the handful of people who say a fair trial is for everybody, not just us....

Miss Maudie has no patience with hypocrisy. After the self-righteous and hypocritical Mrs. Merriweather praises a missionary in Africa who works with native people, but makes insulting remarks about her black maid Sophy, Miss Maudie cleverly asks if her husband ever chokes on the maid's cooking. Then she comforts Scout, who was earlier teased about her attire.

Miss Maudie has a sterling character, and she is a very warm and caring neighbor. She exemplifies how to be a "lady" while still maintaining one's individuality.

Miss Maudie Atkinson is a such a strong and supportive character in this novel!  She is the Finch's neighbor from across the street who is not prejudiced at all and delights the children by talking about Atticus when he was a child.  Miss Maudie absolutely never talks down to either Scout or Jem and, as a result, earns their ultimate respect.  Quite simply, Miss Maudie tells it like it is with very little frills involved, . . . a perfect way of speaking so even young children can understand.  Miss Maudie also has a profound connection to the title of the novel because of the following excerpt:

That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it.

"Your father's right," she said.  "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.  They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us.  That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (Lee 90)

In addition to being respected by the Finches, Miss Maudie is also respected as a strong Christian by the community.  Any reader must add the quality of bravery to the character sketch of Miss Maudie because of her reaction to losing her home due to fire.  Miss Maudie uses the situation to rejoice in building a new home with more gardening room instead of lamenting the loss of her things.  Because Miss Maudie shares Atticus' passion for justice, she remains one of my favorite characters in the book.

Miss Maudie Atkinson was an older neighbor of Scout and Jem. She grew up with Atticus down by Finch's Landing. She was a widow who loved to garden. Scout and Jem especially liked Miss Maudie because she treated them with respect. She talked to them like they were equals, not children. One day, Scout and Jem observed Miss Maudie standing outside her house:  

She was now standing arms akimbo, her shoulders drooping a little, her head cocked to one side, her glasses winking in the sunlight. We knew she wore a grin of the uttermost wickedness (Chapter 16).

Scout also described Miss Maudie as "a chameleon lady who worked in her flower beds in an old straw hat and men's coveralls, but after her five o'clock bath she would appear on the porch and reign over the street in magisterial beauty" (Chapter 5). Scout felt especially close to Miss Maudie. She felt she could talk to her neighbor honestly. She knew Miss Maudie would answer questions she had.  

Miss Maudie preferred to be outside amongst her plants instead of inside her house. She loved growing everything, especially flowers. One thing she did not like was nut grass. She was quick to remove any nut grass she saw with a powerful weed killer. When Miss Maudie's house burned down, she was thankful she still had her plants. Miss Maudie also often baked cakes for the children.

Although Miss Maudie Atkinson is considered a minor character in To Kill a Mockingbird, I believe her to be a central figure in this novel.  She is such a strong and supportive character!  Living across the street from Jem and Scout, Miss  Maudie is free from the burden of prejudice and no stranger to the joy of children.  The Finch children enjoy the company of Miss  Maudie as well because she tells them all about Atticus' adventures as a child.  Miss Maudie absolutely never talks down to either Scout or Jem and, as a result, earns their ultimate respect.  Quite simply, Miss Maudie tells it like it is with very little frills involved.  What a great way to talk to kids in order to help them understand!

It would be a mistake to sketch Miss Maudie as a character without mentioning her profound connection to the title of the novel.  Therefore, in addition to her other wise comments, the following quote must be taken to heart:

That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it.

Your father's right," she said.  "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.  They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us.  That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (Lee 90)

Readers should also recognize Miss Maudie's respect to the Christian community as well as her bravery.  It isn't just the Finches who respect this wise lady.  Just look at how Miss Maudie responds when she loses her home due to fire.  Instead of lamenting her loss, Miss Maudie uses Miss Maudie uses the situation to rejoice in building a new home with more gardening room.  Of course, Miss Maudie's passion for justice (similar to Atticus') puts the final touch on the great bravery of this "minor" character.

Miss Maudie Atkinson went by "Maudie" as her first name.  Maudie is most likely a nickname for "Maud" or "Maude."  The name Maude can also be short for Mathilda.  Maude was a popular name for girls in the late 1800s, which was when Miss Maudie Atkinson was born.

Miss Maudie Atkinson was Scout and Jem's neighbor, who lived "across the street one door down."  She was kind to Scout and Jem, and because of this they "always enjoyed the free run of Miss Maudie’s yard if [they] kept out of her azaleas."  Scout became especially close to Miss Maudie.  She felt comfortable talking to the older lady and she could ask her questions.  Scout once told Miss Maudie that she was "the best lady" she knew.

Her welcoming warmth and compassion toward others made Miss Maudie a fairly important character in To Kill a Mockingbird.  She was a longtime friend of the Finch family.  She had grown up with Atticus Finch and his family at Finch's Landing, where she had been their neighbor.  Miss Maudie was especially close to Atticus's younger brother, Jack, because they were close in age.  He often joked that he wanted to marry her.

Miss Maudie is the Finches’ next-door neighbor and friend.  

When Scout and Jem are young, she is just a neighbor.  During the course of the events of the books she becomes a good friend, supportive and offering comfort and advice.

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. (ch 5, p. 29)

Scout spends time with Miss Maudie when Jem does not want to hang out with her, and whenever she needs company or advice.  Miss Maudie is the mother figure, and a fellow girl.

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. (ch 5, p. 31)

Miss Maudie advises the children on Boo Radley, and a variety of other issues.  She does not talk down to them or make fun of them.  As Scout notes, she does not laugh at them unless they tell a joke they intend to be funny.

Miss Maudie is also a source of information about Atticus, since she has known him for a long time.  When the children are dissatisfied with their father, she tells them some of his background, including the fact that he is a crack shot.

Miss Maudie’s wise advice is actually the source of the book’s title.

Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird. (ch 10, p. 64)

This quote is indicative of Miss Maudie’s outlook on life.  Along with Atticus, she is one of the children’s moral teachers.  She helps them see what is important in life, and how to treat people.

When the children are sad, they go to Miss Maudie for comfort.  She often makes them little cakes.  After the verdict, she comforts them in a way that demonstrates she knows Jem is growing up.

There was a big cake and two little ones on Miss Maudie's kitchen table. There should have been three little ones. … But we understood when she cut from the big cake and gave the slice to Jem.  (ch 22, p. 151)

Miss Maudie is acknowledging that even though Jem is disappointed by the verdict, he is becoming an adult.  He is growing up, while Scout and Dill remain children.  This is an indicator both of Miss Maudie’s tact and her sensitivity to what is going on in the children’s lives.

Miss Maudie Atkinson is one of the relatively few ladies in Maycomb whom Jem and Scout find truly congenial. This has a lot to do with the fact that, like Atticus, she doesn't talk down to children, she treats them more as equals. This makes it easy for Scout and Jem to talk to her. She is a rather unconventional member of the community; for instance she likes to spend time in her garden in her overalls, unlike other ladies who dress femininely and stay in the house. She is straight-talking and fearless in her manner, which earns her a fair amount of respect in the commmunity even if she doesn't subscribe to the majority's views. She is a good influence on the children as she has a broad and tolerant outlook, like Atticus.

Miss Maudie is the Finches' kind neighbor who enjoys gardening and speaking to Jem and Scout. Out of all the adults in Maycomb, the Finch children enjoy Maudie's company the most and Scout considers her a close friend. Maudie is a morally upright individual who supports Atticus' decision to defend Tom Robinson. She is also a magnanimous person who allows the children to play in her yard as long as they don't ruin her flowers. Maudie also takes time out of her day to sit on her porch with Scout and bakes delicious cakes for the children throughout the novel. Miss Maudie is also quick to ridicule intolerant, disrespectful people like the "foot-washing Baptists" and Mrs. Merriweather. Overall, Miss Maudie is a positive character throughout the novel who supports the Finch family and is considered a loyal friend.