Boo Radley's Transformation

In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses a multitude of characters to assist Scout as she slowly matures to the likeness of Maycomb County. During the third chapter, Lee takes advantage of Atticus’s role as a father to drop a bit of advice for Scout’s future. The piece of moral advice Atticus passes down can be found in this specific quote, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (pg. 30). Scout doesn’t truly put his words into action until the resolution of the plot leading to her character development in the entire story. The analysis of the quote, “You never really understand a person … until you climb into his skin and walk around
Scout grew up to the mystery of Boo Radley as she often heard rumors and gossip throughout town. Boo Radley was feared among the children and frowned upon by the adults, but the moment he saved Jem from Mr. Ewell everything changed, especially Scout’s perspective. When Scout met him she realized the gossip was mostly misunderstandings, but even so, she noticed that Boo Radley was much simpler than what Maycomb saw him out to be. In Scout’s eyes, he was only a lonely man with no friends. When Scout walked alongside Boo Radley, leading him back home, something changed within her when she stepped onto the Radley’s porch. One of the similarities between the book and movie is the quote that was said during this distinctive scene, “Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough.” (pg. 279) This quote relates back to Atticus’s words in chapter three, “You never really understand a person...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (pg. 30), but this time, Scout finally succeeds in understanding a different perspective of the world for the first time. When she turns back and walks down the street, she sees the town in a completely new light, almost as if she is looking at it through Radley’s eyes. While she goes down the road the book reads, “I
Although this quote was directed towards Scout, Atticus, the one who said it, also had a thorough association to it as well. Not only that, but Scout also takes this segment of the book into consideration when she first comes into contact with Boo Radley. The quote, “You never really understand a person … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (pg. 30), presents foreshadowing for both Atticus and Scout ultimately leading to the trial scene and Scout’s meeting with Boo Radley. Lee not only takes advantage of the roles of specific characters, but also takes quotes with straightforward meanings and turns them into an aid for well thought out, complex, and consequential moments throughout the