Chapter 6/7: Why do the children play the radley game? What does it reveal about them? (together and in a group) Gillian Goddard
During the summer, Dill, Scout, and Jem played a game called “Boo Radley,” and it revealed a lot about the characters. “‘I know what. Let’s go for a walk,’” (Lee, 68) Dill said to Jem and Scout as he walked towards the Radley home. Dill had always been interested in Boo, but the game heightened his intrigue even more. Dill shows how when he is interested by something, he can’t stop thinking about it. Dill also pulls Jem into his obsession with Boo. As Jem grows closer to Dill and further from Scout, he also gets more interested in the Radleys. As they continue to play the game, Jem’s curiosity around Boo grows. He also starts to convince Scout into contributing to some of their plans. “‘Scout, I’m tellin’ you for the last time, shut your trap or go home-I declare to the Lord you’re gettin’ more like a girl every day!’” (Lee, 69) Everytime Scout threatens to tell Atticus about their game or plans, Jem forces her not to by offending her or pressuring her. As Scout gets dragged into these plans, she gets worse and worse at pushing back against her brother. “Dill and Jem were simply going to peep in the window with the loose shutter to see if they could get a look at Boo Radley, and if I didn’t want to go with them I could go home and keep my fat flopping mouth shut.” (Lee, 69) At first, Scout is completely against the idea, but as Jem begins to tell her how she is too much of a girl, she gives in. Though she doesn’t believe that torturing Boo is the right thing to do, she goes along with it so that she can fit in with the other children. When each of the children are alone, they are terrified of the Radleys, but when in a group they feel that they must be brave.
The Radley game added to the rumors around the Radleys and made Scout feel like she had to go along with it all. They played the game to establish that they weren’t afraid of the Radleys and to make up more stories about Boo. The game made them even more obsessed with the mystery behind the family, and they added to the rumors fear that was already circulating around the Radleys.
I agree with everything you said but I would also like to add that Scout is more aware of her actions then Jem and Dill. Jem and Dill do not think of the consequences of their actions, but Scout thinks of what Atticus would do if he found out. Scout may be younger, but she is more conscientious. Dill and Jem think of her being more conscientious as being more like a girl. When the author writes, “‘Scout, I’m tellin’ you for the last time, shut your trap or go home-I declare to the Lord you’re gettin’ more like a girl every day!’” (Lee, 69). She is showing that Scouts good trait is portrayed as being more like a girl by the male characters in the book. When Jem says this, it is because Scout threatens to tell Atticus about their plans to find Boo Radley to confirm or not to confirm the rumors. Scout thinks before she does things and that is a good thing, but is taken as a bad thing by Jem and Dill.
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