Saturday, 17 January 2015

What education did Boo Radley have in To Kill a Mockingbird?

In his
younger days, Arthur "" Radley was something of a juvenile delinquent. He got himself
involved in a gang with the Cunningham boys. They weren't exactly what you might call hardened
criminals, but they used to get up to all kinds of mischief all the same.

The
worst thing they did was to lock Mr. Conner, the town beadle, in the court outhouse. For this
wanton act of public disorder, Boo and the other boys were hauled up in front of a judge. Boo's
co-defendants were sent to the state industrial school, a kind of juvenile offenders' institute
that provided many poor boys with a welcome supply of food and a roof over their
heads.

As for Boo, he's spared this particular punishment. His father
intercedes with the judge, promising him that if he lets young Arthur go, he, Mr. Radley, will
see to it that his son will cause no further trouble. As the judge knows that Mr. Radley's word
is his bond, he lets Boo go.

Whereas the other boys in Boo's gang received
the best secondary education to be had in the state, Boo himself was shut away inside the Radley
residence, never to be seen again for another fifteen years. We don't know for sure, but
whatever education that Boo receivedif indeed he did receive any educationmust have taken place
at home.

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