Skip to main content

In what ways does Miss Maudie provide background information for each individual in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird?

In multiple places throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, author Harper Lee uses Miss Maudie to reveal further background information about the characters through things Miss Maudie says about them, giving us a new perspective.


One example can be seen in the information she relays to Scout concerning Arthur (Boo) Radley. In Chapter 5, author Lee uses Miss Maudie to quiet any rumors and myths surrounding Arthur Radley, particularly those told to the children...

In multiple places throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, author Harper Lee uses Miss Maudie to reveal further background information about the characters through things Miss Maudie says about them, giving us a new perspective.


One example can be seen in the information she relays to Scout concerning Arthur (Boo) Radley. In Chapter 5, author Lee uses Miss Maudie to quiet any rumors and myths surrounding Arthur Radley, particularly those told to the children by Miss Stephanie Crawford such as the notion that Arthur peeks in windows at night. Beyond quieting rumors, Miss Maudie explains that Arthur's father was a foot-washing Baptist, a denomination that interprets the Bible very literally. According to Miss Maudie, "Foot-washers believe anything that's pleasure is a sin" (Ch. 5). Through her account of Arthur's background, Miss Maudie offers a plausible explanation for why Arthur never leaves his house--he has been taught that doing something that would bring him pleasure, such as escaping house arrest, would be sinful. Miss Maudie further quiets rumors about Arthur by stating, "I remember Arthur Radley when he was a boy. He always spoke nicely to me, no matter what folks said he did. Spoke as nicely as he knew how" (Ch. 5). Miss Maudie's revelations about Arthur help paint the picture in the reader's mind that Arthur is a severely misjudged, deeply caring person who is dealing with the struggles of his own personal hardships laid upon him by the beliefs of his father.

A second example of Miss Maudie shedding further light on a character can be seen when Miss Maudie converses with the children about their father the day after the trial. Miss Maudie invites the children to her home for cake with the intention of making the children feel better by helping them see the trial and it's outcome in a more positive light. In so doing, she also sheds light on Atticus's character. Through the many things she says about Atticus, she paints him as a brave man willing to do the right thing when others won't, as one devoted to acting like a true Christian, and as one who is strong and clever enough to be able to influence others. She paints him as a true Christian when she says, "We're so rarely called on to be Christians, but when we are, we've got men like Atticus to go for us" (Ch. 22). She also paints him as being able to take a stand in doing what's right and being able to influence others when she notes that, as she waited for the Finches to come home from the trial, she thought to herself, "Atticus Finch won't win, he can't win, but he's the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long in a case like that" (Ch. 22). Prior to Miss Maudie's comments, the reader only primarily sees Atticus through the eyes of his children and the townspeople who ridicule him. Miss Maudie's comments allow the reader to see that other characters recognize Atticus as a brave and noble person.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the meaning of "juggling fiends" in Macbeth?

Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a... Macbeth is beginning to realize that the three witches have been deceiving him since he first encountered them. Like jugglers, they have kept changing their forecasts in order create confusion. This is particularly apparent when the Second Apparition they raise in Act IV,   Scene 1 tells him that no man of woman born can overcome him in hand-to-hand battle--and then Macbeth finds himself confronted by the one man he has been avoiding out of a sense of guilt, and that man tells him: Despair thy charm. And let the angel whom thou still hast serve...
Post a Comment
Read more

In Martel's Life of Pi, how does writing a diary help Pi Patel build on his leadership skills?

At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can... At the end of chapter 73, Pi first divulges the fact that he had started a diary after about a week alone at sea. Pi claims that he wrote about "practical stuff" (208) such as what he caught for food, foreseeable problems and solutions, Richard Parker, and reflections about specific events that occurred. In a sense, Pi is the captain of his ship; therefore, he must take responsibility for himself and his crew. He can do this by writing down events, problems and solutions, and reflections to look back on when confronted with repeated problems. It can ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Why did Tybalt attack and kill Mercutio instead of Romeo, who he had originally been targeting?

Though Tybalt's quarrel is with Romeo, he begins the momentous duel in Act 3 by fighting with and killing Mercutio instead. Tybalt ultimately attacks Mercutio because the garrulous and hot-headed character insults Tybalt and goads him into a duel to protect Romeo's honor. From the beginning of the encounter in Act 3, Scene 1, it's clear that Mercutio is itching for a fight. For instance, when Tybalt signals that he wants to talk to Mercutio... Though Tybalt's quarrel is with Romeo, he begins the momentous duel in Act 3 by fighting with and killing Mercutio instead. Tybalt ultimately attacks Mercutio because the garrulous and hot-headed character insults Tybalt and goads him into a duel to protect Romeo's honor. From the beginning of the encounter in Act 3, Scene 1, it's clear that Mercutio is itching for a fight. For instance, when Tybalt signals that he wants to talk to Mercutio and Benvolio, Mercutio responds "And but one word with one of us?/ Couple it w...
Post a Comment
Read more