To Kill a Mockingbird Group

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ashleyxrocks
ashleyxrocks
Student
High School - 9th Grade

What are five personality traits that describe Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird?

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Posted by ashleyxrocks on Monday May 18, 2009 at 7:26 PM and tagged with arthur radley, boo, boo radley, characteristics, characterization, characters, dill, jem, lee, scout, to kill a mockingbird, traits.

Answers:

  1. pepsiq15
    pepsiq15 Teacher
    High School - 9th Grade

    Five personality traits that describe Boo Radley would be innocent, protective, courageous, scary, and clever.

    Boo Radley is quite innocent with the fact that he never steps outside the doors of his house in Maycomb County.  He is protective because as the novel progresses, we see how he helps Scout and Jem throughout numerous events that transpire.  He is courageous because he knows that if people saw him leave his house they would be all over him; interested to see him.  He is scary and somewhat mysterious because no one has seen him for quite some time now.  Various rumors about Boo and his life have spread throughout the novel.  And lastly, Boo although  he is not seen much, is quite clever with the fact that he leaves little objects inside the hole of the tree for Jem and Scout.  It seems as though he plans what items he will leave-- however, once his brother patches up the hole, the objects then stop.  However, that does not stop Boo from helping/gaining two friendships with Jem and Scout. 

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    Posted by pepsiq15 on Monday May 18, 2009 at 7:46 PM

  2. ms-charleston-yawp
    ms-charleston-yawp Teacher
    High School - 11th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    How about shy, enigmatic, misunderstood, thoughtful, and brave?  Boo is shy because he hides in his home to escape what is sure to be curious (at best) and evil (at worst) torments about his condition.  Ironically, curious children (such as Scout, Jem, and Dill) are the ones who coax Boo out into the real world.  Boo is enigmatic because no one really knows why Boo acts the way he does.  Every strange and horrible activity that Boo participates in is hearsay:  eating domesticated animals, stabbing folks with scissors, and being a general "monster."  It turns out, of course, that Boo is simply misunderstood, never having been given an outlet for his true personality of thoughtfulness and bravery.  Boo begins to prove himself as thoughtful when he leaves gifts for the children.  His thoughtfulness doesn't end there, however.  Boo also fixes Jem's pants, helps keep Scout warm by the fire, and most importantly saves the children from being murdered by Bob Ewell.  It is that last element of thoughtfulness that meanders into the characteristic of bravery.  Anyone would have to be brave to stand up someone like Bob Ewell.  Boo Radley became a brave man at that moment.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/mockingbird/characters

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    Posted by ms-charleston-yawp on Monday May 18, 2009 at 8:24 PM