The “Radley Game” is Scout, Jem, and Dill’s eyes, is played
as an everyday imaginative activity. They play for fun and act out every detail
about the Radley family. This game shows the reader that these children really
collect all the gossip and rumors they hear about the Radley’s, and bring it to
life by acting out real people’s lives.
Boo Radley is a mystery to them, and Harper
Lee creates him to bring out many different sides to Scout, Jem, and Dill. The children
all have a brave side to them, when they “… were simply going to peep into the
window with the loose shutter to see if they could get a look at Boo Radley…”
(69), but they also have a childish side to them. That side came out when for
instance, “… Jem saw it. He put his arms over his head and went rigid.” (71)
Harper Lee uses Boo Radley to enhance the other characters personalities in the
book.
Do you
think the kids will keep exploring the stories of Boo Radley? Will they ever go
back to his house, or will they be too scared? Is Scout going to ever stand up
for what she believes is a good idea, or is she just going to keep being bossed
around and give in to Jem and Dill’s plans?
No, I don't feel that Scout and Jem Finch will keep exploring the life of the Radleys. The main reason for my view is that you can't be a kid forever, and Jem doesn't know this yet because as he says in the reading, the grades just get better as you get older. When Jem says this he doesn't mean it like that, but it can be interpreted like that. Jem also in this chapter become the role model for scout. As an example, he is the one now "risking his life" for a pair of pants.
ReplyDeleteDo you as the reader feel that Jem and Scout are Maturing throughout the book? Do you think that Dill is a good influence or a bad one on the two of them? Why?
I agree that the Radley Game is allowing certain traits in characters surface. The example that seems the most interesting to me is that of Jem’s personality.
ReplyDeleteJem has always been portrayed throughout the book as a strong, bossy, and controlling character. Though sometimes it's easy to forget that Scout is narrating, we need to keep in mind that everything in this book is unreliable: it's what Scout sees, in her warped views of the world that any six-year-old has. Scout worships Jem. She follows him without question. The Boo Radley Game is the first time when she really started to distance from him, but she faithfully came back. Her loyalty is that of a trusting little sister.
With this in mind, it was shocking to see Jem cry. “Jem’s breath came in sobs....”(60). This was when Jem was in fear of the shadow and was trying to escape the Radley’s yard. We know Jem is a character of great pride. Later in the chapter he overcomes his fear and recovers his pants from the Radley fence simply to avoid the risk of being beaten by Atticus. When Scout noticed Jem’s fear, she was too busy recounting all the action going on that she didn’t reflect on it. Harper Lee is showing that Scout is noticing Jem’s fear, but she purposely has Scout ignore it. Scout sees Jem in a way she hasn’t before, but she pushes it away from her immediate concerns. Does this remind you of anything else in the book? It reminds me of Jem commenting on Scout getting more ladylike all the time. Jem, and Scout, for that matter, both find this to be a bad thing. But doesn’t it seem like a normal thing?
In my opinion, the Boo Radley Game is a symbol for everything that helps kids grow up. The Radley Game is exposing not only the childish natures of these children, but also their deeper feelings: Jem’s fear, Scout’s worries of disobeying her father and ethics towards Boo, Dill’s inner brain and innovative nature, and all three of their skills as leaders. The fear and questioning and looming unknown mixed with the excitement and curiosity and eagerness that these children feel towards Boo Radley is a metaphor for what they feel, without knowing it, about growing up and entering adolescence. I think that the kids couldn’t stop playing the Boo Radley Game even if they tried.
Dill is a good influence on them because he is breaking Jem and Scout out of the "Maycomb Way." In Maycomb, people are kind to each other but never get into each other's business. One example of this is when Atticus is insists that Jem and Scout stay away from Boo Radley, while Dill was the one who had the idea to be kind to him and make him come out of "exile."
ReplyDeleteI think that since Boo's character is a "monster", the children will still wonder to the house every so often. Even though they were caught trying to give the letter to Boo they will keep on trying to communicate. I do not think that we will see signs of Boo every chapter from now on. I think that we will see him every other chapter later in the book.
ReplyDeleteI think that Scout and Jem will indeed go back to the Radley's house. They want to get as much information about them as possible so that Boo is no longer a mystery to the Finch family. This way, they can add more rolls and drama to the Radley Game. Though Jem is quite a bossy and controlling character, Scout respects him and doesn't want to interfere with his thoughts. I think that Dill is a good influence on the kids because they need a friend outside of Maycomb in order for them to not be so wrapped up on their own thoughts and branch out of the "Maycomb Way." No way would the kids be able to stop playing the Radley Game, in the dull city of Maycomb it is their only way of amusement.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that Atticus will ever find out about the Radley game? What would he do if and when he does find out?
Scout will stand up to Jem and Dill’s tyranny of their way or the highway. She is a free spirit who although is very set in the Maycomb way will not stand for eternally being told what to do and not only will she stop accepting Jem and Dill's bad ideas and plans but she will also start trying to make them see her reasoning. One can not simply boss around Scout, even now Jem still has to use the leverage that she is acting like a girl and being a "sissy". This tactic wouldn't even work on her if she was older because then by nature she would be more self confident and independent and would not let Jem sway her with petty comments like "your acting like a girl". She will stand up for herself and that will be a critical point in the book that Harper Lee will implement.
ReplyDelete