Harper Lee decided to use these details because this is the first time in the book where Boo had been introduced in person. It was also the first time when Scout was able to see and understand what Boo was like face to face outside of the rumors and myths about his appearance. Boo Radley’s description has very darkened and had sad colors in them which matches the overall mood of the current time in the Finches house. “... his gray eyes were so colorless I thought he was blind. His hair was dead and thin, almost feathery on the top of his head” (362). At this point in the book Jem is injured and unconscious and Scout is out of sorts too. Scout and Jem had been through things at such a young age and everybody was a little shocked by the situation. At this point everyone was feeling gray and out of the sorts which is how Boo feels everyday. Boo feels like he is in the ordinary for the first time in the book because everyone was able to empathize with what he feels like.
I agree that Boo Radley’s description matches the characters mood in the book. He is described as very colorless and frightened. Harper Lee writes “... his palms slipped slightly, leaving greasy sweat steaks on the wall… a strange small spasm shook him.” (Lee 362). I think this quote shows how Boo Radley is feeling about being outside of his house. He is very frightened and uncomfortable, and his body language shows it. Boo Radley is scared to what people might think of him and of new things. Boo Radley who was viewed by Maycomb as a scary person who ate squirrels turned out to be a hero.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on how the quote you used made him sound dark. I aslo agree with you on how you said that scout had never witnessed him face to face without the rumors. Boo was a mockingbird in this scene because he was sort of layed off and didn't care about much going on in may-comb. He's also like a garudian angel because although people barely know about his life doesn't mean he doesn't know about anything in the outside world if he didn't save scout and jem they might have dies
ReplyDeleteI believe that Harper Lee decided to use a lot of detail to describe Boo, because this is the first time that we are being introduced to him. Throughout the entire novel, Boo had been described a s a very cruel and scary character when in fact he is quite the opposite. When they first meet, Scout describes Boo, “... his gray eyes were so colorless I thought he was blind. His hair was dead and thin, almost feathery on the top of his head” (362). This quote makes Boo seem harmless and mysterious. There are many secrets that we do not know about him. Boo saved Jem and Scout from nearly certain death. From this we realise that indead he is not at all what the children had pictured him to be.
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