Who Is Ms. Maudie Atkinson In To Kill A Mockingbird

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, we learn of many characters that surround the main character, Scout. Ms. Maudie Atkinson is the character whom I believe has the best impact on the child and on the book. Ms. Maudie adds a humorous, yet stable, character to the town of Maycomb. She welcomes all sorts of people into her life and is a selfless role model for the children in her neighborhood. She has a more than interesting life and her attitude only helps the experiences she has gone through. Without Ms. Maudie the novel wouldn’t be as riveting.
Maudie Atkinson grew up alongside Atticus. She is a descendant of the Buford family. She lived on the neighboring land to Finch Landing and moved to Maycomb County around the same time that Atticus did (Lee 58). Ms. Maudie lives across the street
Maudie is always eager to talk to Scout. My favorite part of the book including Ms. Maudie’s character was when Maudie welcomed Scout to her home when the boys wouldn’t play with her. “Until Jem and Dill excluded me from their plans, she was only another lady in the neighborhood” (Lee 56). Scout was feeling down about Jem and Dill excluding her, and Miss Maudie welcomed her with open arms and made her feel much better. Maudie told Scout a story about Stephanie Crawford that made Scout laugh. She was trying to distract Scout from the harsh treatment she had received from Jem and Dill. “That shut her up a while” (Lee 60). Maudie was speaking of the time she talked to Stephanie about Arthur Radley. She has a dry, sarcastic sense of humor and jumps at the chance to put someone in their place. Ms. Maudie is a generous old lady. At the end of the day, she invited Scout to take some pound cake home for a treat (Lee 61). I can relate to this thoughtfulness because when I am discouraged or downcast, sweet treats almost always make me feel better. This shows Maudie’s character on a deeper level and reveals much about her that we didn’t previously