To Kill a Mockingbird: How do illusion and reality affect our perception of ourselves and others?

One may ask the question "What roles do illusion and reality play in the perception of ourselves and others?". Illusion and reality both play a role in the definition of our perception. Illusion is the stereotype, the racist idea, while reality is the truth that one sees when he/she looks closely and tries to understand. This may be seen in To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. Once, during Jem, Dill, and Scout's investigation …

…and reality play in the perception of ourselves and others through Jem, Dill, and Scout's investigation of Boo Radley, through the whole jury's verdict against Tom Robinson, and through Dolphus Raymond's case. Considering all this, one may see how illusion is merely the shell over reality, and that once one stops and looks closer with an open mind, one can see the real truth. One may then ask the question: "Why is that shell there?"