What role does Miss Maudie play in Scout's life?

Since 's mother is no longer living, Miss
Maudie serves a maternal role in the novel (along with at least a couple of other women). She
keeps a watchful eye on the children and is always available to listen to their concerns and
offer wise counsel.

Miss Maudie shows Scout how to face adversity when her
own house burns down:

Grieving, child? Why, I hated that
old cow barn. Thought of settin' fire to it a hundred times myself, except they'd lock me up.
... Don't you worry about me, Jean Louise Finch. There are ways of doing things you don't know
about. Why, I'll build me a little house and take me a couple of roomers andgracious, I'll have
the finest yard in Alabama. Those Bellingraths'll look plain puny when I get started.

Her father will soon face intense scrutiny from the town which will
project onto Scout, and being able to witness a strong female's response to difficulty lays a
foundation that Scout will need.

Miss Maudie also lends a patient and
understanding ear to the children's problems. When Scout, , and Dill are upset following the
trial, Miss Maudie brings them to her house for cake and cautiously approaches them with wisdom
and encouragement:

"Things are never as bad as they
seem.

Indoors, when Miss Maudie wanted to say something lengthy she spread
her fingers on her knees and settled her bridgework. This she did, and we waited. 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 fathers one of them.

Miss Madie is one of
the few members of the town who stands firmly behind 's decision to defend Tom Robinson to the
best of his abilities; she wants his children to know that their father is a brave
world-changer, regardless of what the rest of the town says.

Being a maternal
figure also means providing boundaries at times, and Miss Maudie fills this role with a sense of
humor. When the kids make their first snowman, they create it as a replica of Mr. Avery. Miss
Maudie realizes that this resemblance could cause some conflict, so she helps the children tone
down his most recognizable features and even has a great laugh at Scout's misuse of her own
reference to the snowman's status as a "hermaphrodite."

Miss
Maudie's capacities for warmth, guidance, and encouragement fill a maternal role for Scout and
the other children.