Final answer:
Atticus advocates for respecting Southern womanhood but refuses to maintain harmless fictions if they cost someone's life, favoring justice above traditional values.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Atticus states he is in favor of Southern womanhood as much as anybody, but not for preserving polite fiction at the expense of human life, he is expressing his support for the respect and dignity afforded to women in the South. However, he strongly opposes the idea when such respect comes with the cost of ignoring the truth or upholding a lie, especially if it leads to the harm or death of a person. This sentiment captures the conflict between upholding traditional values and seeking justice, even if it challenges the status quo.