In Chapter 5 of To Kill a Mockingbird, why does Scout like Miss Maudie?

In To Kill A Mockingbird, Jem and Scout are being brought up by their father Atticus, having lost their mother when Scout was too small to remember. Scout, as something of a tomboy, plays with Jem but he does find her irritating sometimes and, during the summer break, Miss Maudie becomes an important part of Scout's development, especially as Jem often prefers Dill's company; the boys only summon Scout when they need her. Scout also recognizes that some of the boys' schemes are "foolhardy" and, as young as she is, maintains her distance sometimes, preferring to spend her time sitting with Miss Maudie on her front porch. Previously, Miss Maudie had been just another "benign presence," but now Scout appreciates her uncomplicated attitude and style and, as long as the children stay out of Miss Maudie's azaleas, they are always welcome. Scout finds support in this environment and secure kowing that she can ask questions and receive honest answers.  

It is apparent that many of the residents in Maycomb County are fussy and contradictory in their actions. Scout must learn never to judge them or face her father's disappointment because Atticus has taught his children tolerance and insists that they respect other people's opinions because you cannot understand a person "until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." With Miss Maudie, Scout can be herself, knowing that Miss Maudie respects her and simply expects the children to take care around her prized flowers, thus preserving "the delicate balance of our relationship."

Scout appreciates Miss Maudie's lack of pretentiousness and her manner of dealing with reality, being "crisp" in her speech; in other words, making herself clearly understood and being sincere. Scout and Miss Maudie "cement" their friendship with a display of Miss Maudie's bridgework on her teeth, and Scout, Jem and Dill also enjoy the cakes she bakes, especially as she makes a particular effort on their behalf. Scout has "considerable faith in Miss Maudie" because, although she does not spend her time, like Miss Stephanie Crawford, "going about the neighborhood doing good," she has qualities that most other adults lack and Scout can call her her "friend." 

In chapter 5 of To Kill a Mockingbird, what do we learn about Miss Maudie?

Miss Maudie lives across the street and down a few houses from the Finches. She is the complete opposite of the gossip Miss Stephanie Crawford. Miss Maudie minds her own business and doesn't get caught up in other people's lives. Scout absolutely loves Maudie for her strength of character and integrity. Scout first describes her as follows:

"Miss Maudie hated her house: time spent indoors was time wasted. She was a widow, a chameleon lady who worked in her flower beds in an old straw hat and coveralls, but after her five o'clock bath she would appear on the porch and reign over the street in magisterial beauty" (42).

Miss Maudie not only allows the children to run around in her yard, but she also bakes them little cakes and treats them like friends. As a result, Scout feels safe enough to ask her what she thinks about the Boo Radley rumors.

Fortunately, Miss Maudie dispels some of Scout's fear by telling her that she knew Boo when he was a child, and that he was very soft-spoken. She also mentions to Scout that Boo had a very difficult and strict father, so life probably wasn't easy for him at home. Therefore, Miss Maudie is a lot like Atticus because she shows Scout how to look at people in a different way and not to listen to gossip. Miss Maudie is a good woman and a good example of kindness and integrity for the children.

Instead of being despondent over the burning of her home, Miss Maudie stands as an example of bravery to the children and others. She tells Jem and the others that she looks forward to rebuilding a smaller house that will allow her to have more room for her precious flowers.

In Chapter 5 of To Kill a Mockingbird, what are Jem and Scout's opinions of Miss Maudie?

Before the action in Chapter 5, Scout and Jem regard Miss Maudie as a "relatively benign presence," as she allows them to play in her front yard, eat her scuppernongs, and roam about her expansive back lot. They don't speak to her much, afraid of upsetting the "delicate balance" they have achieved with her. 

However, in Chapter 5, Jem and Dill's exclusion of Scout pushes Scout closer to Miss Maudie, who spends a great deal of time outside tending to her garden. She also makes Scout, Jem, and Dill each a small cake whenever she bakes a large cake. Scout, Jem, and Dill come to regard Miss Maudie as their friend because, as Scout says, "she had never told on us, had never played cat-and-mouse with us, she was not at all interested in our private lives." They trust her, and Scout turns to Miss Maudie to ask her about Boo Radley. Miss Maudie explains that Boo's father is a "foot-washing Baptist" who disdains anything pleasurable and that many of the rumors about Boo that have been spread around town are false. 

In chapter 24 of To Kill a Mockingbird, how does Miss Maudie differ from other Maycomb ladies?

Chapter 24 revolves around Aunt Alexandra's missionary meeting, which includes many prominent women of Maycomb. Miss Maudie is invited over for refreshments, and in proper social form, she attends even though she does not go to the same church as these women. Be that as it may, all of these women are self-proclaimed Christians who want to assist in any way that they can to improve their community by helping others. This seems all well and good until they start talking and showing their prejudice. For instance, Mrs. Merriweather believes Tom Robinson's trial did not help the situation in Maycomb, saying,

"Now far be it from me to say who, but some of 'em in this town thought they were doing the right thing a while back, but all they did was stir 'em up. That's all they did. Might've looked like the right thing to do at the time, I'm sure I don't know. . . but sulky. . . dissatisfied. . . I tell you if my Sophy'd kept it up another day I'd have let her go. It's never entered that wool of hers that the only reason I keep her is because this depression's on and she needs her dollar and a quarter every week she can get it" (233).

Break down Mrs. Merriweather's comments above, and one can see at whom she points her blaming finger for the "dissatisfied" African Americans in the community after the trial that summer. She doesn't say it explicitly, but Mrs. Merriweather seems to blame Atticus, and possibly others like Judge Taylor, for thinking "they were doing the right thing." Mrs. Merriweather's main complaint is the fact that her cook, Sophy, was "sulky" in the days following the trial. She also worries that if everyone in the African American community is upset and "sulky," then the status quo of Maycomb may unravel.

Miss Maudie, on the other hand, does not agree with or believe in the same issues as Mrs. Merriweather and the other women at the party. Like a true, well-mannered lady, Miss Maudie holds her tongue for most of the discussion while the finger pointing reveals the women's petty prejudices. By the time Mrs. Merriweather brings up Sophy, though, Miss Maudie interjects and the following exchange occurs:

"His food doesn't stick going down, does it?"

Miss Maudie said it. Two tight lines had appeared at the corners of her mouth. . .

"Maudie, I'm sure I don't know what you mean," said Mrs. Merriweather.

"I'm sure you do," Miss Maudie said shortly (233). 

Miss Maudie is quick, to the point, and saucy. She does not debate the issue with Mrs. Merriweather, she simply calls her out and drops it. Scout explains Miss Maudie's remark as follows:

She said no more. When Miss Maudie was angry her brevity was icy. Something had made her deeply angry, and her gray eyes were as cold as her voice. Mrs. Merriweather reddened glanced at me, and looked away (233).

From Scout's explanation, Miss Maudie is angry with the women and shows her disapproval with a biting remark. As a result, the prejudiced and judgmental discussion stops, and Aunt Alexandra can intervene by handing out more refreshments and changing the subject. Scout notices that Aunt Alexandra shoots a look of gratitude towards Miss Maudie in the process, which shows that not only can Miss Maudie shut another woman up with "her brevity," but she can also do it with dignity and help Aunt Alexandra in the process. The other women in the room, however, are neither ladylike nor dignified. They can dress up in nice clothes and hats and talk about being Christians all day long, but deep down, they are prejudiced and judgmental hypocrites.

The other ladies of Maycomb, like Aunt Alexandra, Mrs. Merriweather, Mrs. Perkins, and Mrs. Farrow, are highly judgmental and hypocritical. They all agree that it is important to help those who are less fortunate than others, particularly the Mrunas, yet when it comes to groups in Maycomb that need their help, in particular Tom Robinson's family, they are less than Christian.

Mrs. Merriweather even believes that things will calm down once the white people of Maycomb can forgive that "darky's wife," as though Helen Robinson has done anything wrong. Miss Maudie shows her integrity and courage when she essentially calls every single one of the women out, particularly Mrs. Merriweather, who claims that the only reason she keeps her black cook is because the depression is on. Miss Maudie makes a point to note that neither Mr. nor Mrs. Merriweather have any trouble enjoying the food Sophy cooks.

What is Miss Maudie's physical description in To Kill a Mockingbird?

The lengthiest semblance of a physical description of Miss Maudie is found in chapter sixteen, when Scout makes the following observation:

There was an odd thing about Miss Maudie—on her porch she was too far away for us to see her features clearly, but we could always catch her mood by the way she stood. She was now standing arms akimbo, her shoulders drooping a little, her head cocked to one side, her glasses winking in the sunlight.

Most of what we learn about Miss Maudie has to be searched for throughout the text. Other descriptions state that she was "a chameleon lady," suggesting that she changed her attire to suit the circumstances. As Scout comments in chapter 5:

She was a widow, 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.

This suggests that her transformation from the one to the other was quite dramatic. Scout also mentions that Miss Maudie's "speech was crisp for a Maycomb County inhabitant," which might imply that she did not entirely use the local vernacular and sounded more cultured. She also wore dentures since she, at one point, "thrust out her bridgework" making Scout like her even more. Scout admired the two small gold prongs clipped to her eyeteeth that Miss Maudie displayed whenever she grinned, which led to her revealing her false teeth. Because of her dentures, Miss Maudie could also not chew gum.

Miss Maudie also seemed to have quite a stern, authoritarian voice, for Scout also states that "Miss Maudie’s voice was enough to shut anybody up." It is also clear that she has a well-endowed buttocks because when Scout was aiming to shoot her and Atticus asked her what she was aiming at, she said: “Miss Maudie’s rear end.” We are then informed that Atticus turned and saw Scout's "generous target bending over her bushes."

We can also assume that Miss Maudie is fifty years old because she does, at some point, mention that fifty is not too old when she and Scout discuss Maycomb's history and age and she indirectly refers to herself. 

Miss Maudie is a pleasant, open-minded woman who clearly loves children and the outdoors. She has endeared herself to both Jem and Scout for her kindness and objectivity.

What is Miss Maudie's appearance in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Harper Lee does not provide the reader with a complete description of Miss Maudie's physical appearance in To Kill A Mockingbird. However, if you look closely throughout the text, there are several hints, clues, and short descriptions that tell us some of her physical details.

As far as her attire is concerned, Miss Maudie appears in one of two states. When she is working in her garden, she wears men's coveralls and a straw hat. However, in the evenings, after she has bathed, Miss Maudie is transformed into a "magisterial beauty." By this, we can assume that she dresses as a proper Southern lady would after her chores in the garden are finished.

We also learn in chapter 5 that Miss Maudie wears dentures. When she smiles at Scout, she reveals "two minute gold prongs clipped to her eyeteeth." In a gesture that Scout interprets as signifying friendship, she even thrusts out her bridgework.

In chapter 10, we get a further clue as to Miss Maudie's age. Scout tells Miss Maudie that everybody in the neighborhood is old, even her and Atticus who is fifty. Miss Maudie responds with a hint of indignation that fifty is not old. This comment indicates that she and Atticus are about the same age.

Another bit of information concerning Miss Maudie's physical appearance also appears in chapter 10. Scout is playing with her air rifle aiming it at Miss Maudie's rear end. She describes this as a "generous target." We also learn in chapter 13 that her shoulder "stoops," which is a family trait of hers. In chapter 16, it is mentioned that she wears glasses.

In To Kill a Mockingbird, what happened to Miss Maudie's house?

In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Miss Maudie's house burns to the ground the night after Scout sees her first snowfall.

When Scout first sees snow, she thinks the world is ending. There's not much snow, and Scout and Jem will struggle to build a "respectable" snowman—more mud than snow. With concern that it looks more like Mr. Avery than it should, the kids borrow a hat from Miss Maudie to cover up the likeness. It is an exciting day, but introduces a sense of the unusual, an essence of excitement, and a setting of unnaturally cold temperatures—important at the fire the next night. 

Whereas Scout had been greeted by the miracle (and fear) of snow the previous evening, the next night Atticus gently wakes the children to take them outside to avoid the danger of fire.

That something was wrong finally got through to me. "What's the matter?"

By then he did not have to tell me. Just as the birds know where to go when it rains, I knew when there was trouble in our street. Soft taffeta-like sounds and muffled scurrying sounds filled me with helpless dread.

"Whose is it?"

"Miss Maudie's, hon," said Atticus gently.

At the front door, we saw fire spewing from Miss Maudie's diningroom windows. As if to confirm what we saw, the town fire siren wailed up the scale to a treble pitch and remained there screaming.

This scene is important for several reasons. It introduces (as did the snow) a dread and fascination for the children of something both frightening and awe-inspiring. It also promotes the theme of community in the novel: whereas community can be ugly at times (especially as seen with Tom Robinson's trial), here the reader gets the sense of what Miss Maudie will allude to later in the novel: that there are decent people in Maycomb. In this case, they come out to try to save Miss Maudie's house...and everything in it. For example, Atticus carries Miss Maudie's rocking chair; Mr. Avery shoves a mattress out of the upstairs window.

The other element introduced by the fire is the extent of the neighborhood that turns out for the fire, as well as the element of concern—for it is while Scout watches all of this action that she is visited by another—and unlikely—member of the community.

As we drank our cocoa I noticed Atticus looking at me, first with curiosity, then with sternness. "I thought I told you and Jem to stay put," he said.

"Why, we did. We stayed—"

"Then whose blanket is that?"

"Blanket?"

"Yes, ma'am, blanket. It isn't ours."

...I turned to Jem for an answer, but Jem was even more bewildered than I. He said he didn't know how it got there, we did exactly as Atticus had told us, we stood down by the Radley gate...Jem stopped.

"Mr. Nathan was at the fire," he babbled, "I saw him, I saw him, he was tuggin' that mattress—Atticus, I swear..."

"That's all right, son." Atticus grinned slowly. "Looks like all of Maycomb was out tonight...We'd better keep this and the blanket to ourselves. Someday, maybe, Scout can thank him for covering her up."

"Thank who?" I asked.

"Boo Radley. You were so busy looking at the fire you didn't know it when he put the blanket around you."

The freezing temperatures that brought the snow also introduce Scout's need for a blanket.

This incident foreshadows Boo's concern over the children, the knowledge that Boo watches the children, and an understanding of how Boo is able to be in the right place at the right time when the children will desperately need his protection later.

In chapter 8, Maycomb experiences its first snowfall since 1885, and the town ends up canceling school. Jem and Scout spend the day playing outside in the snow and even create a makeshift snowman out of dirt and a thin layer of snow. That night, Atticus wakes Jem and Scout and informs them that Miss Maudie's house is on fire. He then instructs Jem to stand with Scout in the Radley yard, which is a safe distance from the house fire. Both Jem and Scout watch from the Radley yard as their neighbors attempt to save Maudie's furniture before her home collapses in flames. Fortunately, no one is hurt, and the community is able to rescue some of Maudie's possessions before she loses her home.

The next morning, both Jem and Scout are surprised by Miss Maudie's positive attitude regarding the destruction of her home. When Jem tells Maudie that they are awfully sorry about her home, Maudie responds by saying,

Always wanted a smaller house, Jem Finch. Gives me more yard. Just think, I’ll have more room for my azaleas now!

Miss Maudie's reaction and composure following the tragic loss of her home illustrates her optimistic, appreciative personality.

Is Miss Maudie typical 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 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.

Describe Miss Maudie Atkinson. Is she a typical Maycomb woman in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Miss Maudie is a strong and independent woman who uses a great sense of humor to tackle the adversities of life—and she utilizes these qualities to provide guidance to the Finch children during a difficult period of Maycomb's history.

If Stephanie Crawford and her incessant gossip represents the average Maycomb woman, Miss Maudie stands in firm opposition to such behavior. She enjoys putting Miss Stephanie in her place when given the chance, such as the time Miss Stephanie claimed that Boo Radley was tormenting her:

Stephanie Crawford even told me once she woke up in the middle of the night and found him looking in the window at her. I said what did you do, Stephanie, move over in the bed and make room for him? That shut her up a while. (chapter 5)

Miss Maudie has a way of seeing the positive in any situation, which carries her through her own trials of life; when her house burns in the middle of the night, Miss Maudie casually says that she's always wanted to downsize her house and have more room for the azaleas in her yard.

She also doesn't take life too seriously. She and Uncle Jack grew up together at Finch's Landing, and each year he teases her by asking her to marry him. She enjoys teasing him back, asking him to yell his proposal a little louder so that they can hear him up at the post office.

After the trial, Miss Maudie helps Scout and Jem sort through the very complicated emotions from an unfair verdict. She bakes cakes to create an appropriate atmosphere for sharing heavy thoughts and then tells them that not only does Atticus do important work in their town, but several people in Maycomb helped Atticus during the trial. She encourages the children that there is hope for Maycomb.

The children, therefore, learn to appreciate the maternal role Miss Maude fulfills in their lives. She proves wise and loyal, patient and hopeful. She is always ready to provide an encouraging talk or to remind them to stay within the boundaries of rules when necessary. Miss Maudie never talks to the children as if they are children; instead, she engages with them in meaningful ways. Scout and Jem always seem comfortable and open in their conversations with her.

Miss Maudie Atkinson is the one woman who Jem and Scout--and Atticus--can count on as a true friend in Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird." Unlike the unhappy morphine addict Mrs. Dubose and the gossipy Miss Stephanie, Miss Maudie keeps to herself except when a neighbor is in need. Then, she is a woman who can be counted upon. She speaks to Jem and Scout as equals without condescending to them as most other adults in Maycomb. 

“She had never told on us, had never played cat-and-mouse with us, she was not at all interested in our private lives.”

Unlike most of Maycomb's other townspeople, Maudie's friendship also extends to the town's black citizens.

The handful of people in this town who say that fair play is not marked White Only; the handful of people who say a fair trial is for everybody, not just us; the handful of people with enough humility to think, when they look at a Negro, there but for the Lord's kindness am I."

Who is Miss Maudie in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Miss Maudie Atkinson is one of the primary characters in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. She lives alone across the street from Atticus Finch and his family. Miss Maudie speaks what she thinks plainly and without fuss, and she talks to Scout, Dill, and Jem as if they are her equals. 

Miss Maudie is the one who reveals many things about Atticus and his character to his children (who seem to think he is nothing but an "old fuddy duddy" who is boring and average in every way). She pays Atticus the highest compliment by saying he is the same in his home as he is on the street, though Scout does not really understand what that means. When Scout talks with Miss Maudie about the trial, the older woman again pays tribute to Aticus's character:

Whether Maycomb knows it or not, we're paying the highest tribute we can pay a man. We trust him to do right. It's that simple.

Miss Maudie serves as a kind of chorus to Atticus, reinforcing his beliefs. She agrees with Atticus that

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.

Miss Maudie is her own woman and does only what her conscience tells her to do. She is hard on those who hypocritically use religion to oppress others (such as the "foot-washin' Baptists" who routinely deride her for enjoying her flower garden or the missionary circle who has empathy for the plight of far-away black people but no tolerance at all for those in their own town), but she is also a lady. Scout goes to Miss Maudie when she is feeling left out by the boys, and Miss Maudie never condemns her for being such a tomboy.

Scout does not have a mother, but she is blessed to have Miss Maudie in her life to serve as a mentor and confidante. 

What role does Miss Maudie Atkinson play in To Kill a Mockingbird?

I believe Miss Maudie's character is a type of foil to some of the craziness that takes place in the novel. She is the voice of reason and in many ways, expresses the opinions of the author, Harper Lee, herself. Maudie is a woman of integrity and is always available to impart some nugget of wisdom to Scout and Jem. For example, when Jem complains that his dad can't really do anything cool, she tells Jem that his father (Atticus) can do plenty of things, such as write an air-tight contract or legal document. When the hypocrites in town criticize her for spending too much time tending to her flowers, and she is going to hell, she explains to Scout that some people don't like anything that gives another person pleasure. She refuses to attend the trial because she says it is going to be nothing but a spectacle (Roman carnival) in which Christians were torn apart by lions. Maudie has a wonderful sense of humor, but her humorous comments are also commentaries on the foibles of the other characters or of the people in the town (for example when she defends Atticus at the missionary women's tea).

What is Miss Maudie's role in Scout's life in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Since Scout's mother is no longer living, Miss Maudie serves a maternal role in the novel (along with at least a couple of other women). She keeps a watchful eye on the children and is always available to listen to their concerns and offer wise counsel.

Miss Maudie shows Scout how to face adversity when her own house burns down:

Grieving, child? Why, I hated that old cow barn. Thought of settin' fire to it a hundred times myself, except they'd lock me up. ... 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. Those Bellingraths'll look plain puny when I get started.

Her father will soon face intense scrutiny from the town which will project onto Scout, and being able to witness a strong female's response to difficulty lays a foundation that Scout will need.

Miss Maudie also lends a patient and understanding ear to the children's problems. When Scout, Jem, and Dill are upset following the trial, Miss Maudie brings them to her house for cake and cautiously approaches them with wisdom and encouragement:

"Things are never as bad as they seem.”

Indoors, when Miss Maudie wanted to say something lengthy she spread her fingers on her knees and settled her bridgework. This she did, and we waited. “I simply want to tell you that there are some men in this world who were born to do our unpleasant jobs for us. Your father’s one of them.”

Miss Madie is one of the few members of the town who stands firmly behind Atticus's decision to defend Tom Robinson to the best of his abilities; she wants his children to know that their father is a brave world-changer, regardless of what the rest of the town says.

Being a maternal figure also means providing boundaries at times, and Miss Maudie fills this role with a sense of humor. When the kids make their first snowman, they create it as a replica of Mr. Avery. Miss Maudie realizes that this resemblance could cause some conflict, so she helps the children tone down his most recognizable features and even has a great laugh at Scout's misuse of her own reference to the snowman's status as a "hermaphrodite."

Miss Maudie's capacities for warmth, guidance, and encouragement fill a maternal role for Scout and the other children.

What role does Miss Maudie Atkinson play in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Miss Maudie Atkinson is the Finch family's kind, compassionate neighbor, who treats Jem and Scout with respect and acts as a positive role model. Miss Maudie's character serves several important functions throughout the story. Harper Lee utilizes Miss Maudie to serve as a foil to Aunt Alexandra. Both women are roughly the same age and have close ties with Jem and Scout. However, Alexandra and Maudie have significantly different personalities and relationships with the Finch children. While Scout views Aunt Alexandra as a strict, opinionated woman, Miss Maudie behaves the opposite and is portrayed as a tolerant, understanding neighbor.

Miss Maudie's character also parallels Atticus's role as she contributes to the children's moral development. Maudie elaborates on Atticus's lesson regarding the importance of protecting innocent mockingbirds, tells Scout the truth about Boo Radley, and offers the children valuable insight into the Tom Robinson trial. Similar to Calpurnia and Alexandra, Miss Maudie also serves as the Finch children's surrogate mother. She watches over Jem and Scout, keeps Scout company when Jem is playing with Dill, and offers them encouragement following the difficult court case.

Miss Maudie's character also embodies tolerance and strength. Similar to Atticus, Maudie is a morally upright person, who refuses to conform to society's standards. Her values contribute to certain themes like perspective, tolerance, and justice, which Harper Lee explores throughout the story. Overall, Miss Maudie's character serves several important functions in the novel. She acts as Aunt Alexandra's foil, is the female equivalent to Atticus's character, behaves as Scout's surrogate mother, and embodies positive values like tolerance, compassion, and sympathy.

What happens to Miss Maudie's house in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Scout describes her first experience with snowfall in Chapter 8 of To Kill a Mockingbird. She is terrified when she sees the white particles falling from the sky, and thinks the world is ending. After a fun day of building a "Morphodite" snowman, in part with Miss Maudie's borrowed snow, the temperature dropped to 16 degrees that night. Everyone had their fireplaces blazing. Scout was awakened in the middle of the night and told to hurry outside. When she heard the "soft taffeta-like sounds and muffled scurrying sounds," she knew a house was on fire. It was Miss Maudie's. Her neighbors managed to save some of her furniture and personal items, but the house was a total loss. According to Maudie, she had left a fire burning in her kitchen fireplace, and the flue must have caught fire. She later moved in with Miss Stephanie before rebuilding.

What role does Miss Maudie play in the lives of the children in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Miss Maudie befriends the children and helps to offer them a level perspective on humanity and race, revealing interesting pieces of their father's backstory to them. Scout and Miss Maudie eventually develop quite a strong friendship. Miss Maudie also feeds the children slices of the delicious cakes she makes. Unfortunately, her house burns down during the first winter of the story, giving Scout her first chance to (kind of) meet Boo Radley. Unlike other adults in the novel, Miss Maudie treats Jem and Scout with respect, acting the same ways toward them as she acts toward adults—even lamenting with Scout that there aren't any young adults in the town for the kids to look to as role models.