Chapter 22/23: Explain Maudie’s two important quotes about Atticus in Chapter 22. How is she showing her support? (Eric)

Miss Maudie is similar to a grandmother figure in Jem and Scout’s life. She gives good advice and she protects them when they are in danger even if they do not know it. She is available whenever Scout and Jem feel lonely or when they do not know how to cope with their emotions. Miss Maudie helps them in a way that is understandable, or she gives them advice for the future. On page 228, when Jem is scared she comforts him and she says, “Don’t fret, Jem. Things are never as bad as they seem” (Lee 228). When she says this she is able to calm the children before she says, “I simply want to tell you that there are some men in this world who were born to do our unpleasant jobs for us. Your father’s one of them” (Lee 228). When Miss Maudie says this she is saying that Atticus has been chosen to fight a battle he knows he can’t win, but even though he knows that he won’t back down because he senses that it is the right thing to do. Miss Maudie explains that he is a strong person with pride for his beliefs. When Miss Maudie says, “We’re the safest folks in the world… We’re so rarely called on to be Christians, but when we are, we’ve got men like Atticus to go for us” (Lee 228). In this line she references to how not often Maycomb is a busy town and some people just drift through life, but occasionally people have to step up like like Atticus, and show people the way. Miss Maudie acts as someone to talk to, and someone who is always relatable and trustworthy in this twisted community.