Character Analysis Of Miss Maudie In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

Abusing the innocence of a person goes against virtuous morals. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the demonstration of the harsh reality of human behavior are revealed through the prejudicing of Tom Robinson and Arthur Radley throughout the novel, but the truth of their character later gets revealed with the guidance of Miss Maudie. Through the characterization of Miss Maudie, Lee reveals that an exemplary and sympathetic person can influence the way another individual thinks, which can lead to a positive impact on people who are prejudiced.

The act of sympathizing with a person is the first step to understanding their true character. When Miss Maudie bakes cakes for the children after the verdict of Tom Robinson’s court case is announced, Scout thought, “There should have been three littles one.

But we understood when she cut from the big cake and gave a slice to Jem” (288). Miss Maudie giving Jem a slice from the big cake is her attempt to sympathize with him. After the verdict is announced, Jem is exposed to the reality of human injustice, and being the sympathetic person Miss Maudie is, she gives him a slice from the big cake to cheer him up. In addition to her act of sympathy towards Jem, Miss Maudie also sympathizes with one of the novel’s mockingbirds, Boo Radley. In reply to Scout’s barrage of questions on the subject of Boo Radley, Miss Maudie says, “No, child… that is a sad house. I remember Arthur Radley when he was a boy. He always spoke nicely to me, no matter what folks said he did” (60-61). The rumors that have been scattered across Maycomb Country have implanted themselves into the minds of the