If Scout didn't fall asleep behind the stage she may not have forgotten her shoes therefor Jem and Scout would not have had to go back and get them. If Scout hadn't fallen asleep and left her shoes behind the stage they wouldn't have waited and thought about going back and getting them allowing Bob Ewell to catch up to them. Also, this may be a blessing in disguise because it is very possible that Mr. Ewell would have attempted to murder Jem and Scout on a different occasion. "I sat down, listened to Mrs. Merriweather's drone and the bass drum's boom and was soon fast asleep," (346). This is where Scout most likely left her shoes and where she was not even aware of the fact she did not have her shoes. "Your fat streaks are showin," (349) If Scout had not dressed like a ham it is likely she would not have had glitter on her allowing "Bob Ewell" to identify where she and her brother were located. The lesson learned here from Harper Lee is that Boo Radley may have been watching over Jem and Scout for a long time, although they were unaware of it. Also, she is showing that Boo Radley is very shy and chose not to leave his house very frequently, but that he did so on occasions when he thought Atticus's kids might be in danger.
Do you Atticus know Boo Radley? If so how and are they friends? Do you consider Jem lucky to only have a broken arm and a bump on his head and for Scout to not be injured?
To answer your question Andrew, I do believe that Atticus does Know Boo Radley. In an earlier chapter in the book, it shows Atticus's past when he shoots the dog. I think Harper Lee mentions this to bring up his past, and that Boo was involved in it. Also whenever Scout mentions Boo, Atticus tells her to leave him alone. I think this is him trying to hide his past from his kids.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Atticus Certainly knew Boo, Rory, but I don't see any reason for Atticus to hide his past with Boo from Scout and Jem. Boo may be an grown man, but Atticus is definitely older than he is, so he would only have known him as the neighbor's son. Furthermore, I don't believe that there is the scene with the dog to bring up Atticus's past, but to show the other side of the calm lawyer.
DeleteAnd, to answer your other question Andrew, I don't think that they were friends, because as I said before, Atticus would have known him as the neighbor's son. He may have been on good terms, but he was not a childhood friend.
I agree that Atticus knows Boo, but I think that they were childhood friends. Atticus always gets annoyed when Jem and Scout bring up Boo, so I think that during Atticus' childhood, when he was the deadliest shot in Maycomb, he and Boo got into trouble that could have caused Boo to be outcast. I do think Jem was lucky to just break his arm because Mr. Ewell was out to kill Jem and Scout so it was lucky for them Boo was there to help. For Scout she is even more lucky that she was wearing the costume because if not she probably would have been hurt.
ReplyDeleteIf Scout was not wearing the costume would she have been killed or hurt? What will the towns reaction be to the death of Mr. Ewell?
The idea that Atticus and Boo had once gotten into trouble and caused Boo to become an outcast is brilliant. Also, had Scout not been wearing the costume, I believe that she may have easily been maimed or killed. Bob Ewell was, as the saying goes, "in it to win it", except rather than winning he was determined to kill the Finch children. Bob wanted to make Atticus regret every single piece of evidence that Atticus found against him. To the point of the costume; since the costume was a plump object, a ham, it clearly cushioned any blow that she could have taken, be it falling or being stabbed.
DeleteI believe that there will be some commotion, but not a ordeal like the Tom Robinson case was. Arthur (Boo), will most likely be applauded by those who hated the Ewells, and then put on trial. Considering Arthur has been ostracized for most of his life, odds are the public would be against him and would not bat an eyelid to see him found guilty for murdering Bob Ewell.
Will Arthur Radley go on trial for killing Bob Ewell? Or will he be pardoned because he was defending the Finch children?
I disagree with Ross. I don't think Atticus and Boo were friends at all. I simply think that Atticus is kind and polite (almost in an inhumanly impossible way) to everyone. This is why he was so courteous to Tom. Is wasn't becuase he and Tom were old childhood friends, or becuase he had any part in Tom's problems, it was just because Atticus is, well, Atticus. Atticus and Boo didn't seem particularly friendly, no more so than Atticus and Miss Dubose were, and Miss Dubose was evil and hated Atticus! Atticus is an all and all well-rounded and nice guy; that doesn't mean he has a hidden past with everyone.
ReplyDeleteIn answer to Gautam's first question, no. Boo will not be brought to trial for the murder of Bob Ewell. The main reason is Maycomb doesn't really care that Bob died. The important reason, however, is because Sheriff Tate made a point in covering up the real happenings that went on under the oak tree (by the way kudos to Harper Lee for having all that happen under the oak tree, she's a genius!). I think that Tate's deed of kindness to Boo was amazing. We have always seen Tate as a relatively neutral character- he's no Atticus, but he's not a Ewell either. It was surprising to see him cover up the truth like that, and it was particularly optimistic on Harper Lee's part. She is showing that Maycomb is gently easing out of it's one-sided racist thinking, and Maycomb is looking rather promising and hopeful (or Atticus-ful) for Scout's generation.