Question

miss maudie and the courage to see clearly
complete the 3 - column chart below, then answer the questions with at least 3 complete sentences.

what miss maudie believes	what maycomb believes	what we can infer

1. why do you think harper lee includes miss maudie so early in the novel?

use one quote or specific detail from chapter 5.

Explanation:

To answer why Harper Lee includes Miss Maudie early, we analyze her role. Miss Maudie is a morally upright, kind neighbor who contrasts with prejudiced townsfolk. In Chapter 5, she interacts with Scout, offering a positive, rational perspective on Atticus’ defense of Tom Robinson (e.g., “Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets”). She humanizes Atticus, provides Scout with wisdom, and introduces themes of empathy and moral courage. Including her early establishes a foil to narrow - minded Maycomb residents, shapes Scout’s (and readers’) understanding of morality, and sets up the contrast between true community and bigotry.

Answer:

Harper Lee includes Miss Maudie early to provide a moral compass and contrast to Maycomb’s prejudice. In Chapter 5, Miss Maudie tells Scout, “Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets,” highlighting Atticus’ integrity. She offers Scout (and readers) a compassionate, rational perspective, countering the town’s narrow - mindedness. Her early inclusion establishes themes of empathy, moral courage, and the importance of seeing beyond surface - level judgments, while also humanizing Atticus and guiding Scout’s moral development.