As Scout grows older, she also grows wiser, and she comes to recognize that Boo Radley is not the raw squirrel-eating ghoul that legend dictates. Without ever laying eyes on Boo, she comes to recognize that he is a kind soul, and by the end of the novel, she sees that he is also the heroic protector of both of the Finch children. Beginning with the gifts left in the knothole of the tree--the gum, the knife, the lucky penny and the carved figurines--Scout slowly comes to recognize that Boo wants to be their friend. It's still a scary thought to her, however, but two more acts of kindness help to sway her way of thinking. First, Jem finds his pants unexpectedly folded and mended hanging on the Radley fence. Jem and Scout realize that only Boo could have done it. Later, on the night that Miss Maudie's house burns, Scout discovers a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Atticus joking explains that the whole town must have been out to watch the fire--even Boo, who placed the blanket around Scout for warmth on a cold night. By the night of the Halloween carnival, Scout had already come to the conclusion that Boo was a friendly but eccentric loner who preferred life locked away in his mysterious house. After Boo came to the children's rescue after being attacked by Bob Ewell, Scout recognized him as "our neighbor," a protector and a friend.
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