Who Was That Masked Man?

Wow! It's been a really long time since I've posted! Part of the reason for that is I was involved in a production of "To Kill a Mockingbird" that just closed. It was a wonderful experience as the story has always been one of my favorites. I've seen the movie several times, but doing the stage production really made me explore some different sides to issues raised in the story. One question that came up particularly interested me. Each Friday night after the show we would have a talkback. For those who don't know or have never participated in one, a talkback is a time set aside after the show for the cast to answer questions from the audience. Because of the legal nature of the show, many times our moderator was someone from the world of law. Our moderator on this specific evening was a judge from juvenile court. SPOILER ALERT!! She posed the question that with Atticus Finch having so much legal integrity, why was he willing to participate in a cover-up in regards to the death of Bob Ewell? If you've never seen or read the story, Bob Ewell, the town pariah and general despicable human being, and a white man, has accused a black man, falsely, of raping his daughter in order to keep the real truth from coming out that she hugged and kissed  this man after inviting him into their home under the pretense of helping her with a chore. Atticus is appointed to defend the Negro, and even though he knows he is fighting a losing battle, the truth comes out in court. In retaliation Ewell goes after the Finch children one night with intent to harm them and very likely kill them. The town recluse and resident "crazy", Boo Radley, comes on the scene and stabs Bob Ewell with a kitchen knife and kills him. Upon the sheriff discovering the body, he tells Atticus that, "Bob Ewell fell on his knife." As sheriff, it is his decision how to handle the situation. Atticus doesn't challenge the sheriff, and the story ends with no one knowing the act of Boo Radley and he is left to live out his reclusive days in peace. So... did Boo Radley murder Bob Ewell? Was it a cover-up? Read the book or see the movie or play and draw your own conclusions, but my feeling is NO! In my opinion Boo was more a hero or guardian angel for the Finch children that night. If he had not shown up when he did, most certainly Bob Ewell would have killed them.  If you've ever seen any of the old Lone Ranger TV shows, he always rode in on his horse, Silver, saved the day, and then disappeared into the dust of the West without praise or adulation, leaving all to question, "Who was that masked man?" Boo Radley was Maycomb County's Lone Ranger for one night when he was needed the most and then never to be seen or heard from again. "High Ho, Silver and away, Boo!"