The Prompt

1. The Prompt Write a thesis and two body paragraphs in which you explore two important aspects of Miss Maudie’s character (personality traits, values, morals), using only indirect characterization as evidence.

2. Miss Maudie is both caring and optimistic. For example Miss Maudie’s house has just burned down, but all she has to say is “only thing I was worried about last night was all the dander and commotion it caused. This whole neighborhood could have gone up” (73). This women’s home has just been destroyed by a nasty fire, her belonging taken down with the house, but all she can think about is the safety of all the folks in the neighborhood. In that kind of situation, many people would be worried about their own house, and theirselves. Miss Maudie on the other hand is primarily considerate towards everyone but herself.

3. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Miss Maudie shows she is generous and optimistic. Miss Maudie demonstrates generosity in the novel. For example, when Miss Maudie was inside baking, “she made a big cake, and three little ones, and she would call across the street: ‘Jem Finch, Scout Finch, Charles Baker Harris, come here!’” (43). This shows that she is generous in taking time to actually make the children three individual cakes.

4. Miss Maudie is a character who is selfless and playful. Miss Maudie’s character shows a lot of selflessness. After Miss Maudie’s house had burned down Jem was worried about her but she said, “‘Always wanted a smaller house, Jem Finch. Gives me more yard. Just think, I’ll have more room for my azaleas now’” (73)! Right after her house had burned she was able to assure Jem she would be alright even though her most valued possession was completely gone. She didn’t want Jem to feel bad for her and she wanted Jem to not be affected by her attitude.

5. Miss Maudie is the type of character most readers enjoy to learn about. She’s full of humor, caring towards others, and selflessness. You can tell that Miss Maudie is full of playful sarcasm and jokes just by listening to the way she responds to Scout’s and Jem’s troublesome behavior. For example, “suddenly she grinned… ‘You devil, bring me back my hat, sir (Lee 68).’” This scene happens after Jem runs to Miss Maudie’s house to take her hat. If she weren’t so full of life and humor then she would have gotten extremely annoyed and angry. You can also see that she’s able to joke around by the fact that Jem was comfortable with taking her hat, he knew there wouldn’t be any consequences because he took it even though his dad was there.

6. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbirdby Harper Lee the character Miss. Maudie has a sense of humor which causes her tolerance, and she is laid back.

7. Miss Maudie is kind to the children in many ways. For example, when Miss Maudie lets them “play on her lawn, eat her scuppernongs, and explore her vast back lot” she expresses generosity with the kids (42). Ms. Maudie cares about the children very much because no other neighbor like Stephanie Crawford would let obnoxious children be on their lawn and play. She has a warm heart for them.

8. Miss Maudie is a very caring person and is also playful. Miss Maudie acts very playful and fun and she enjoys life. When she says, “Jem Finch, you devil, bring me back my hat, sir” (68). She is acting very playful. This shows that she is playful because she says this in a joking fashion.