Skip to main content

How typical is Miss Maudie compared to other Maycomb women in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Miss Maudie is very unique. She treats children with respect, and she enjoys taking care of her garden more than her house.


Miss Maudie is a neighbor and good friend of Scout and Jem. She does not mind having children in her yard, and is very generous. Scout finds that sitting with Miss Maudie on her porch helps her feel better when Dill and Jem are off by themselves doing boy things.


Jem and I...

Miss Maudie is very unique. She treats children with respect, and she enjoys taking care of her garden more than her house.


Miss Maudie is a neighbor and good friend of Scout and Jem. She does not mind having children in her yard, and is very generous. Scout finds that sitting with Miss Maudie on her porch helps her feel better when Dill and Jem are off by themselves doing boy things.



Jem and I had always enjoyed the free run of Miss Maudie’s yard if we kept out of her azaleas, but our contact with her was not clearly defined. Until Jem and Dill excluded me from their plans, she was only another lady in the neighborhood, but a relatively benign presence (Chapter 5). 



Scout likes Miss Maudie more than other adults because she is honest and doesn’t talk down to the kids. She is a neat lady. She stands up for herself and loves tending to her garden. Her reaction when her house catches fire is calm and almost nonchalant. The whole town shows up to help her, and her only comment is that she can have a smaller house with a bigger yard. 


When Scout feels picked on by the other ladies of the Missionary Society, Miss Maudie is quietly there for Scout. 



“Don’t you want to grow up to be a lawyer?”


Miss Maudie’s hand touched mine and I answered mildly enough, “Nome, just a lady.”


Miss Stephanie eyed me suspiciously, decided that I meant no impertinence, and contented herself with, “Well, you won’t get very far until you start wearing dresses more often.”


Miss Maudie’s hand closed tightly on mine, and I said nothing. Its warmth was enough (Chapter 24).



This is an example of how Miss Maudie is a supportive friend to Scout.  Throughout the book, she is always there for Scout.  She does not treat Scout like a child, make fun of her, or laugh at her when she doesn’t mean to be funny.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can you analyze the poem "Absolution" by Siegfried Sassoon?

Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and... Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and the v...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more