To Kill a Mockingbird

Young Scout tells her new friend and neighbor Dill, “Our mama’s dead.” (0:08)

Dill’s aunt Stephanie tells the children, referring to reclusive neighbor Boo, “There’s a maniac lives there, and he’s dangerous.”
”They wanted to send him to an asylum, but his daddy said no Radley’s going to any asylum...” (0:10)

Scout's brother Jem tells young school mate Walter Jr., “Scout here’s crazy.” (0:36)

His maid Calpurnia tells lawyer Atticus (father of Scout and Jem), “I swear to God there’s a mad dog...” (0:41)

Atticus tells the others, referring to his client, “Deputy said Tom just ran like a crazy man.” (1:46)

We see Boo, mute, passive, and with flat affect, for the first time. (2:00)

Does Boo suffer from a mental disorder or just from the effects of prejudice, fear, abuse, ignorance and hatred? Candidates for diagnosis might include:

• Schizophrenia: We see no evidence of thought disorder or psychosis.
• Autism Spectrum Disorder: Boo demonstrates an intense emotional connection in his protectiveness toward Scout and Jem, even to the point of risking his life to save theirs.
• Mental Retardation: We see little evidence from which to determine Boo's level of intelligence other than his ability to carve figures in soap.
• Schizotypal Personality Disorder: This explains little more than his social isolation.

References in Beautiful Creatures (2013), Capote, Sparrows Dance, Vanilla Sky