Despite winning the case, Bob wants to get revenge on Atticus for publicly embarrassing him. Bob tries to murder Scout and Jem as they are walking past the old Radley home at night. Boo hears their cries and rushes outside to save them. He stabs Bob and carries the children to safety. To keep Boo out of jail, the sheriff claims that Bob attacked the kids and then accidentally fell on his own knife. The event makes Scout feel bad because she once unfairly labeled Boo as creepy and strange because he suffered from a mental disability. At the end of the book, she pledges to treat people better and eliminate hatred and prejudice from her life.
Nelle Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, grew up in a small town similar to the one described in the story. Her novel would go on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and eventually sell more than 40 million copies worldwide. It remained controversial, however, because it dealt with a sensitive issue in America: race relations. Rather than deal with harsh criticism, Lee decided that it would be the last book she would publish during her lifetime.
A primary topic in the book is the concept of good and evil. It suggests that people are born good, but they can become bad after experiencing evil and hatred in society. Sadly, it’s often innocent members of society like Tom and Boo who suffer most. Their lives are destroyed because society has unfairly judged and labelled them. Nonetheless, the book manages to deliver a positive message at its close. Atticus is able to teach his children that good and bad exist in everyone and that we should not lose faith in humanity. Instead, it’s better to sympathize with others and hope that they will eventually change their ignorant and prejudiced views.
