Tom Robinson, a Negro, represents another mockingbird. He lives a life of simplicity beyond the town dump, and attends the same church as the Finch family cook, Calpurnia. Tom regularly assists people in need, especially Mayella Ewell, but he finds himself punished for it. Mayella, a white woman, accuses Tom of rape and abuse, and her father Bob takes this matter to court and uses subterfuge in his testimony. During the trial Link Deas, Tom’s former employer, announces, “That boy worked for me eight
important theme of alienation and unjust treatment. The fight to eliminate it is represented through Atticus’s efforts. In To Kill A Mockingbird alienation is illustrated through the treatment of characters such as Arthur Radley, Tom Robinson and Mayella Ewell. Throughout the novel there are countless instances of societal discrimination toward these characters. Intolerance and ignorance in society is the cause of alienation. In Maycomb almost every person alienates Arthur Radley. The reader never
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
innocence. Mayella Ewell is one of the many characters that help to teach readers a contributing theme to the death of innocence. Her characterization appears later in the novel during the Tom Robinson trial. Mayella Ewell comes from a family shunned by all inhabitants of Maycomb, eventually ceding to her feelings of loneliness and powerlessness, and falsely accuses Tom Robinson of raping her after failing to engage in a relationship with a man other than her abusive father, Bob Ewell. Miss Ewell is,
21, 1934, the defendant, Mayella Ewell, lied under oath. The defendant claims that when she went into her homestead to retrieve a nickel to pay Tom Robinson for helping with a chore, he took advantage of her. Tom then contradicts what Mayella Ewell stated by saying she invited him into the homestead and made an advancement on him. It is believed that Ms. Ewell made up this story because she was ashamed of her actions in advancing on a black man. She and her father, Bob Ewell, then used that false story
Mayella Ewell Mayella Ewell is one of the many misunderstood character we've been introduced to. While reading To Kill A Mockingbird, Mayella's personality stood out to me. Her diverse personality intrigued me from the start. The soul of my shoe contains that stand as an analogy for mayella. I used egg shells to represent her relationship with her father. Mayella's father, Bob Ewell, is an abusive alcoholic. Jesses implied when Atticus Finch stated, “ ..when a man spends his relief checks on green
booming again. “Mayella Violet Ewell—!” A young girl walked to the witness stand. As she raised her hand and swore that the evidence she gave would be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help her God, she seemed somehow fragile-looking, but when she sat facing us in the witness chair she became what she was, a thick-bodied girl accustomed to strenuous labor. In Maycomb County, it was easy to tell when someone bathed regularly, as opposed to yearly lavations: Mr. Ewell had a scalded
mockingbird, one must do no harm. The characters Atticus and Mayella are popular characters to debate over their
it's even harder to forget. It is an emotional response that includes understanding, and being touched by the suffering of another. In the story To Kill a Mockingbird, Mayella Ewell is a sympathetic character, because she is lonely, defenseless, and poor. The Ewell children only came to school on the first day each year. Mayella never had any friends because of her school attendance. She had no one her age to talk to and no one to care for her. No one to share her secrets and feelings to. Imagine
is about a woman who lied under oath to cover up for her actions. November 21, 1934, Mayella Ewell took an oath in court to not lie and broke that oath during the trial, which is perjury. She lies about Tom Robinson, a black man, attacking her to cover up for her coming on him. Mayella Ewell committed this perjury because her father caught her kissing a black man and she was also ashamed of herself for it. Mayella wanted to protect her father because, in reality, her father was the one who beat her
Defendant and accuser. It’s black and white, isn’t it? At first glance, it may seem that the characters Mayella Ewell and Tom Robinson are just that, but as we learn with other characters in the novel, they are actually much more nuanced and complicated. With Mayella, we learn that she tries to make a better life for herself and Tom Robinson tries to escape the brutal system put against him. Because of their low status in society, powerlessness in their circumstances, and them being different versions
Robinson who supposedly raped Mayella Ewell and bring into question the credibility of the Ewells, while also making blunt reference to the unjust prejudices held by the jury due to the racial discrimination present in their society. Finch uses the repetition of key concepts to emphasize the inequality between individuals despite the historical claim that all men are created equal. He also offhandedly mentions key evidence to the case that not only disproves the Ewells claim to Robinson’s guilt but
Mockingbird this type of scenario is depicted multiple times with the Finches, Cunningham's and the Ewell’s. Bob Ewell, specifically, has a large influence over Mayella Ewell being the source of the accusation against Tom Robinson. The true killer of innocence and the mockingbird symbol is Bob Ewell, the father of the so-called victim, Mayella Ewell. The author portrays Mayella Ewell as a symbol of ignorant innocence warped into an
in the world.” This quotation by Kim Culbertson can relate to the character Mayella Ewell in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Despite her obvious wrongdoings, Mayella Ewell is, in fact, worthy of compassion. Mayella was abused, physically and sexually, by her alcoholic father, despised by the other members of Maycomb, and was extremely lonely. Mayella’s father, Bob Ewell, is one of the main reasons Mayella deserves compassion. On page 31, Atticus tells Scout about how Bob treats his
set in a small Alabama town during the 1930's, is narrated by Scout, a six year old girl. She tells the events surrounding a court case in which her father, Atticus Finch, defends a black man, Tom Robinson, who has been wrongly accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman [4]. The novel was extremely successful, selling over fifteen millio... ... middle of paper ... ....ca/Culture/HarperLee/bio.html>. 3. "Harper Lee: A Biography." Elysium. 24 Sept. 2000. (Accessed 1 Oct. 2000) .
contemptible young woman set the book, To Kill a Mocking Bird up. Mayella Ewell is a poor child living with her abusive father, Bob Ewell. The white family lives in the South in the 1930’s behind a dumpster. Mayella is the main setup for this story, with her careless acts and fearful story. While reading this book the readers are struck with a very important question, is Mayellla powerful? Let’s start with her race; Mayella was a white living in the South. Back in the 1930’s whites were
about a black guy named Tom Robinson who was accused of raping a young women by the name of Mayella Ewell. In the court, significant evidence was presented to the juror's that would prove that Tom Robinson was innocent. The evidence showed that a left handed male must have beat Mayella because the bruises were on the right side of her and Tom Robinsons left arm was disabled. Robinson could not have beat Ms. Ewell. Tom Robinson was still convicted and later on was shot at a prison fence while he was trying
man, Tom Robinson, was accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell, and was brought to trial. There were distinct views concerning Tom Robinson's innocence – views influenced by prejudice. The townspeople of Maycomb believed in Tom's guilt while Atticus and the children believed in Tom's innocence. The townspeople, from day one, knew what the verdict was going to be even though some of them knew deep down that Tom did not rape Mayella. "The older citizens, the present generation of people who
August 26, 1936, Mayella Ewell was accused of lying under oath. At the conclusion of this case, and after you have heard all the evidence, I am confident you will return the verdict guilty of lying under oath. Members of the jury said this is a case about a 19-year-old woman whose fear got the best of her. Mayella Ewell lied under oath out of fear of her father, Bob Ewell. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the prosecution will call 4 witnesses to the stand. We will call Bob Ewell, Mayella's father
character within the book that portrays many forms of power is Mayella Ewell, who went to court and accused an African American man of raping her. Although Mayella Ewell is portrayed as powerless as does not have any power retaining within her social class nor her gender, Mayella does have some power due to her racial background.