Compare Miss Maudie and Miss Stephanie.

Despite their minor similarities, Miss Maudie and Miss Stephanie Crawford have two extremely different personalities throughout the novel.

Miss Stephanie is referred to as the "neighborhood scold" and spreads negative rumors about Arthur "Boo" Radley. At the beginning of the story, Scout mentions that Jem gets most of his information from Miss Stephanie, who claims that she caught Boo staring into her window one night. Miss Stephanie is a notorious gossip, who enjoys socializing with...

Despite their minor similarities, Miss Maudie and Miss Stephanie Crawford have two extremely different personalities throughout the novel.

Miss Stephanie is referred to as the "neighborhood scold" and spreads negative rumors about Arthur "Boo" Radley. At the beginning of the story, Scout mentions that Jem gets most of his information from Miss Stephanie, who claims that she caught Boo staring into her window one night. Miss Stephanie is a notorious gossip, who enjoys socializing with her neighbors about nearly everything that happens in Maycomb.

In contrast, Miss Maudie is portrayed as a calm, understanding woman who has a great relationship with the Finch children. Unlike Miss Stephanie, Maudie chooses her words wisely and does not indirectly harm others by spreading rumors. Maudie is an honest woman and tells Scout the truth about Boo Radley in chapter 5. There are also situations where Miss Maudie criticizes Miss Stephanie for her loud mouth and ignorance. Miss Maudie also encourages and comforts the Finch children following the Tom Robinson trial, while Miss Stephanie simply criticizes Atticus for his unpopular defense.

Overall, Miss Maudie is depicted as a mature, trustworthy woman, while Miss Stephanie is portrayed as an unsympathetic gossip.