To celebrate the publication of Harper Lee’s prequel sequel, ‘Go Set a Watchman,’ the Mackson family of East Dorset created Boo Radley’s oak tree, which played a large role in Harper Lee’s first novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ The tree is featured in a display at the Manchester Community Library, commemorating the release of Lee’s new novel.
The tree’s base was constructed of wire netting, stiff foam and wood, with half of a small container used to form the knot-hole. The Macksons then applied papier maché, first with newspaper, and then with torn-up paper bags. After completing the first steps of the tree, the Macksons began to procure the supplies needed for the rest of the tree and the objects found in the knot-hole, as described in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ After they found all of the objects, the family painted the tree, then made branches adorned with leaves and acorns, attaching them with florists’ foam and hot glue. The Macksons added a faux robin in a nest and faux moss to the base of the tree to add a realistic touch.
The objects found in the tree were a jewelry box with two pennies inside, a pocket watch, a spelling bee medal, soap figurines of a boy and a girl, a pack and two pieces of Wrigley’s Double Mint gum, a tin knife, and length of twine.
The family procured every object with little to no difficulty, although they made the soap
figurines out of bee’s wax to make them more durable. The entire process of creating this magnificent tree took them about four days. The Library is extremely pleased with the results.