Character Analysis Of Miss Maudie In To Kill A Mockingbird, By Harper Lee

As a child grows, many people influence their development as a person. Some people impact more than others, and a select few really leave their mark. In Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” several characters play this role. Among them, Miss Maudie Atkinson, a woman who proves herself a strong character, prevails as the one who has the greatest impact on Scout Finch, the protagonist of this novel. As Scout matures and grows up, her views on the world around her change. Through subtle yet effective ways, Miss Maudie teaches Scout many life lessons about being humble, judging, and attitude, all of which ultimately have a great effect on the kind of person Scout develops into and her outlook on the world.

In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the reader is introduced to the character Miss Maudie within the first few chapters. Miss Maudie initially appears as a flat character who is friendly to the Finch kids and loves to tend to her garden. However, Miss Maudie has been shaped by the racial and social injustices she both witnesses and experiences, which turns her into a fearless, stubborn defender of the metaphoric mockingbird.

Imagine you are a lawyer tasked with an impossible case, and everybody in your community is against you, but still there is a shred of hope you cling to. What might that be you ask? That to which you cling are your morals. In To Kill a Mockingbird Atticus Finch had been given the Tom Robinson case, where a black man was convicted of raping a white woman. As a single father of two children, he continues to reinforce his values throughout the trial and during his daunting task of raising his children. In To Kill A Mockingbird what Harper Lee suggests about the nature of morals is that you should try to stand up for what you believe in even if people oppose or reject your ideals. Even when faced with an insurmountable opposition you should stand up for your morals because in the end if your don't follow your beliefs you are just contributing to the problem. We should try to create a voice for what we believe in and impress that upon the next generation so they can continue to exercise their beliefs to make the world a better place.

Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird occurs during the Great Depression. Despite the setting taking place fifty years after slavery had officially ended, Maycomb County is depicted as an immensely segregated and prejudiced town. As a result, many of the townspeople assume the characteristics of other residents through town gossip and rumors. Because having a strong opinion on controversial issues in the town could lead to cruel consequences, many of the residents’ opinions and ideas are greatly influenced by others. The fear of being judged and rejected from society causes many of Maycomb County’s people to conceal the truth about the false gossip which hoodwinks the others into misinterpreting and believing the gossip. Miss Maudie Atkinson, a young widow, is one of the few characters in the novel that displays her own individuality and protests against what she does not believe to be true. Miss Maudie's positive trait of bravery makes her an asset to the Maycomb community because through her distinctiveness, she becomes a role model for individuals such as Scout Finch.

Based on her actions in Chapter 22, it is clear that Miss Stephanie is extremely absorbed in drama. Rather than focusing on the actual trial, she focuses on the gossip points that arose in result of the trial. When the kids go to see her, she is recounting the events of the trial to Miss Maudie and Mr. Avery which demonstrates why she is considered the “English Channel of gossip.” Scout notes that “Miss Stephanie’s nose quivered with curiosity” which depicts Miss Stephanie’s temptation to ask them intrusive questions. Scout knew that the questions she wanted to ask included: “who all gave us permission to go to court,” “did Scout understand all the—?,” and “didn’t it make us mad to see our daddy beat?”

“Before he went inside the house, he stopped in front of Boo Radley. ‘Thank you for my children, Arthur,’ he said” (370).

Miss Caroline tells Scout to stop reading with her father because it’s interrupting her learning.

This chapter starts out with a surprising snowfall in Maycomb, Alabama. Jem and Scout didn’t even know what snow was because it hadn’t snowed in Maycomb since 1885. The kids went to see Miss Maudie and she was not a big fan of the snow. The kids wanted to do something with the snow so they brought Miss Maudie’s snow over to their yard. The kids decided to make a snowman with a base of dirt and snow covering the snowman. The snowman made a resemblance of Mr. Avery. Later that night the whole town of Maycomb was electrified. Miss Maudie’s house was engulfed in flames waking the whole town up to help. Jem and Scout were ordered to stand in front of the Radley Place and keep out of the way. Once the fire was put out the kids went home and Atticus

This demonstrates that Miss Maudie is very sharp-witted. As a chameleon knows their surroundings and blends into it, Miss Maudie knows the people she is with and acts accordingly. Her ability to recognize how she needs to act during different scenarios also demonstrates her deep knowledge of the residents of Maycomb County and their world and political views.

​In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout Finch, and her brother Jem, learn the importance of seeing things through other people's eyes. At the beginning of the story, the people living in Maycomb County, can be considered "mockingbirds" because they are innocent. Their father, Atticus, leads as a strong example while defending Tom Robinson, a black man convicted for rape. The residents of Maycomb (besides the Finches) fail to see situations through other people's eyes. For example, when the trial takes place, most people do not have empathy toward Tom Robinson, resulting in some of those "mockingbirds" becoming killed. Trying to see situations through other people's eyes can keep someone from hurting somebody who is innocent.

In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, the most dominant character trait displayed by Miss Maudie is wisdom. Miss Maudie reveals her wisdom regularly throughout the book. Miss Maudie is a very wise lady and uses her wisdom to teach others. Miss Maudie sees the good in the situation when she says, “Why, I hated that old cow barn. Thought of settin’ fire to it a hundred times myself. … Always wanted a smaller house, Jem Finch. Gives me more yard” (97). Miss Maudie shows her wisdom by not becoming upset about her house burning down. She sees the good in situations and realizes that everything happens for a reason. She has always wanted a smaller house so she could have a bigger yard and a bigger garden. Miss Maudie also reveals her wisdom

Ever wanted to know how it is like to be raised by a single parent? In the novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, Scout and Jem are raised by a widowed father and the father fearlessly tries to defend a black man accused of rape. This talks about the coming age and the character development of Scout Finch. Scout Finch is a compassionate little girl from Maycomb county. Scout was only two years old when her mother died of a sudden heart attack. Harper Lee shows how Scouts coming of age is developed by characterization, external conflict, and point of view.

Maudie is one of the few white citizens in the Maycomb who stand up for Tom. She is not fearful and will challenge anyone who thinks otherwise. She is extremely strong-willed and resembles Atticus with her strong sense of character; she’s just more outspoken. When Maudie's house burned down, she showed a strength which not many would have at a time like this. She also offers Scout a female example different than Alexandra. She respects the children and admires Atticus. Unlike the others, Maudie minds her own business and behaves without

Maud Atkinson was a phenomenon. A woman who radiated kindness, respect and much needed acceptance to everyone who needed it, and became, as such, a mother to all. Some of us may consider Maudie as a saint, and to that I cannot disagree, for although quite religious, she did not discriminate or hate any of those who did not agree with her beliefs, and instead welcomed them with open arms.

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird Jean Louise Finch was a little girl and in To Set a Watchman she is a women. When scout was young she was like seven to eight years old. She was like a daddy’s little girl. Scout was energetic. She ran a lot played rough and had fun. She also likes to start fights with kids. Like Cecil, Francis and, Walter. Scout also practically did anything she wanted or was asked to do. Like sat in the tire and rolled into the Radley yard.