A rose who is not afraid to bear her thorns, Miss Maudie Atkinson from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is condemned by Maycomb County to a life of living on the outskirts. In this fast paced novel, Miss Maudie is a constant flow of sage wisdom and smart comments. This character even utters the novel’s root quote: “Your father’s right. Mockingbirds don’t do a thing but make music for us to enjoy” (119). While she is a minor character, Miss Maudie is a constant catalyst to the overall story. In the beginning of To Kill a Mockingbird, on page 6, Scout says this about the ladies of Maycomb: “Ladies bathed before noon, after their three o’clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum.” It’s seen time and time again that neither Miss Maudie nor Scout falls into this category of delicate ladies. Miss Maudie lives alone and spends all her time in the dirt, gardening, while Scout despises anything “feminine” and just wants to enjoy her childhood. This commonground makes the two very good …show more content…
The most consecutive amount of time we see her is when her house burns to ash. This is a pivotal section of the story because, while smoke fills the sky, all the men of Maycomb rush to help put out the fire. Once the flames are smothered, most Maycomb dwellers go back to bed -- leaving an elderly woman on the street, staring at the charred remains of her home. This truly goes to show how selfish the people of Maycomb are, and how much their social hierarchy really matters. While Miss Maudie isn’t particularly torn up about the destruction, -- even going as far to say, “Don’t you worry about me, Jean Louise Finch. There are ways of doing things you don’t know about. Why, I’ll build me a little house and take me a couple of roomers and-- gracious, I’ll have the finest yard in Alabama!” (97) -- it still shows that Maycomb doesn’t care for those who they look down
The Southern women were told and obligated, by some code of southern conduct, to mature into fair-smelling, perfect "ladies." By "ladies" they meant women who were well mannered, good at embroidery, and wore frilly, lacy dresses. One example of this southern tradition occurs when Aunt Alexandra comes to the Finch residence to help Atticus raise his children during the trial. When first arriving she says to Scout, "We decided that it would be best for you to have some feminine influence. It won't be many years, Jean Louise, before you become interested in clothes and boys." This comment implies that the only subjects girls are expected to understand are boys and clothes. Aunt Alexandra makes no mention of Jean Louise's intelligence, education, or personality. Her diction suggests that the only thing Jean Louise is capable of pursuing is her attire and a man. Scout discovers what a "southern lady" is as she notices how Aunt Alexandra "chose protective garments that drew up her bosom to giddy heights, pinched in her waist, flared out her rear, and managed to suggest that Aunt Alexandra's was once an hour-glass figure." Scout was considered to be very improper, wearing overalls and pants, but Aunt Alexandra would still try and introduce her to other ladies. I assume that she did this to try and influence Scout. She hoped Scout would form lady-like habits by watching others. Another example takes place after the trial, when Jem is appalled at the decision the court makes in response to Tom Robinson's case.
Harper Lee’s story To Kill a Mockingbird includes lots of different characters, although not all of them as equally important. However Miss Maudie is a minor character that has an impact on the themes/morals of the story. Also, she helps develop characterization for our main characters. Furthermore, she helps contribute to the motifs in To Kill a Mockingbird. Therefore, I think that Miss Maudie Atkinson is a minor character who impacts the book the most in different ways.
In every community, there’s always one person who seems kind at first, but turns out to be not who you expected them to be. Shirley Jackson’s story, “The Possibility of Evil”, gives an example of this type of person. Miss.Strangeworth has loved in the same town, on Pleasant Street, all seventy-one years of her life. Miss.Strangeworth’s character can be analyzed by considered by what she says or does, what the narrator says about her, and how other characters interact with her.
Maudie Atkinson is a modern day woman in her mannerism compared to a traditional woman such as Alexandra Hancock; Miss Maudie's futuristic view point is very apparent through her actions. She says in a conversation with Scout and Jem about the trial that is about to occur, “'Just because it's public, I don't have to go'”(Lee 159). Lee shows the characterization of Miss Maudie as a strong, rebellious woman for not attending the court case even thought its an event in the towns history where most citizens of Maycomb attended. Miss Maudie shows her independent thinking of a modern day women in the society of Alabama. She concluded that she does not want to attended the court case when she says, “' 't's morbid, watching a poor devil on trial for his life. Look at all those folks, It's like a Roman carnival”'(Lee 159). Maudie Atkinson illustrates her unique thinking because she gives her own opinion on the situation that is occurring. A majority of the citizens in Maycomb feel that Tom Robbins is guilty but Miss Maudie's mind is not conflicted by racial prejudice. Lee uses c...
In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee surreptitiously reveals the inequalities between two women with similar interests. Lee establishes a submerged message in her writing, which mysteriously disseminates the idea of conformity, which varies based on the social class of an individual. Miss Maudie and her nobility, genuinely provides a distinctions between two levels of conformity. Thus,In the novel, the life and characteristic of Miss Maudie, composes a contrast between Mayella Ewell the "white trash" and Maudie herself. Throughout the novel, Lee portrays some similar traits of personality to both of her minor characters but in different settings, which vigorously suggests the struggle between two different classes of women in a
Miss Maudie treats what Atticus did as the “highest tribute” when it should not be treated as such (Lee 316) Miss Maudie is an example of this because she treats Atticus as a hero for simple representing someone who is black. The characters of Maycomb put Atticus on a high pedestal for doing something that any decent lawyer would do. Atticus should not be given this treatment and proves that this community of people does not understand what Atticus representing Tom means to anyone who is not white. Miss Maudie then divulges the fact that it is “no accident” that Atticus is Tom’s lawyer (Lee 289). Atticus did not take the case on his merit. He is asked by a judge to take the case, he did not take it on his own. Atticus is praised for a role that someone asks him to
The next day, despite just having lost everything, Miss Maudie is as cheerful as always when Scout and Jem come to visit her. Miss Maudie tells them, “I hated that old cow barn. Thought of settin’ fire to it a hundred times myself” (Lee 97). When Scout and Jem question why she is not grieving, Miss Maudie explains, “Always wanted a smaller house... gives me more yard... I’ll have more room for my azaleas now!” (97). In what would be a very troubling and depressing time for most people, Miss Maudie finds a way to be upbeat and joke around with Scout and Jem about how she did not like her house anyways. As the day of Tom Robinson’s trial gets closer tensions start to rise in Maycomb County. Eventually, the day comes and after Atticus fights a hard battle in the courtroom, and the jury has a long discussion, Tom Robinson is declared guilty for raping and beating Mayella Ewell, a white women. The final verdict ways down heavy on Jem, who does not agree with the judge’s decision in the slightest. The following day of the court case, Jem, Scout and their friend Dill go to visit Miss
Thus making it seem as though women can’t handle tough situations. This does not reside well with Scout because she is a woman and knows she could handle it. This shows how females are classified into a group that is delicate and incapable of doing things. Secondly, Scout is told many times that she is not enough like a girl but she does not really care. Scout proclaims, “Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants” (Lee108). This puts an idea in Scout’s head that she must wear a dress to be accepted as a woman and that it is wrong for her to do adventurous things outside like she does with Jem. If Scout wasn’t such a happy and confident person, this could make her feel like there is something wrong with her and that she is different in a bad way. Nonetheless, she doesn’t listen to Aunt Alexandra because she really does not care what people think of her. Scout does not allow the stereotypes of being a lady classify her into that specific status. Thirdly, Scout doesn’t like being called a girl because the characteristics
Among many things, Miss Maudie teaches Scout that she should not judge people based solely on rumors she might hear about them. Scout, being only six years old at the time of the story, believes everything that reaches her hears and takes most things literally. Rumors she hears about a man named Boo Radley, who many consider the town freak because of his different lifestyle and because nobody ever sees him, create in her the belief that he is a crazy maniac. The activities she takes part in with her older brother Jem and their friend Dill only fuel her theories about Boo. When Jem and Dill begin shunning Scout aside, she spends her time with Miss Maudie instead, and they develop a kind of friendship. Miss Maudie, a Baptist who loves nature, has high morals, and treats everyone as equals, aids in Scout discontinuing her belief about Boo Radley’s state of mind. At one point, they have a conversation regarding Boo. They discuss the rumors Scout has heard thus far about him, and Miss Maudie shoots down her beliefs. When Scout asks Mi...
After the jury decided that Tom would be sentenced to death Jem and Scout are confused why “you never see anybody from Maycomb on a jury-they all come from the woods” (221 Lee)” Atticus honestly answers,”For one thing, Miss Maudie can't serve on a jury because she's a woman-’ Scout says ‘You mean women in Alabama can't-?’" (221 Lee) Scout believes that men and women are equal and aren’t smarter than one another. Normally women or girls don’t question if they can be on a jury or not, they just accept it. However, Scout breaks gender roles by questioning why someone can’t be on a jury just because of their gender. She’s in awe when she realizes someone as smart as Miss Maudie can’t be in the jury just because she’s a woman. Jem and Scout first meet the 7 year old Charles “Dill” Baker Harris reading a book at his Aunt Rachel’s house. Dill introduces himself and that he can read and if Jem needed anything to be read he can do it for him. That caused him to show off his little sister. “Scout yonder's been readin’ ever since she was born and she ain’t even started school yet (7 Lee)” In the south during the 1930s women weren’t expected to read. School wasn’t supposed to care or be the focus. They were supposed to have other things on their minds like how the look, making sure they act like a proper lady and being able to cook.
Miss Maudie, her neighbour points out that he is gifted a checkers and playing the harp, two modest accomplishments that only embarrass Scout further. At this point, she sees Atticus as a rather boring father, but not much other than that.
Throughout the novel, Miss Maudie and Calpurnia positively influence Scout’s vision of womanhood. Aunt Alexandra, however, negatively influences Scout. In the end, Scout matures into a woman not by the way she dresses but by the way, she acts. She finally realizes that name, image, and race do not matter; what matters is the person inside. Scout matures through her heart, which is much more genuine that trying to dress pretty and be someone she is not.
The main theme of to kill a mockingbird is coming of age, and it can be seen in many passages, but one of them is when Miss Maudie gives Jem a slice of the big cake while Scout and Dill receive a small cake “there was a big cake and two little ones on Miss Maudie’s kitchen table. There should have been three little ones. It is not like Miss Maudie to forget Dill, and we must have shown it. But we understood when she cut from the big cake and gave the slice to Jem.”and through the use of how the author makes the character of Miss Maudie treat Jem different. At the beginning of the book Jem used to tell Scout that she was becoming more like a girl and later as he became more older he wanted Scout to “act more like a girl” because that’s what she is.
In “To Kill a Mockingbird” Harper Lee shows the reader how all women are expected to act lady-like and be proper through the actions of Mrs. Dubose, Jem, and Atticus. In Maycomb, there are social norms that girls are expected to follow. Atticus grinned, "I doubt if we'd ever get a complete case tried—the ladies'd be interrupting to ask questions" (296). Jem and Scout react to Atticus’s answer by laughing.
A primary example of this is how she always shares her baked goods with Jem, Scout and Dill. This is shown in the quote, “She made the best cakes in the neighbourhood … every time she baked she made a big cake and three little ones, and she would call across the street: `Jem Finch, Scout Finch, Charles Baker Harris, come here!’ Our promptness was always rewarded” (Lee 43). This showcases Miss Maudie’s kindness towards the children. She puts a lot of effort into baking for them purely out of the goodness of her heart. Miss Maudie is also portrayed as benevolent when Scout describes her and Jem’s relationship with her. Scout says, “ … Jem and I had considerable faith in Miss Maudie. She had never told on us, had never played cat-and-mouse with us, she was not at all interested in our private lives. She was our friend” (Lee 44-45). Miss Maudie is always courteous to Jem and Scout. She respects them and is not condescending towards them, like some others in Maycomb are. They enjoy her company because of this. Miss Maudie thinks about their feelings and cares about what they have to say. Although Miss Maudie can be described as sharp-tongued, she is also very respectful and kind, which is evident in her interactions with Jem, Scout and