Question

In about 200 words, describe Boo Radley's motivation in the novel. What does he want, and how does he try to achieve

Answer 1

Boo Radley is a shy, very lonely man who desperately wants friends but is much too scared to reach out to anyone. Though many of the children and adults are fascinated with Boo, none of them are particularly friendly with him throughout the novel. He is mainly motivated by his intense desire for companionship. After his disturbed youth, he had been isolated from society, this starts a rumor about him, furthering peoples avoidance of him. “Inside the house lived a malevolent phantom. People said he existed, but Jem and I had never seen him. People said he went out at night when the moon was down, and peeped in windows (ch 1, p. 5)”
Boo is seen as predatory so he is avoided by almost everyone.
(ALMOST)
When the children sneak onto his property, Boo laughs and is amused by them. After this, he begins leaving them treats and gifts in the empty knot of a tree. He leaves things like chewing gum and small figurines. (This is him trying to achieve the connection he wants)