To Kill a Mockingbird

Learning to know someone

Judging a person before knowing the real person can be both painful and damaging to the person being judged. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Boo was symbolic of a mockingbird. The mystery of someone can often lead to misguided thoughts when you let your imagination run wild.

Boo's lifestyle was unknown to people and this caused them to speculate about him and make assumptions. Atticus told Scout "You were so busy looking at the fire you didn't know it when he put the blanket around you."Lee pg72. Atticus was explaining to Scout that when she was watching the fire Boo put a blanket around her. This shows that Boo cared about the children and that he puts the children in front of himself. After Boo saved the children Atticus said "Thank you for my children, Arthur."pg276. Atticus is thanking Boo for saving his children because he put his own life in jeopardy to save them. Scout said "Boo was our neighbor. He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good-luck pennies, and our lives."pg 278. This shows that Boo was a nice person he gave the children gifts and did not even want anything in return. Once they toke the time to walk in Boo's skin and shoes they realized he was not the person they thought he was.

When you do not know things about a person or their life style you should not assume the worse. Boo was not looking for anything in return for his good deeds he just wanted to be a friend. Passing judgment on someone like Boo and not getting to know him is like committing a sin.