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Mayella ewell character study
History essay on African Americans in the Twentieth Century
Mayella ewell character study
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In the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, the character Mayella Ewell is powerful based on gender, class and race, some more than others. Mayella is stuck in an issue of her father caught her kissing a full-grown african american male. Now in our time period, interracial relationships and what not are okay, but, in the 1930’s, well… not so much. See in the 1930’s there were these laws called “The Jim Crow Laws”, and they practically prohibited any white male or female to be with an african american male or female, and if these laws were violated, these people would go to jail for almost two years or more. Mayella’s father, Bob Ewell, is an alcoholic and he abuses his daughter. All Mayella has ever wanted is freedom from her father, and it seems she was willing to take whatever risk she could just to get out. Mayella lives in a small town called Maycomb in Alabama. Nothing goes around that town without everyone knowing. Basically, everybody knows everybody else’s business all the time. The rest of the citizens know how Bob Ewell treats his daughter, they also know in court that what Mayella did was wrong, …show more content…
which in fact was lying about what happened and taking up for her father. Mayella’s family, the Ewell’s, are of the lowest of the lows. They live behind the dumpsters, almost symbolically meaning trash is better than them. She and her family live in a broken down shack that used to be a negro cabin back in the times of slavery, the yard is cluttered with filth, the house is almost falling apart, and socially, they were pretty much the losers of the town. But, there was always one thing that stood out at the Ewell’s house, and it was a row of red geraniums that belonged to Mayella. Possibly making a statement of; even though Mayella is always completely surrounded by trash almost all the time, she still has some sort of decency to her. Her class, being extremely poor,. is an advantage for her in court because usually people feel sorry for her in her situation. Since she does not have a lot of physical things to take, all she pretty much has left is her dignity, and if that is taken away, the upper class people are more willing to sympathize with her for what happened. Also in her situation, being female is an advantage for her as well because, women back in the 1930’s did not have the rights that women do today. Women in that time period were mostly just thought of your stereotypical housewife, only valuable for cooking, cleaning, birthing kids, and mostly thought of as physically weak. So in Mayella’s case with her being “violated and abused” by an african american man (or Tom Robinson) gives her even more sympathy from everyone. If you were to put yourself in her situation (the way she tells it) you would have been savagely beaten and raped while being called weak and powerless in court because you would be up against a full grown man. Lastly I want to bring up her race.
Her being white in the 1930’s after slaves have been recently set free in the south, she is going to have a lot of power regarding to her race alone. People in the south mostly still treated african americans the same as when they were slaves. The white people would try to insult most african americans anyway they could at any time because whites still thought they were superior over african americans, and even though that is still an issue in today’s world, it was probably more than ten times worse back then. In court, if the jury is white, it is almost a law that if the case is white versus black, the white person or people will win because in that time period, court cases were won based on public interest. Not to mention in court Tom was convicted as “immoral” based on his race of being african american because of the time
period. Based on these points, Mayella is powerful and wins the case (unjustly). She is granted her freedom, and since her father saw her with Tom, he does not want anything else to do with her probably for the rest of her life. Also, most likely, Mayella would probably run off to another town or state to start over and have the life she has always wanted.
...uth to fully understand that it is typical to act superior to those with colored skin. All Dill sees is a man being rude to another, just because of his skin color. While Atticus clearly shows everyone in the court that it was almost impossible for Tom Robinson to have beat Mayella, he still loses the case just because he was a black man against a white woman. Lee includes, “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.” (Lee 323) This enforces how it didn’t matter what Tom was really doing or why Mayella was screaming, but just by the way Tom looked they were able to essentially pin the rape and the beatings on Tom. Of course this was not true and he did not receive the justice he deserved, but that didn’t matter to Maycomb. All that mattered was the color of his skin and what the teenage white girl named Mayella Ewell said about him.
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.
“... Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s garden’s. They don’t nest in the corncubs. They don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (pg.103)Mayella is innocent because she grew up in an abusive household. The book gives hints that her father Bob Ewell sexually assaults her and leaves her to take care of her so called “brothers and sisters.” Mayella Ewell was put on stand and was made to lie to the judge and jury by her father, Bob Ewell, who beats her and abuses
In the 1930’s, turmoil has erupted in Maycomb, Alabama all because the young lady Mayella Ewell has accused African-American Tom Robinson of raping and sexually assaulting her. Yet, Mayella Ewell has no power because of her race, class, and gender. At the time, Maycomb, Alabama was at the peak of segregation against African-Americans. Mayella Ewell may be white, but that does not mean her class, gender, nor her race give her power.
Mayella Ewell is a woman in the 1930’s and yes, women back then were not treated as citizens. As Atticus is delivering his closing argument on how the person who beat Mayella with his left, Tom cannot use his left due to a job accident. By contrasting the difference in race and gender, in the 1930’s these were a big thing, To examine the results of race, gender are way different. Mayella may be white, but in her role as a female, it just goes downhill from that. Although it is different from Tom Robinson point of view. As Atticus is delivering his closing argument after proving that Bob Ewell is left-handed and Tom Robinson is not able to use his left hand. ‘“...What did her father do? We don’t know, but there is circumstantial evidence to indicate that Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left…’”. Tom Robinson is unable to use his left hand due to a job accident. Mayella took advantage of Tom, she knew he would help her because he is a nice man. Mayella was not taught respect while growing up, Tom on the other hand was amiable. Mayella is anxious of her father and what he does to her. Some readers might be anxious too, but might confess up to what their father is doing to them. Since she was not taught respect from her father, she would not know much about it. “Won’t answer a word you say long as you keep on mockin’ me,’Mayella said.
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.”
Let us put each other in the shoes of the jury, friends, and family observing in on a discrimination case. Jem and Scout the son and daughter of a lawyer named Atticus Finch get a taste of what the real world is like when, Tom Robinson a poor black man who is married and has kids is falsely accused of raping and assaulting a white woman named Mayella. Mayella Ewell is a young girl considered to be “white trash” who is all by herself to take on the role raising her little siblings while her father Bob Ewell, who is an alcoholic, abuses her. The question arises, is Mayella Ewell Powerful? Mayella Ewell is powerful in this discrimination case because of her race as white woman, her higher class than Tom Robinson, and her gender as a female.
In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, racism is a major theme. Atticus Finch, the narrator’s father, defends a negro, Tom Robinson, in the court of law against a white man, Bob Ewell. Robinson had reportedly raped a young white girl, Mayella Ewell. But according to Robinson he had gone to help Mayella, as he often did, with work around the house. As he starts helping Mayella, she tries to get Tom to kiss her and will not let him out of the house. Bob Ewell sees this and chases Tom out of the house and accuses him of raping his daughter. Atticus goes against almost everyone in Maycomb County’s opinion in defending Tom Robinson. Throughout the course of the novel, racism effects many characters such as Tom and Helen Robinson, Scout and Jem Finch, and Mayella and Bob Ewell. All these characters had there lives
One of the storylines in the novel is the Robinson-Ewell trial. Tom Robinson is an innocent African-American, accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a lower-class white girl. At the trial hearing, everyone is able to tell his or her side of the story before Tom is allowed to speak. All stories, however, offer two different versions of Tom and Mayella’s relationship. Moreover, Mayella and Bob Ewell tell the jury what they expect to hear, about Tom being a monster. They explain that there was no reason for his actions against Mayella. According to them, along with the rest of Maycomb, it's just expected that a black man would rape any white woman if he had the opportunity. The Tom spoken of by the Ewells shows the stereotypes that justify whites to be superior to blacks. However, Tom tells the jury about his innocence. He pr...
Boo Radley and Tom Robinson come from very different backgrounds. Both face similar stories of prejudice and unfair judgments. These men faced some of the same hardships throughout their lives. Boo and Tom are both good men who were put down because they are considered “different” than others in the town. Scout learns important lessons from the way the people in town treat Boo and Tom. The title of the book To Kill A Mockingbird takes on different meanings as the author tells the story of these two men from the south.
One of the major events in Harper Lee’s award-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird is Tom Robinson’s trial. It is based on the Scottsboro Case that took place in 1931 in Alabama, in which several black men were accused of raping two white women. Both the Scottsboro Boys and Tom Robinson are unfairly judged, however, because of prejudice against colored people. The racial discrimination makes whites’ testimony more believable even when it contradicts itself. The same happens in To Kill a Mockingbird. As we delve deeper into the case and get increasingly closer to the truth, it is quite suprising to see that Mayella Ewell is the true villain rather than a victim. She shall and must bear full responsibility for her actions because she makes the decision to tempt Tom Robinson, gives false testimony in court that directly leads to Tom’s death, and has been well aware of the consequences of her behaviors.
Hypocrisy is as much a part of Maycomb’s society as church and community spirit. For example, Mrs. Merriweather talks about saving the poor Mruans from Africa, but she thinks black people in her community are a disgrace (p.234). The hypocrisy of this teaching is shown as soon as she mentions the word ‘persecution’. This is due to the fact that she herself is persecuting the black people of Maycomb by not raising an eyebrow at the killing of innocent black men. Furthermore, it is obvious Bob Ewell is abusive to his daughter, Mayella, and that he is the one who violated her, not Tom Robinson (p.178). Since there is such hypocrisy in Maycomb, there are excuses made for whites. The jury probably thinks that if they pronounce Tom innocent the citizens will mock them as they do to Atticus. Harper Lee uses hypocrisy to show how the people of Maycomb are so engulfed in a variety of elements that they unknowingly complete acts of unjustified discrimination.
Tim Johnson, the mad dog, symbolizes the mob and the injustices encompassing Maycomb County. According to Scout, “He reminded me of a car stuck in a sand-bed.” (Lee 123) This description shows how Atticus continuously has many troublesome experiences that he cannot avoid projected at him that he has to solve for the sake of Macomb County. Enotes.com is a source that states the correlation between Tim Johnson and Tom Robinson. Just as Atticus takes care of Tim Johnson, he represents Tom Robinson in the trial. Both Tim Johnson and Tom Robinson have the same fate: being shot. As Scout observes Tim Johnson, she notices how “…he seemed dedicated to one course and motivated by an invisible force…”. (Lee 126) Tim Johnson, a rabid dog, is a symbol
A small city nestled in the state of Alabama, Maycomb has got its faults, just like any other place in the world, but one of its main faults or (pg.88) “Maycomb's usual disease,” as Atticus calls it in the book is prejudice. Jem and Scout learn a lot about prejudice when a black man named Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white woman named Mayella Ewell and their father, Atticus, is called on to be his lawyer. They realize the hate that people have buried deep within their heart when they see a black man accused of doing something only because of his color. On pg.241, Scout starts understanding this and thinks, “Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.” As the case continues, up until the death of Tom Robinson, Jem and Scout learn more and more about prejudice and how the hate that people have towards others causes them to take wrong actions. They also see how unfair it is that a white man can get treated better and think of himself better than a black man only because he was born white. This prejudice and the trial cause Jem and Scout to get in argum...
Mayella, the woman defending against Robinson, comes from a low income and low educated family, making them a poor family. Yet Mayella’s word is still favored against Tom because she still holds a higher social status than Tom just because she is white. In fact, in the novel, Atticus has an important quote regarding the court system that is still true today, “In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins.” (Lee, H. (1960). To kill a mockingbird. Philadelphia: Lippincott. pg. 251-252).