Why do the children make Boo’s story into a game? The children were just bored and innocent. They didn’t realize they were doing anything wrong.

Boo Radley

The Boo Radley game is one played by Jem, Scout, and Dill throughout the first part of the book. They create the game to keep themselves occupied during their long summer breaks from school. It is called the Boo Radley game because they constantly come up with stories about the Radley family and act them out.

Why? Atticus tells the children not to play the Boo Radley game because what Mr. Radley did was his business; if he wanted t0 come out, he would. Atticus said to stop making fun of him, laughing at him, and putting his life’s history on display for the edification of the neighborhood.

What risky behavior do Scout and Jem engage in? Trying to get Boo Radley to come out of his house.

What is Scout’s “policy” on fighting? She would not fight publicly for Atticus, but she would fight anybody in her family for Atticus. Who teaches Jem and Scout to use their air-rifles?

Dill and Scout are friends because they are close in age, and Dill asks her to “marry” him. Charles Baker Harris, also known as Dill, is Scout and Jem’s neighbor in the summer when he comes to stay with his Aunt Rachel. He is six years old when they first meet him. He is proud that he can read.

Acceptable behaviors consist of socializing with neighbors, attending church and community functions, working to earn a living, getting along with citizens, and following the laws.

Lesson Summary Scout Finch is a character with a memorable personality. She is an outspoken tomboy who will fight when she thinks she is right. Scout is also a girl who loses her innocence as the novel progresses.

How does Atticus react to the game? What does his reaction tell us about his character? he discourages them from meeting Boo. Atticus is forgiving and believes that Boo and his family should be given privacy.

Jem is Scout’s older brother and when the novel begins he is ten years old. Because he is older than Scout he matures more quickly and sometimes understands issues she does not. Jem is less hot tempered than Scout but there is one moment in the novel when the reader sees him lose control of his emotions.

Jem, along with all the children, are mockingbirds. They are not only innocent, but they have good hearts. They want to do good. For example, Jem invites Walter Cunningham for a meal, when he and Scout were fighting.

As the novel progresses, Jem begins to mature and hits puberty. Once Jem hits puberty, he begins spending less time with Scout and more time with Dill. His attitude also changes as he begins to act more supercilious and aloof towards Scout, which is something she resents.

Jem Jem Finch loses his innocence when he realizes that not everything in the world is good. After the trial Tom Robinson was found guilty, because it was his word against a white man’s, Jem realized that not everyone is as good of person as he thought they were. He lost his innocence when he was just a kid.

Atticus says that the only think that Mayella had done wrong, was to tempt (flirt with) a black man “and not an uncle but a young, strong black man”, and her father saw it. Now she is trying to erase the crime that she has done with another, by claiming that an innocent man (Tom) had sexually assaulted (raped) her.

Dolphus Raymond tells them his secret because they are children and the harsh reality of the world hasn’t caught up with them. They are children and can see the unfairness of how white people treat black people. He saw how upset Dill was about the way Tom was treated by Mr. Gilmer.

Mr. Dolphus Raymond reveals that he is drinking from a paper sack. He commiserates with Dill and offers him a drink in a paper bag. Dill slurps up some of the liquid and Scout warns him not to take much, but Dill reveals to her that the drink isn’t alcoholic—it’s only Coca-Cola.