realizes that her opinions and judgments of Radley may not be all that accurate. This message said by Miss Maudie, a highly respected figure by the children, ignites the evolution of Scout’s impressions of Radley. In the incident with Jem's pants, the children again come to the realization that their former opinions of Radley are probably not completely true: In the children's attempt to get a better view of the Radley's, they are spotted and scared off by Nathan Radley's shot gun. In their haste, Jem's pants are caught on the fence, and left behind. That night, when Jem returns to reclaim his pants, he is overwhelmed. Later, he explains the events to Scout: "When I went back for my breeches they were all tangle when I was gettin' out of 'em, I couldn't get 'em loose. When I went back.." Jem took a deep breath. "When I went back, they were folded across the fence... like they were expectin' me." "Show you when we get home. They'd been sewed up. Not like a lady sewed 'em, like something I'd try to do (p.58). Here is the beginning of a serious change of "heart" towards Radley. Though he still seems mysterious, the children's fears are slowly diminished. The next indication of a "friendship" with Radley, comes when objects start to mysteriously appear in a tree knot-hole near the Radley's house. The hole, at first is thought to be a child's secret hiding place, but soon that notion is discarded and the children begin to claim the objects: a ball of twine, an arrowhead knife, a stick of chewing gum, Indian head pennies, a pocket watch, a spelling medal and silk carvings. Less than two weeks later we found a whole packet of chewing gum, which we enjoyed, the fact that everything on the Radley place was poison having slipped Jem's memory. The following week the knot-hole yielded a tarnished medal. Jem showed it to Atticus, who said it was a spelling medal, that before we were born the Maycomb County schools had spelling contests and awarded medals to the winners. (p.60) The finding and accepting of objects in the Radley's symbolizes that the children have begun to trust and accept Radley as a more of a friend. As Scout mentions in the quote, Jem even forgets about his original fear that everything on the Radley lot is poisoned. The following good deed by Radley is at the neighborhood fire. As the children are standing outside in the cool night, someone, presumably Radley, unnoticeably slips a blanket around Scout. "Someday, maybe Scout can thank him for covering her up." "Thank who?" I asked. "Boo Radley. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn't know it when he put the blanket around you." (p.71-72) These small acts of kindness set the stage for the last and final phase of the novel which truly distinguishes Radley as the hero of To Kill a Mockingbird. It is only in the end of the novel, and through Radley's act of courage and heroism, that the children realize his true nature. Through his kindness, love and devotion to the children, he saves their lives and teaches them an invaluable lesson. Near the end of the novel, on their way home from a pageant, the children are attacked by Bob Ewell. Ewell, with full
intention to kill the children, is stopped and killed by Boo Radley. The rescuing of the children's lives is seen as an act of courage and strength which truly distinguishes Radley the hero of the novel. It is at this point, that Scout finally understands that Radley's intentions were not evil but good. Through his act of heroism, Radley is accepted as a friend. Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good luck pennies, and our lives. But neighbors give in return. We never put back into the tree what we took out of it: we had given him nothing, and it made me sad. (p.278) This is a very special realization for Scout, she acknowledges Radley's good nature and kindness. She realizes that Radley had given them their lives, the most important gift of all. Radley has indeed found a place in the children's hearts, and through his natural goodness he comes out as the true hero of To Kill a Mockingbird. Scout probably learns an invaluable lesson through all
of this: never prejudge others, because first impressions, although usually lasting impressions, are not always the true impressions. Through many fundamental stages in the novel, the character of Boo Radley is slowly unraveled depicting his true self. From looking at first impressions, evolving, growing and changing impressions, Radley's character is gradually exposed. This growth and process of change makes the children realize that prejudgment of people generally inaccurately and negatively represents an individual. There is an important lesson to be learned from this novel: never prejudge people based on limited knowledge and generalize on first impressions, because these often hinder more than help. Perhaps it is also important to remember that the first impressions of Boo Radley portrayed him as a villain, and yet truly he was quite the opposite of that. Maybe if we stop prejudging others we will see something entirely different in them. We should never ignorantly prejudge others, for these people end up being the true heroes of our world.
