The scene of Miss Maudie’s abode on fire is significant because it is when Scout and Jem have their first interaction with Boo Radley. Although the children did not get to see Boo Radley, they recognize that it was the closest they have been to him. Realizing how close Scout was to Boo reveals Scout and Jem are still childlike because Scout’s “stomach [turns] to water and [she] nearly threw up” while Jem jokes about the situation. Scout and Jem in this chapter of the novel have not matured enough to realize Boo is not someone to be afraid of but is human being not a monster. The event of Miss Maudie’s house on fire brought chaos to the Maycomb. It is a confusion for Maycomb because it is usually calm, therefore, it does not experience many
