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Use of Symbolism
Use of Symbolism
The use of symbolism in the novel
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While Mayella did lie which ended up killing Tom Robinson, she is still sympathetic as she demonstrates that she does not want want to be a dumb, dirty Ewell. She is isolated from society and a victim of domestic abuse. Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird leaves a lot of details in the novel for the reader to decide. Lee’s role, was to simply scatter evidence for readers to formulate their own conclusions on her characters, events and themes. Mayella Ewell’s personality and character was a scattered jigsaw puzzle and Lee created each individual piece which represents her words. Those who solve the puzzle correctly can conclude that Mayella is a very sympathetic character that was conceived to embody the evils of Bob Ewell and southern
Mayella (white), goes to court against Tom Robinson (African American), where Mayella is accusing Tom Robinson of rape. When Atticus asks Mayella questions, Atticus mishears Mayella. An example of Mayella’s lack of power is when Atticus closes his argument by describing Mayella’s injuries during the court case. “Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left.”
It is Mayella's deceit that brings Tom Robinson to trial. Though she may not be forgiven for this lie, Atticus and Scout feel sympathy for her because of the terrible poverty in which she lives. Whenever Scout feels sorry for Mayella we do as well as we are viewing the trial from her point of view.
In Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”, did Mayella present herself to be powerful according to class, race, and gender? Mayella is a poor young white girl that lives in a dump in the poor part of Maycomb with her 6 siblings that she cares for and her abusive drunk father. She tore the town of Maycomb apart by convicting an innocent man, Tom Robinson of rape.Mayella has to do whatever she can to escape her father and her poor lifestyle. I believe that Mayella is if not the most, but one of the most powerful characters in the book.
Mayella Ewell was left with injuries to the head and neck and more on the right side of her body, including bruises and a black eye. Being a public trial, the courthouse quickly filled with people from all over town waiting to see what Atticus Finch could do for the defence of Tom Robinson. The case began and Heck Tate was the first witness called to the stand. Mr. Tate claimed that Mr. Ewell came up running to him the day of the crime telling him of the events that Mr. Ewell saw take place and they together went back to the crime scene.
Mayella Ewell is similar to the accusers in the Scottsboro trial because she is shy, hostile, and emotionally unstable. In the book the narrator stated that Mayella “stared at him and burst into tears” (Lee 179). Mayella Ewell is a quiet person who is considered emotionally unstable. Due to the way she was raised she is also a hostile person. Linder said that Ruby Bates was “shy, inarticulate, and insecure” (Linder 1999). Lee was inspired by the
Mayella is not powerful, as the reader Mayella is going to be classified how much power she has by class, race, and gender. Class refers to a person’s income and education, but most of the time is how much money someone has or earns. Race refers to how people are categorized based on physical differences mostly people think of skin color. Gender in this case goes far more than the differences of male and female. Gender refers to roles and what society expects from men and women.
In the well renowned Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, you are taken to a rural southern town in the United States during the Great Depression in a time of social injustice and systemic racism. Through the two perspectives of once a young Scout Finch you get a look into the town of Maycomb, Alabama during the trial of Tom Robinson. Then you read through the perspective of the matured Scout, Jean-Louise Finch, who is more able to reflect on the trial of the innocent African-American man accused of rape. Through this trial you are introduced to one antagonist, Mayella Ewell. Mayella is a young, poor female who has no power or control over her life. Along with everyone else, Mayella is born into a time and place where a person's class, race, and gender determine their power in society.
The concept of a white woman being touched, let alone raped by an African American male was an assumption in the little town of Maycomb Alabama, 1930’s. During this period Mayella is considered helpless due to being a female as well as lonely and afraid considering her status as a poor white piece of trash. She manipulates people by using her social class, gender, and race to her advantage. In particular, her accusations made against Tom Robinson, an African American man. These factors lead to her gaining power with the trial and conviction of Tom Robinson. Race refers to the categorization of people based on physical differences.(“Is Mayella Powerful?” 7) Mayella Ewell had perquisites due to her race, which helped her during the conviction.
Boo Radley putting a blanket around Scout shows he has a selfless nature, contrary to the utter demonization his character has endured, moreover, providing evidence that he is another symbol of a mockingbird. Finally, when the prosecution questions Tom Robinson, he explains that his motive for consistently helping Mayella without pay is because, “[he] felt sorry for her, [because] she seemed to try [more than] the rest of [them]” (Lee 124). While the prosecution takes this as him thinking he is better than Mayella, a white woman, in actuality it was Tom’s kind demeanor shining through by sympathizing for another human being, reinforcing his gentle character. His disposition and incontrovertible innocence from those whose perception racial discrimination has not tainted, makes him an undeniable symbol for a mockingbird. As shown, the characters Scout, Boo Radley, and Tom Robinson exemplify the theme that it is a wrongdoing to take away or oppress one’s innocence in To Kill A
Thus, like her father, Jean Louis provides a great example of fairness in To Kill a Mocking Bird. “As Tom Robinson gave his testimony, it came to me that Mayella Ewell must have been the loneliest person in the world. She was even lonelier than Boo Radley, who had not been out of the house in twenty-five years” (218). This goes to show, that even though Scout believed she was lying, and wanted Tom to win, she still had compassion toward Mayella. Another demonstration of this is when she listens to Atticus. Scout always tries to take into consideration Atticus’s word and never disregards his knowledge. Scout’s open mindedness helps her throughout the
Atticus states the case has no merit and the choice is clear. Although she is “ victim of cruel poverty and ignorance” (Lee 231), Mayella is the one at fault. Mayella being uneducated, poor and desperate was a social periah, because she was trash to white people and white to back people. Atticus explains why she is quilty: “She was white and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable” (Lee 231). Mayella extremely loneness caused her to break the unwritten law that black and white shall never mix . Therefore, to cover up her mistake she accused an innocent man of a dreadful crime that would mean his life if found guilty. Atticus says all the evidence points to Tom’s version of the story and Mr. Ewell was the one
Harper Lee has been suspected to retell events that actually happened in her life with a bit of a twist in the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird". This theory is confirmed one could say through the vivid descriptions of characters through dialogue, narration, and imagery. Lee knits a scarf with her storytelling that swallows an entire face with a carefully woven plot full of situations that few authors can portray well. The depth that Lee goes into while describing the court case is astonishing, and the detail of that one event gives the reader all the information they need to completely understand the novel. Mayella Ewell is suspected to be abused by her father. In the trial she
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view . . . until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (page 39) Mayella Ewell, a young white girl, daughter to a drunk father, is hard to understand until you “climb into her skin.” Mayella is viewed very differently on her “outside” than the way she truly is on the “inside.” Additionally Mayella plays an important role in displaying the idea of treating others differently and discriminating a specific group of people.
Tom Robinson rejects Mayella Ewell, but her father walks in and sees the interaction between them. Tom then is accused of rape with Mayella. Because of Atticus' morals, he represents Tom in case. The trial took place the next summer, Tom was placed in the local jail where a mob gathered to lynch him. Atticus faced the mob, Jem and Scout snuck out of the house and went to the local jail to join him. Scout questioned one of the men about his son and eventually causes the man to feel shame from his son and disperses the mob. At the trial, Jem and Scout sit in the "colored balcony" and Atticus provides evidence that Mayella and her father are lying. Being the jury was all-white they convict Tom and later Tom tries to escape prison, but is shot to death.
Throughout the novel, Bob Ewell is profusely illustrated as an abrasive, abusive, and generally unpleasant man who hasn’t a care for his children. As Tom says when describing why he would help Mayella: “Mr. Ewell didn’t seem to help her much” (263) . In addition, Bob Ewell plays a major role as to why Mayella lies in court, in fact he makes her do so. To cover up for his own crime he says that Tom Robinson was “ruttin' on my Mayella!" (231) . The most substantive and saddening display of Mr. Ewell’s character is when Tom directly reveals the abuse taking place. In his testimony, Tom explains that his accuser threatens Mayella after seeing the two of them together (263). Even if Mayella was able to overcome the social repercussions of telling the truth, she would face the tragic domestic abuse that her father is evidently capable of. Like striving towards acceptance, resisting oppression is another example of human instinct. As following instinct is by definition natural, one must have sympathy for Mayella