How does Harper Lee advance the theme of imprisonment and crossing of boundaries in To Kill a Mockingbird?

While many might prefer to answer this question through the lens of the Tom Robinson trial, I'd actually like to approach it from the perspective of the strange history and local legends surrounding Boo Radley.

Examining the notions of imprisonment and crossed boundaries within the context of Boo's character, it becomes apparent that imprisonment, both physical and metaphorical, is the consequence for the crossing of boundaries (you can also think of this as violating taboos...

While many might prefer to answer this question through the lens of the Tom Robinson trial, I'd actually like to approach it from the perspective of the strange history and local legends surrounding Boo Radley.

Examining the notions of imprisonment and crossed boundaries within the context of Boo's character, it becomes apparent that imprisonment, both physical and metaphorical, is the consequence for the crossing of boundaries (you can also think of this as violating taboos or other standards of social conduct) in Maycomb County. Boo Radley is a middle-aged recluse who has effectively lived under house arrest since he was a teenager. He was originally imprisoned after he helped a local gang pull off a relatively harmless prank (14), but several local legends have embellished the reasoning for his reclusiveness. Stephanie Crawford, for instance, tells Jem that Boo attacked his father with a pair of scissors and was subsequently locked up in the basement of the local courthouse before being brought back home for good (15). Considering Boo to be crazy, Jem assumes that Boo is chained to the bed, a wild idea that Atticus refutes (16).

In examining Boo Radley's case, it becomes apparent that, for whatever reason, Boo doesn't quite fit in the established Maycomb social structure. Whether or not the character is actually crazy is left up to the reader to decide, but Harper Lee does make one fairly overt suggestion: crossing any kind of social boundary in Maycomb, even if one merely engages in a foolish but insubstantial teenage prank, is grounds for imprisonment and exile. Furthermore, the sinister threads of gossip are likely to increase the efficacy of imprisonment, forcing the prisoner further away from human community through collective social shunning. As such, many parallels can be drawn between Boo Radley and Tim Robinson, though one is black and the other is white. Both men are considered the "other" in Maycomb terms, and both of these opinions are erroneously derived through prejudice. Be that as it may, both men experience imprisonment as a result of this otherness.