Discussion Topic
Perception of Maudie Atkinson in To Kill a Mockingbird
Summary:
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Maudie Atkinson is viewed positively by both the Finch children and Maycomb's society. The children appreciate her genuine, laid-back demeanor, and Scout, in particular, finds comfort in her presence and honesty. Miss Maudie treats them with respect, allowing them to play in her yard and baking them cakes. She supports Atticus Finch and offers the children encouragement during difficult times. Generally respected, Miss Maudie is seen as a true Christian and admired for her open-mindedness and integrity.
What are the children's views on Maudie Atkinson in To Kill a Mockingbird?
The Finch children view Miss Maudie as their friend and enjoy her presence. Miss Maudie is kind toward Jem, Scout, and Dill, and she allows them to run around in her yard as long as they do not trample her azaleas. Whenever Jem goes off to play with Dill, Miss Maudie allows Scout to sit with her on the front porch and keep her company. Scout thoroughly enjoys Maudie's calm presence and appreciates her compassionate personality. The children also know that they can joke with Miss Maudie. In chapter 8, Jem pokes fun at Maudie by creating a snowman that resembles her. Unlike the other female citizens in Maycomb, Miss Maudie supports Atticus 's decision to defend Tom Robinson and comforts the children following the unfortunate verdict. Miss Maudie even bakes the children cakes and offers them words of encouragement the day after the trial. Scout also...
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appreciates Maudie's presence and comforting touch during Aunt Alexandra's missionary circle. Overall, the children feel comfortable around Miss Maudie and view her as a genuine friend.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, what do characters think about Miss Maudie?
Jem, Dill, and particularly Scout generally adore Miss Maudie. She is like an aunt but they (Scout and Jem) clearly enjoy her company more than they do with Aunt Alexandra. Miss Maudie allows them to play anywhere in her yard as long as they don't kill the flowers. She makes cakes for them and when Jem and Dill are off doing "boys only" things, Scout goes to Miss Maudie:
In summertime, twilights are long and peaceful. Often as not, Miss Maudie and I would sit silently on her porch, watching the sky go from yellow to pink as the sun went down, watching flights of martins sweep low over the neighborhood and disappear behind the schoolhouse rooftops. (Chapter 5)
Scout discusses Miss Maudie at length in Chapter 5 and suggests that she is as much of a pal as an adult role model. This sums up how they feel about her:
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.
In Chapter 24, Aunt Alexandra gives Miss Maudie a silent "thank you" or nod of approval when she criticizes Mrs. Merriweather's racist hypocrisy.
Atticus also admires and respects Miss Maudie for being open-minded and a decent role model for the children. She is also friends with Stephanie Crawford because that is who she stays with after her house burns down. In general, Miss Maudie is respected and liked or loved by the aforementioned people who are significant parts of her life.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, how is Maudie Atkinson perceived by Maycomb's society, including the children?
A respected and humble member of the community without prejudice, Miss Maudie is not afraid to speak the truth without trying to offend people. She is never condescending to the children, always speaking to them as though they were adults. She oftn bakes cakes for for Jem and Scout and allows them to play in her yard. When the Puritanical citizens who disapprove of her brightly colored garden express their scorn with Biblical verses, Miss Maudie quotes scripture in playful retort to them.
In fact, it is Miss Maudie who is the true Christian. Miss Maudie, whose voice is "enough to shut anybody up," scolds the children in Chapter 5 when they ridicule the Radleys, "that is a sad house..." She always speaks well of people, and is candid and forthright. In Chapter 8, Scout relects,
With most of her possessions gone and her beloved yard a shambles [after her house has burned down],she still took a lively and cordial interes in Jem's and my affairs. She must have seen my perplexity. She said, "Only thing I worried about last night was all the danger and commotion it caused. This whole neighborhood could have gone up.