JustinKaltved Ms.Boes English10 9October2013 FearoftheUnknown AquotenotedearlyoninToKillAMockingbirdholdsalotofmeaningofthethemefear. Duringhisinauguraladdress,FranklinD.RooseveltstatedTheonlythingwehavetofearisfearitself. Fearisanunpleasantemotioncausedbythebeliefthatsomeoneorsomethingisdangerous,likelyto causepain,orathreat.Whenexperiencingafearfulsituation,peoplewilldoanythingtogetridofor overcomethatfear.Asanattempttodothis,peopleactinawaythatisnotnormaltothem.Theymay dothingsunexpectedorwrong.Therearemanythingsinthebookthatrepresentandcausefear throughoutMaycombandtherestoftheworld,butthemaintopicsoffearareBooRadley,Tom Robinsonscase,andBobEwell.HarperLeeprovesthatfearisverypresentinthelivesofthepeople oftheMaycombinToKillAMockingbird.

BooRadleyisnotpresentverymuchinthebook,yethestillcausesalotofpeoplefearand distress.Booneverparticipatesinsociety,youcouldcallhimahermit.Jem,Scout,andDillarescared ofBoo.Storiesthatweremadeuparethemaincauseofthisfear.TheyveneverseenBoo,sofearof theunknowncomesintoplay.JemdescribesBoolikethis:sixandahalffeettall,eatsrawsquirrelsand cats,bloodstainedhandsfromeatingthemeatraw,alongscaracrosshisface,yellowandrottenteeth, eyespopped,andhedrooledmostofthetime.Jemismakingthisupofcourse,hisdescriptionhetold wasmadeupfromstoriesthathehasheardfrompeople.JemdoesntactuallyknowwhatBoolooks like.Inturn,heinflictedfearintoDill,Scout,andhimself.Jem,Scout,andDillactouttheRadleyslives

duringthesummerwhentheyareplaying.Theydothisasawaytotrytounderstandwhattheirlivesare actuallylike.Atticusalwaystellsthemtotryonsomeoneelsesskinbeforemakingjudgementsabout theirlife.Boostartsoutasamonstertothekids,butendsupbeingaherotothem. Ablackmansupposivelyrapedawhitewoman,thisoneeventcausedsomanysideeventsthat resultedinfearformanypeople.ThemainreasonTomwasaccusedofthiscrimeisbecauseheis black.Whitepeopledidntwanttobeinnocentbecauseitwouldshowthatblacksandwhitesare becomingmoreequalamongeachother.Whitesdontwanttoacceptthefactthatblacksshouldbe treatedthesamebecausetheyfeartheunknown.Theycantacceptnewideasbecausetheyareafraid oftheresults.Thewhitepeopleseethemselvesasmoreimportantthantheblacksbecausetheyfavor theirownrace. BobEwellcausealotoffearinthisbook.HethreatensAtticusslifebecauseAtticustookthe casetodefendTom.Hetoldhimheisgoingtogetbackathimsomehowevenifittakeshiswholelife todoit.BobtriestogetbackatAtticusbytryingtokillhiskids,JemandScout.WhenJemandScout arewalkinghomefromtheschoolafterthepageantonhalloween,Jemkeepshearingsomeone followingthem.ThekidsthinkitwasCecilJacobsatfirst,butitendsupbeingBobEwell.Bobtriesto killthembothbutthekidsaresavedbysomeonenobodywouldhaveeverexpected,BooRadley.This eventisastrongexampleofwhyyoudontalwayshavetofeartheunknown,becausetheunknownis notalwaysfrightening.ThechildrenwereafraidofBoothewholebookbutonceBoosavesthem,they realizethatheisntabadguynorishescary.Heisjustmisunderstood. InToKillAMockingbird,HarperLeemakesitapparentthatfearisaverypopularemotion thatexistsineverybodyslives.Themaineventsandtopicsthatcausedthemostfearinthelivesof peopleinMaycombareBooRadley,TomRobinsonscase,andBobEwell.Fearisanemotionthat

everyoneexperiences,butthewayapersonhandlesthatfearhasamajorimpactontheoutcomeofa situationtheyarein.Fearisaresultofignorance.Peoplearetooignoranttoacceptnewideasbecause theydontknow.Theyjustdontknowsotheyarescared.Onceignoranceispushedaside,itopensup awholenewopportunitybecausefearoftheunknowngoesasidewiththeignoranceofeverybody.