Miss Maudie - to Kill a Mockingbird
Miss Maudie:
• holds different views from those of the majority of townspeople;
• she demonstrates courage when she is contrasted to others in the novel less tolerant than she, e.g. to the intolerant Mrs Dubose; to the empty-headed Miss Stephanie
Crawford particulary in the matter of the children in the court; to the strict Baptists (she is condemned to hell) for loving her garden – “time spent indoors was time wasted”;
• Scout appreciates Miss Maudie’s goodness which the latter maintains in spite of opposition from others;
• Miss Maudie sees the danger of interpreting the Bible too literally and has the courage to speak out that such people as Mr Radley hurt others – argument could be made that she seems to limit her audience with these messages;
• she says that these people are “so busy worrying about the next world they’ve never learned to live in this one . . .” – possibility of argument as to how far she carries this message;
• her courageous reaction to the destruction of her home – cares more for her flowers
(more important in life) – could be argued that this is foolhardiness.
Bob Ewell:
• Bob Ewell gets a job with the WPA, one of the Depression job programmes and loses it a few days later; he blames Atticus for “getting his job”;
• Bob Ewell begins to follow Helen Robinson home, whispering obscenities to her;
• Bob Ewell poses an unpredictable threat to the Finches and eventually ambushes the children on their way home from the Halloween pageant;
• Bob Ewell’s actions are typical of his bigoted personality;
• Miss Stephanie reports that Bob Ewell has spat in Atticus’ face.
What she does in the Finch household and her relationship with Scout and Jem:
• she has an important role in the Finch family household, and is much more than just the cook; • she acts as a mother fi gure to Scout and Jem;
• she acts as a role model for Scout, teaching her respect and social manners during the lunch with Walter Cunningham;
• she takes Scout
• holds different views from those of the majority of townspeople;
• she demonstrates courage when she is contrasted to others in the novel less tolerant than she, e.g. to the intolerant Mrs Dubose; to the empty-headed Miss Stephanie
Crawford particulary in the matter of the children in the court; to the strict Baptists (she is condemned to hell) for loving her garden – “time spent indoors was time wasted”;
• Scout appreciates Miss Maudie’s goodness which the latter maintains in spite of opposition from others;
• Miss Maudie sees the danger of interpreting the Bible too literally and has the courage to speak out that such people as Mr Radley hurt others – argument could be made that she seems to limit her audience with these messages;
• she says that these people are “so busy worrying about the next world they’ve never learned to live in this one . . .” – possibility of argument as to how far she carries this message;
• her courageous reaction to the destruction of her home – cares more for her flowers
(more important in life) – could be argued that this is foolhardiness.
Bob Ewell:
• Bob Ewell gets a job with the WPA, one of the Depression job programmes and loses it a few days later; he blames Atticus for “getting his job”;
• Bob Ewell begins to follow Helen Robinson home, whispering obscenities to her;
• Bob Ewell poses an unpredictable threat to the Finches and eventually ambushes the children on their way home from the Halloween pageant;
• Bob Ewell’s actions are typical of his bigoted personality;
• Miss Stephanie reports that Bob Ewell has spat in Atticus’ face.
What she does in the Finch household and her relationship with Scout and Jem:
• she has an important role in the Finch family household, and is much more than just the cook; • she acts as a mother fi gure to Scout and Jem;
• she acts as a role model for Scout, teaching her respect and social manners during the lunch with Walter Cunningham;
• she takes Scout