Mayella Ewell Innocence

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In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, many themes contribute to the idea of the destruction of 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, in a way, an example of corrupted innocence. The character of Mayella Ewell is used to represent the theme of hope for a better future, …show more content…

The Ewells are a family known for being poor and uncivilized compared to other residents, leading to their isolation from society and causing Mayella Ewell to desire a better life, as proven by her actions and mannerisms. When describing the Ewell property, Scout pauses to mention, ”Against the fence, in a line, were six chipped-enamel slop jars holding brilliant red geraniums, cared for as tenderly as if they belonged to Miss Maudie Atkinson, had Miss Maudie deigned to permit a geranium on her premises. People said they were Mayella Ewell’s.” (Lee 170-171). The red geraniums are the first clue as to Mayella Ewell’s genuine personality, hinting that she is able to care for something as beautiful as flowers and is vastly different from the stereotypes and prejudice surrounding her family. The flowers in the yard of trash also symbolize Mayella’s wish for beauty and hope amidst the ugliness and despair she lives in. The flowers are once again mentioned, along with a meaningful description of Mayella later on. The second example of Mayella’s characterization is during the trial from Scout as she prepares to testify, commenting, ”...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 …show more content…

Mayella is a lonely, fearful girl, ignorant to the possible outcomes of her crimes of lust and abuse. The first issues that lead to Mayella’s crimes are her isolation and thoughts of hopelessness, revealed when Scout realizes, “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.” (Lee 191-192). Mayella lives in a world where neither blacks nor whites will accept her, leading to her feelings of powerlessness and loneliness when facing her abusive father. When Mayella sees Tom Robinson, she realizes the opportunities he holds for her. Engaging in a relationship with Tom would not only end Mayella’s loneliness, it would also provide her with power and control for once in her life. Mayella’s ignorance leads her to act upon her lustful thoughts, breaking one of the largest rules in white Southern society, tempting a black man. Though Mayella is more intelligent than her father, she still has a very very narrow understanding of the world around her, allowing her to take action against Tom Robinson not caring for the full complications of her actions, as proven by Atticus, who says, “‘She is the victim of cruel poverty and ignorance, but I cannot pity her: she is white. She knew full well the enormity of her offense, but

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