Boo intrigues the children because there is a sense of mystery and danger about him; he is ‘an unknown entity’, which attracts the kids in their naïvety.
Empathy is built for Boo, through Miss Maudie and his attempt at communications with the children. Miss Maudie’s line ‘His name’s Arthur and he’s still alive’ humansises the character who had been previously described as a ‘malevolent phantom’. Furthermore, by leaving extremely personal items such as his medal, or a pocketwatch, he is shown as caring. Also, the fact that he has taken the time to create whittled figurines of the children further humanises him, showing that he does possess feelings and the ability to care.
February 8, 2015 at 11:10 am
This is an effective exploration of Boo, comparing chapter one, five and seven to show some clear analysis. Your use of the term humanising works very well to describe the process happening for both the reader and the children in the novel.