Mayella Ewell Fear

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Child abuse has been an issue for hundreds of years and thousands of children experience the devastating abuse. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Mayella Ewell goes through a great deal of physiological trauma due to the abuse from her father, Bob Ewell. Mayella, forced by her father, has to testify against that Tom Robinson, a black man, raped and abused her, although it was actually her father who performed the acts. Mayella has to go through her abuse and neglect with no laws protecting her and the psychological effects worsening over time. Because of the abuse, Mayella Ewell will have impaired growth from her fear and abuse in the form of a physiological trauma called social anxiety. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Mayella Ewell experiences a great amount of fear towards her father when she almost messes up the story Bob Ewell, her father, forces her to say in court. Because of this fear, Mayella will …show more content…

She was scared of Atticus due to her impaired growth from her social anxiety that developed from the abuse. Mayella had to have reassurance that “[Mr. Finch] has no idea of scaring you” and before the questioning “[Mayella] gave [Atticus] a final terrified glance…” (Lee 204-205). Before Atticus could even speak to Mayella, she was freaked out about him trying to scare her. Mayella needed outside reassurance that she would be safe in a situation before the situation even occurred. When people have social anxiety, they have an “intense fear of interacting or talking with strangers (and) fear of situations in which [they] may be judged” (Mayo Clinic Staff 1). Mayella Ewell had never met Atticus Finch before and she was terrified of him and being questioned by him. People who have social anxiety do not like to speak with strangers and Mayella was not an exception. This shows how Mayella’s growth has been impaired due to the social anxiety caused by her fear and

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