To Kill A Mockingbird Friendship Analysis

Friendship while not everlasting can be achieved through even the slightest of kindnesses. The southern gothic To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee revolves around siblings Jem, Scout and their friend, Dill, and the events that unfold in their sleepy town of Maycomb. A friendship blossoms throughout the story between the trio and their neighbor, Boo Radley, but does not start that way. The relationship of the four changes over time in the book into friendship through the events that take place around them and the lessons the siblings learn about walking in someone else's shoes to understand them, while Dill begins to realize Boo was suffering like he was. The trio’s relationship with Boo is, at the start of the book, little to none as they …show more content…
In the early stages of Part 1, the two siblings discover a tree on the Radley property with objects in it, such as “two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good luck pennies, and our lives” (373), which they find over time, drawing a connection between themselves and Boo sparking a slight friendship unbeknownst to the three of them at the time. However, that connection is lost suddenly when Mr. Nathan Radley closes up the hole in the tree because,”Tree’s dying. You plug’em with cement when they’re sick” (83). The siblings are devastated when they see this, but find out Mr. Nathan plugged the tree and later, Jem asks Atticus if the tree was healthy, with him replying,”Why no, son I don’t think so” (84). Afterwards, Jem becomes suspicious that Mr. Nathan’s real reason for plugging the tree didn’t have so much to do with the “health” of the tree but rather some reason unknown to them. Another major event that helps to change their view on Boo is when they sneak on the Radley property to see Boo. Although, this plan does not go exactly the way they expect it to, upon getting past the fence the trio witness to a frightening sight beckoning them to run away. While running, Jem gets his pants caught on the fence they came through, in a panic, he abandons ship and leaves his pants for …show more content…
Had they not begun a friendship, Bob Ewell would have successfully attacked the kids, but because they became friends with Boo he was able to save them safely. Jane Austen also understood this reality of friendship when she said,“There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.” The stated quote reflects Boo’s feelings towards the kids, he is willing to save them because they are his friends not because they are kids who live around the

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