's
public identity has been created by the people of Maycomb. However, it is a false identity and
by no means an accurate expression of who he really is. He is a local legend, a bogeyman, a
shadowy figure constructed out of scraps of gossip and hearsay. Inevitably, then, he is
subjected to prejudice and general incomprehension. Because people do not know the real Boo, all
they have is the Boo of legend, the scary, weird guy who needs to be hidden away from
"respectable" society.
The children also initially participate in
the general prejudice toward Boo. They act out what they imagine to be scenes from his life;
they creep up to the door of the Radley residence to try to get a glimpse of him. Children can
be very cruel, particularly to those who are different in any way, so Boo is an ideal figure for
sport. Yet, it is the children who eventually come to see a side of Boo that the adults never
get to see. It is instructive that he tries to reach out to
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