In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird the main theme is not racism or that it focuses on the trial, but the book’s real main theme is how Scout grows up into a mature and decorous young woman from innocent child. Nothing in the novel is a better symbol of her development than Boo Radley’s character and how she views him. At the beginning of the book, Scout’s opinion on Boo Radley’s image and character is shrouded by myths and rumors that she hears from adults and children alike. He is like the not real monster in Scout’s closet. However, when she begins to see the ugly reality of people around her then she realizes the real monsters are the anger and hate and xenophobia living in those around …show more content…
When Dill, Jem, and Scout discuss the rumors they hear about Boo, Jem gives a description of the mystery man: "Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that's why his hands were bloodstained—if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time"(16). This description indicates that the children assign characteristics to Boo without validation; they want to see Boo not as their neighbor, but as scary, creepy monster, showing Scout's immaturity at the beginning of the novel. While Dill describes Dracula, he also says he is fascinated by Boo Radley. Then he tells a story he heard about Boo:"His father entered the room. As Mr. Radley passed by, Boo drove the scissors into his parent’s leg, pulled them out, wiped them on his pants, and resumed his activities."(9). This rumor indicates that Scout has not credible sources, resulting in her judging a book by it´s cover and not it´s character. This also exemplifies lack of