When Scout changes her view of the Radley place it shows how her world view has changed. At the beginning of the book, Scout sees Mr. Radley as “...a malevolent phantom. People said he existed, but Jem and I had never seen him” (Lee 9). Scout has never met Boo Radley and her only source of information are the farfetched folktales that the town believes in. When Scout is young she buys into the stories and believes that the Radley house is full of evil. Later she starts to see the Radley house through her own eyes. By seeing flickers of light inside the house and communicating with Boo through a knothole in a tree she gets to know Boo Radley. This shows her maturing because, as she grows up, she sheds the beliefs that her community has taught her and sees the world in her own way. She can now form her own opinions and understands Maycomb differently. However, when Scout says "The Radley Place had ceased to terrify me, but it was no less gloomy, no less chilly under its great oaks, and no less uninviting." (Lee 340) she acknowledges that the Radley place is still inhospitable to her. Scout has changed how she sees the Radley house by finding out who Boo Radley us for herself, however, she still carries part of her childhood fear of the house.
I agree with you. I also think that what Scout meant by "it was no less gloomy..."(Lee 340) is that the place itself hadn't changed, only Scout's opinion of it did. I also think that the reason she changed her opinion is because she really "considered things from his point of view"(Lee 39), as Atticus had told her to do at the beginning of the novel.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I also think that what Scout meant by "it was no less gloomy..."(Lee 340) is that the place itself hadn't changed, only Scout's opinion of it did. I also think that the reason she changed her opinion is because she really "considered things from his point of view"(Lee 39), as Atticus had told her to do at the beginning of the novel.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. As Scout has grown older through the novel, she has learned new information and also matured. At the beginning of the story, she believes the tales that circulates the town, "The Radley place was inhabited by an unknown entity the mere description of whom was enough to make us behave for days on end"(Lee 7). But throughout the story, Boo Radley gives the kids gifts and Scout begins to walk around in his skin and realize what life is like for him. While the is still scared of the Radley place, she is learning not to be afraid of Boo Radley, and what it must be like for him to be in the center of a rumor.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your post. Nothing about the Radley place has physically changed, but in Scout's opinion the people inside have. As Scout grew up in Maycomb she always heard folktales about the terrifying Boo Radley who "dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch"(Lee 16). Scout naturally believed the descriptions her brother gave merely out of trust. Throughout the book, Boo Radley and The Finch children bond through the knot hole and leaving Jem's folded pants on the fence to keep him from suspicion. While the Radley place is still haunting to the children, they are no longer afraid of Boo Radley.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with what you wrote in the sense that the quote, "The Radley Place had ceased to terrify me, but it was no less gloomy, no less chilly under its great oaks, and no less uninviting." (Lee 340) means that she is maturing. As she grows older she starts to experience very different things. She walked by this place everyday and she starts to hear different opinions on the matter. She also takes Atticus' advice to look at the situation from other people's perspectives.
ReplyDeleteHagar I disagree, I don't think that Scout is afraid because of childhood fear. I think the reason it is so gloomy is because it is deserted and they Radleys don't try and make it welcoming. When Scout says"The Radley Place had ceased to terrify me, but it was no less gloomy, no less chilly under its great oaks, and no less uninviting," (Lee 340). She is saying it is cold but not scary to her anymore. It is just quiet and gloomy and Scout now has no reason to fear it.
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