How Is Mayella A Sympathetic Character

208 Words1 Page

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

Show More
Related

  • Mayella Juxtaposition In To Kill A Mockingbird

    755 Words  | 2 Pages

    Harper Lee, before the reader meets Mayella in person, uses her family and home environment to portray her as an impoverished but aspirational woman, revealing some of her more redeeming qualities before the trial has begun. She then goes on to demonstrate some of Mayella’s negative characteristics during the trial, when Lee portrays her as cowardly, emotionally unstable and racist at times. By the end of the trial, the reader is left to make their verdict on Mayella Ewell; should she be blamed for what she did or is she simply a victim of circumstance?

    Read More

  • Mayella's Stereotypes

    562 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Why Is Mayella Ewell Not Powerful In To Kill A Mockingbird

    717 Words  | 2 Pages

    Overall, Mayella is not a powerful figure in To Kill a Mockingbird. Even though she was powerful because of her race, the areas she lacked in was her social class and gender. Despite the fact that Mayella won the trial, the only reason why she won was due to her race. She is also a very weak character since she even allowed her own father to assault her and just the way she lived in general. For the most part, this is important because if this trial happened in a different time period like today, then it would’ve been certain for Tom Robinson to win the

    Read More

  • Mayella Ewell's Power In To Kill A Mockingbird

    1071 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • To Kill A Mockingbird Dbq

    805 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.”

    Read More

  • How Harper Lee makes Mayella Ewell a Vulnerable yet Contemptible Character in To Kill a Mockingbird

    929 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Tom Robinson Trial Essay

    627 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • How To Kill A Mockingbird Related To The Scottsboro Trial

    726 Words  | 2 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Character Analysis: Is Mayella Powerful?

    528 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • How Does Boo Radley Kill Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

    404 Words  | 1 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Examples Of Open Mindedness In To Kill A Mockingbird

    546 Words  | 2 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Atticus's Quilty In To Kill A Mockingbird

    279 Words  | 1 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Examples Of Simple Mindedness In To Kill A Mockingbird

    904 Words  | 2 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • What Is Atticus Decision In To Kill A Mockingbird

    631 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Mayella Character Analysis Essay

    813 Words  | 2 Pages

    “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.

    Read More

More about How Is Mayella A Sympathetic Character

Open Document