'Boo' - Arthur Radley

The person who rescued them - Boo Radley

• Boo's name is mentioned right at the start of the story in an intriguing way: "It began the summer when Dill came to us, when Dill first gave us the idea of making Boo Radley come out".
• Scout describes him as a malevolent phantom. Many rumours circulated about him and children were afraid to go near his house.
• In reality, he is a recluse who was emotionally damaged by his cruel father. Mr Radley preferred to shut up his son than send him to an industrial school as a punishment for schoolboy pranks. His older brother, Nathan, took over when his father died.
• He is intelligent - one of the items he leaves in the knothole from the children is a school spelling medal. He skilfully carves soap figures.
• From his house, he can see the whole of life in Maycomb.
• He grows to love the children next door whom he watches - Jem and Scout. He leaves presents for them in the knothole, mends Jem's trousers, covers Scout with a blanket during the fire - and finally saves their lives.
• Scout only realises what life is like for him when she guides him home later that night.