"When I pointed to him his palms slipped slightly, leaving greasy sweat steaks on the wall, and he hooked his thumbs in his belt. A strange small spasm shook him, as if he heard fingernails scrape slate, but as I gazed at him in wonder the tension slowly drained from his face. His lips parted into a timid smile, and our neighbor's image blurred with my sudden tears.
'Hey, Boo,' I said."
~Scout
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| Boo acted as a ghost for so many years to Scout but now she sees why and now she looks upon him like a superhero |
Background
That very night on the way back from Scout's pageant Jem and Scout were attacked by Mr. Ewell. During the attack Jem was nearly killed, but luckily Boo came to their rescue by killing Mr. Ewell. He picked up Jem and ran straight for their house where Scout soon walked in and this quote began.
Rationale
Here, for the very first time, Scout and Boo interact directly. Scout is no longer afraid, and treats Boo as an equal. She knows he saved her life and Jem's life, and looks upon him with respect. The power of this moment brings Scout to tears, but, as always, she handles herself with maturity beyond her age. At this point you realize that Scout has hit maturity because if you would travel to the beginning of the novel you would see her being fascinated by his sight, but instead she is content with it. Before this point she sees Boo as a monster that only comes out at night and only stays indoors, but now she sees him as a normal human being just like herself. She has begun to understand that Boo has stayed out of sight for a reason, and she has come to respect Boo’s choices in life. She also realizes that she has a friend in Boo and for the first time they are sealing that friendship with a mutual smile.
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