Character Sketch of Maddie — The Hundred Dresses

Maddie is a sensitive, poor girl who is Peggy's best friend in 'The Hundred Dresses'. She wears old, mended clothes and privately understands Wanda's poverty. However, she lacks the courage to defend Wanda when Peggy teases her, fearing that Peggy will then turn on her. After Wanda leaves school because of the bullying, Maddie cannot eat or sleep — she is overwhelmed with guilt. She and Peggy write a letter to Wanda, hoping to make amends. Maddie's most important quality is her strong moral conscience: she resolves that she will never remain silent in the face of injustice again, no matter what it costs her. This resolution marks her growth from a passive bystander to a person of moral courage.

Maddie was afraid. She knew that if she stood up for Wanda, Peggy might turn on her next and mock her for her own worn-out clothes. Being poor herself, she feared being ridiculed. This fear made her a passive bystander — she witnessed the injustice but said nothing. It is this silence that she later deeply regrets.

Maddie's character teaches that silence during injustice makes one as guilty as the wrongdoer. Her guilt and eventual resolve show that moral courage requires speaking up even when it is personally risky. The story argues that being a bystander is not neutral — it enables bullying.

Peggy is the initiator of the teasing and feels no guilt — she rationalises that she never actually called Wanda names. Maddie, by contrast, is deeply sensitive and guilt-ridden. While Peggy moves on without remorse, Maddie cannot. This difference makes Maddie the moral centre of the story.

Maddie resolves that she will never stand by and say nothing again when she sees someone being hurt or humiliated. Even if it means losing Peggy's friendship, she will speak up. This is her moral transformation — from passive silence to active courage.