Why is Scout's ham costume significant in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee?

There are several reasons as to why Scout's ham costume is significant in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. During Maycomb's Halloween festival, Mrs. Grace Merriweather composes a pageant in which the children dress up as the county's agricultural products. Scout dresses up like a ham, and her cumbersome costume is made out of chicken wire and fabric. Aside from providing comic relief to the story, Scout's perception of Bob Ewell's attack is altered because her costume blocks her vision. Scout is unable to see who saved them during the attack, and Boo Radley's heroics are not obvious to the reader. This allows Harper Lee to build tension before revealing Boo's involvement. In addition to heightening the mood and tension of the story, Scout's ham costume prevents Bob's knife from stabbing her. When Sheriff Tate examines her crushed ham costume, he shows Atticus the clean line in the fabric from Bob's knife. Scout's ham costume protects her during the attack and saves her life.