Significance Of Mayella Ewell In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Many people can dispute whether Mayella Ewell is powerful or not. Some people preserver Mayella as an impotent figure because of her indigent status. While other people believe Mayella is a Strong and influential person because of her white womanhood. Mayella Ewell testifies Tom Robison a Black man of illegibly raping her, he was wrongfully found guilty. Since the book takes place in the 1930s segregation plays a big role in this court case. The white jury discriminates against Tom Robinson, showing no mercy even though the evidence clearly states he is innocent. Does this mean Mayella has authority? Mayella exhibits her sovereignty through her testimony, social code and guilt. Mayella`s selfish decision resulted in a horrifying repercussion for Tom Robinson.
Throughout her testimony Mayella is only credible because of her race. ”Maycomb`s Ewell`s lived behind the town garbage dump in what was once a negro cabin…” (Document A chapter 17). Even though Mayella Ewell is impecunious and living in a poverty filled part of town where crime is bound to happen, she still manages to have the white people of Maycomb on her side because of the prejudicial views white people upheld. Mayella is clearly powerless when it comes to affluence, and her living arrangements with her abusive father, although she upholds power when it comes to proving her white womanhood. Mayella is the perfect example of the supremacy white women possessed in the 1930s because even though she was poor and physically weak she still manages to gain the trust of the Maycomb people. The court case would be exceptionally different if it were an African American against another African American, however because it is a white women against a black man the odds are in the white women’s

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