An ancient greek word meaning pride or arrogance, hubris, is used to describe the kind of pride that leads to one's downfall. On the contrary, there is a type of pride which people have that can be justified, the type of pride a person has of an accomplishment, or talent. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Bob Ewell has hubristic pride. His pride is conceited, arrogant, and eventually leads to his downfall. In a small 1960’s southern town, Bob disrupts people's routines with a rape accusation. Throughout the trial, Bob is made a mockery of in front of the town, and Tom is still convicted despite his innocence. The accusation pulls in the Finch family, and Tom’s wife, wreaking havoc. Bob Ewell’s pride spawns problems for many of the …show more content…
townsfolk and eventually himself.
Bob Ewell is a careless, racist man who finds unjust reasons to be proud of himself. Bob Ewell lives behind the dump, he has a yard full of garbage and too many kids to care for or even keep track of. In addition, he does not even try to work out of poverty. Atticus describes “ the Ewells [being] the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations. None of them had done an honest days work in his recollection” (40). Although he is able to work, Mr. Ewell decides not to strive for a better life, and lives indolent. Consequently, Bob gets money from the state, though he “drank it up anyway” leaving little for his children (244). Bob has no achievements and is so neglectful of his children he has nothing to be proud of, however he finds relief for this void through his race. Evidently, Bob uses his white power to fulfill his need for superiority. …show more content…
During the trial, he flaunts his racistness when he emphasizes the fact that Tom is black, more than the accusation of rape. Bob shouts, “I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin’ on my Mayella”(231). Bob emphasizes Tom’s race more when he calls him “black” and a “nigger”, which during this time period, is a redundant statement. He parades his pride as he is described like “a little bantam cock of a man rose and strutted to the stand”(227). Bob struts up to the stand acting arrogant because he believes he has nothing to worry about. In his mind, there is no question of who did it or what punishment should be given because Bob is a white man accusing a black man. Bob’s pride stems from his believe of white superiority despite his lack of accomplishments and neglect for his children. Later, seeking revenge for his shatter pride, Bob escalates his actions creating problems for multiple people.
After being exposed and embarrassed in front of the town during Tom’s trial, Bob targets people who he believes have wronged him. Since he put Tom in the center of the entire situation, he is angered when Tom's wife, Helen, is given Tom's old job. Bob believes the town should treat the Robinson family as trash because of his claim against Tom. He takes his revenge by harassing Helen while she walks by his house on the way to work. Lee writes, “She turned and walked on, and Mr.Ewell kept the same distance behind her until she reached Mr. Link Deas’s house. All the way to the house, Helen said, she heard a soft voice behind her crooning foul words”(334). Helen is harassed to the point where she avoids Bob at all costs. Furthermore, when Helen finally tells somebody it is only because of a threat to the police that Mr. Ewell stops. However, since his revenge efforts have been ceased with Helen, he escalates his efforts by attacking Atticus’s children. His plan to attack the children is fueled by his hate toward Atticus for working with Tom and for exposing him in court. Bob understands that revenge against Atticus would be most baneful by hurting his children. During the attack Scout illustrates, “I felt Jem’s hand leave me ... and there came a dull crunching sound and Jem screamed...He slowly squeezed the breath out of me”(351). Drunkenly, Bob Ewell attacks Jem and
Scout for vengeance. His need for revenge is so strong he does not care who becomes collateral damage, whether that be children, in order to mend himself. However, this attempt becomes his final as it leads to his own death. During the attack, not to far away, Boo Radley resides. Seeing the children being hurt, he runs to the rescue. In all the fighting, Boo Radley kills Bob Ewell. Thus, his shattered pride ends up being the biggest problem for himself as it kills hims. Ultimately, his pride causes an abundance of problems at various severities for people, the biggest being himself.
Bob Ewell decided to get back at Atticus for the Tom Robinson case by attacking his kids. Boo Radley saved Scout and Jem by stabbing Bob, but Heck Tate is insistent on saying that Bob fell on his knife. Atticus agrees and then explains the situation to Scout. Scout explained to him, “‘Yes sir, I understand,’ I reassured him. ‘
The town gossip, Miss Stephanie Crawford, tells Atticus’ children what she overheard in downtown Maycomb: “Atticus was leaving the post office when Mr. Ewell approached him, cursed him, spat at him, and threatened to kill him.” This shows that he is furious with Atticus that he would go so far as to curse and spit and threaten him in broad daylight where anyone could watch and hear. Atticus then explains why Bob Ewell did these horrible things: “Jem, see if you can stand in Bob Ewell’s shoes for a minute. I destroyed his last shed of credibility at the trial, if he had any begin with. The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always does. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and I rather it be me than that household of child.” This explains why Atticus did nothing at the post office and will do nothing against Bob Ewell. Later, Bob realizes that Atticus is not about to do anything back at him, so he kicks it up a notch and goes after his children instead. He almost got his revenge, but Arthur Radley came and saved the children from
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, the most important character trait portrayed by Bob Ewell is prejudice. Throughout the book, Bob Ewell demonstrates how prejudice has been kept alive through ignorance and fear. First, by blaming Tom Robinson for beating Mayella. During the trial, Bob Ewell stood up and pointed his finger at Tom Robinson "I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin' on my Mayella"(84)! Bob Ewell emphasizes Tom’s race over everything else. He doesn’t care who he is as a person all he cares about is the color of his skin. Towards the end of the trial, Atticus has one last chance to prove the Ewells wrong. Atticus asks: “About your writing with your left hand, are you ambidextrous, Mr. Ewell? I most positively
Bob Ewell sees that Tom has done nothing, and that Mayella has tricked Tom, but, if this truth was allowed to exist, it would promote this type of interaction between white and black individuals, and this is something that Bob Ewell does not know how to process. Bob Ewell chooses the easiest path and follows his culture. He blames an innocent man for crimes he has not committed, simply because the culture of his life tells him to prevent mixed race relations. “They [mixed race children] don’t belong anywhere. Colored folks won’t have em’ because they’re half white; white folks won’t have ‘em ‘cause they’re colored.” (215) This is the sad reality that is taught to children in Maycomb from a young age. Rather than these mixed race children being able to exist in both communities, they are barred from both. This is a paradigm that Scout is taught in the book, and one that Bob Ewell has lived in his entire life. Bob
Despite all bad or good qualities anyone truly has, one should always try to fight for what’s right and not punish someone who truly doesn’t deserve it just to save themselves. This is evident between Walter Cunningham Sr. and Bob Ewell. Walter Cunningham Sr. is a poor farmer who has to pay those who he owes with supplies rather than money. He also happens to be in a mob, which is trying to kill Tom Robinson [the innocent black man] before his trial. Bob Ewell is part of Maycomb’s poorest family and is also a drunkard. Something both Mr. Cunningham and Mr. Ewell have in common is that they are both white men, who are not the wealthiest and are both trying to put Mr. Robinson in jail. Despite the similarities these characters may seem to have, there are a lot differe...
Lee uses Scout and Jem’s tumultuous childhood experiences to... has had many trials through her life, and on was in fact a trail of Tom Robinson, a black man accused in raping Mayella Ewell, one of the daughters of Bob Ewell, the town’s idler. Atticus, the children’s father, was defending Tom Robinson, and the case seemed to be in favor of him, all the way to the point of Jem stating, “He’s not leaning, Reverend, but don’t fret, we’ve won it..Don’t see how any jury could convict on what we heard-”(Lee 176). Jem is very confident in his father’s argument, and believes that the case will lean to Tom,
Bob Ewell is afraid that Blacks will take over or gain higher power over Whites so he works to keep the Black population suppressed by the Whites. One way that he showed this was by falsely accusing Tom Robinson of a crime that he never committed. He accused Tom of raping his daughter, Mayella, because he was ashamed that his daughter attempted to kiss a black man. Because of Bob’s fear of Blacks, Tom is dead....
The man had to have some kind of a comeback, his kind always does. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that's something I'll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and I’d rather it be me than that houseful of children out there. You understand’” (23.15) Atticus Finch had exposed the bad men in the community to his children but selflessly found room to feel sorry for Bob because of how he treats his children.
Atticus Finch, an outstanding role model for any person trying to become a perfect father and outstanding citizen. Atticus’s actions differ from social norms so much that he is considered “too good to be true”. Atticus rushes home to word of a rabid dog, Atticus drops his glasses to take his shot and breaks the lens. Atticus “stooped and picked up his glasses, ground the broken lenses to powder under his heel” (80). Atticus taking the time to grind his glass lenses into powder so no one got hurt represents his astounding thoughtfulness for other people. Atticus has an outstanding ability to step back and observe his reality. Atticus while already knowing the outcome of the trial takes on the challenge and defends Tom Robinson to the best of his ability despite ridicules from the town. Atticus explains to Scout that “ In our courts when it 's a white man 's word against a black man 's, the white man always wins. They 're ugly, but those are the facts of life” (187). Atticus knowing this going into the trial shows his dedication and conscious decision-making skills unparalleled to anyone in the novel. Finally, Atticus’s ability to stay calm in intense situations perfectly develops his outstanding personality. Bob Ewell, the father of Mayella Ewell, confronts Atticus about the trial. Bob, with Atticus“ was a veteran of an obscure war which Atticus 's peaceful reaction prompted him to inquire. Too proud to fight you nigger-lovin’ bastard? Nope too old.” (185). Atticus’s calm reaction and ability to walk away from a fight develops Atticus’s character even further. Atticus corrects his mistakes, stands up for others, and controls himself in high-intensity situations. Lee Develops Atticus’s character to explain that even people with the most upstanding features and qualities, still fail. Lee does this to tie her philosophy on how people should be treated together with a
Throughout the novel we see the abusive behaviors of Bob Ewell towards people, especially to his daughter Mayella. When Bob Ewell saw what he did from the window he screamed “you goddamn whore, I’ll kill ya” (Lee 198). This inferred that Bob Ewell was talking to his daughter and not Tom, who later testified that when Bob yelled this he was looking right at Mayella. Atticus also makes a case on page 127 about how no one, not even Bob, called a doctor to check on Mayella. By not calling a doctor it proved Bob Ewell was only concerned for himself, not even for the own well-being of his daughter, he was a selfish and horrible father. Also, the Ewell family was one of the lowest whites in Maycomb they had no money and no education, the children only attended the first day of school every year. Bob Ewell wanted the people of Maycomb to view them higher than they do now, but was too lazy to do it himself. Mr. Ewell believed that pinning his own abusive behaviors on Tom Robinson would make people believe he saved their town from dangerous man, and they would now think highly of him. Bob Ewells selfish behavior and poor parenting skills lead to him being a responsibility in the death of Tom
First, the trial of Tom Robinson is an eye-opening experience for Jem and Scout; there they discover hatred, child abuse, and lying. Seeing pure hate is new and strange for Jem and Scout. They know that prejudice does exist, but listening to and watching Bob Ewell during the trial is astounding to them because Bob Ewell abhors all blacks, especially Tom Robinson. Bob’s daughter, Mayella, makes an advance on Tom, which is absolutely unspeakable and shameful at that time. In addition, Bob Ewell’s hate grows (especially for Atticus) because after the trial his reputation and respect is ruined, even though he does not have a high degree of integrity to begin with. Also, through the
In the novel, one of the main characters is the father of the narrator, Atticus Finch. He is portrayed as a just character with common social grace. As the novel develops, Atticus begins to portray courage and sacrifice that goes against all common propriety. The beginning of his bravery is defined by the offering of his services to a local African American man, Tom Robinson, something unheard of in 1930’s southern Alabama. Robinson gained much prominence during the trial, due to the accusations against him paired with his ethnicity. The entire town was aware of the accusations made by the plaintiff, Bob Ewell. Ewell stated that Robinson deliberately took advantage of Ewell’s nineteen-year-old daughter. Mayella Ewell states in court, "I got somethin' to say an' then I ain't gonna say no more. That nigger yonder took advantage of me an' if you fine fancy gentlemen don't wanta do nothin' about it then you're all yellow stinkin' cowards, stinkin' cowards, the lot of you”. Though Ewell’s daughter knows she is lying, she allows everyone to go on with the outrage toward Robinson, to leave...
He treats his children with respect, and explains things to them instead of leaving them in the dark. “‘For a number of reasons,’ said Atticus. ‘ The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn” hold my head up in tow, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again.’“(Lee 75) He has had an enormous amount of opportunities to lash out and be cruel. He knew Mayella was lying on the witness stand. He could have been rude to her and make fun of her, but he treated her like he did everyone else. He had the opportunity to physically hurt Bob Ewell after Bob spits on him, but he leaves Bob be. He refuses to hurt those less fortunate or less educated. Even going as far as quitting hunting. “‘I think maybe he put his gun down when he realized that God had given him an unfair advantage over most living things.’” (Lee 98) He is an expert at seeing things from other people’s perspective. He even tells Scout to “You knew really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them.” (Lee 279) Bob could not be any more different from Atticus. The Ewell family is the lowest ranking white family in Maycomb. “White people wouldn’t have
Pride as a Tragic Flaw or Heroic Trait In many modern works, such as Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, pride is a tragic flaw, and the undoing of great heroes. However, in Homer’s The Iliad, it is not clear as to whether pride is a trait to loathe or to love. Substantial arguments can be made on both sides, since both the hero Achilleus who ultimately is a victor, and the hero Hektor, who eventually loses his life both possess a desire for honor and glory.
In 1297AD, pride was described as “A consciousness or feeling of what is befitting or due to oneself or one's position, which prevents a person from doing what he considers to be beneath him or unworthy of him; esp. as a good quality, legitimate, ‘honest’, or ‘proper pride’, self-respect; also as a mistaken or misapplied feeling, ‘false pride’” (OED 4). This type of pride is personal pride and the image a person must maintain to keep it. A person cannot allow them self to act in such a way that would be demeaning. An example of this would be a drill sergeant getting down with his recruits and performing the same demeaning drills as they are. The sergeant’s years of hard work and service would not be taken seriously if he were to lower himself to the level of their recruits therefore lowering his sense of pride.