Similarities Between Mayella And To Kill A Mockingbird

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One could jump to many different conclusions when reading this book, but in order to completely understand the thoughts of the characters, we have to put ourselves in the shoes of the main characters Mayella Ewell and Tom Robinson. One should also take into consideration the time the story takes place which was during the great depression when racism was real and slavery still exists. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Mayella and Tom were both known to be outcast and would be considered at the lower level of the hierarchy. They lived in one of the poorest towns in Maycomb County, in southern Alabama. Both characters, Mayella and Tom, were not thought of very highly (as you can tell from their place in the hierarchy) …show more content…

Her family was poor and on welfare and they lived in a shack behind the dump close to an African-American settlement. Tom would speak to her out of common courtesy which later caused him to become her victim costing him his freedom. She stood at the door and ask him to come in the house for a minute to help her with a door. Once he was in the house he noticed the door was fine and she started to come on to him by kissing him. Tom testifies at his trial, “She reached up and kissed me’side of the face. She says she never kissed a grown man before…,” (pg260). Mayella’s father seen Tom in the house through the window and began to approach the home only to find Tom running away. Tom would later get picked up by the police and hauled off to jail for rape and Mayella would show up at the police department with bruises covering her whole body. This would lead to the trial that cost Tom his …show more content…

During the trial, Tom Robinson lawyer Atticus proves that Bob Ewell was left handed and the one who beat his daughter. The way Mayella bruises lined up, someone that was left handed would have had to commit the crime. Tom Robinson cannot do anything with his left hand because a while ago, he had all the muscles in his left hand ripped out therefore he couldn't have done anything forcefully with his left hand. The Ewells story changes and seems exaggerated at times while Toms story stays the same. Even though it is quite clear to us who is telling the truth, Tom is still declared guilty in the end going to prison to later be killed by a guard. Although Tom may have been one of the kindest person Mayella ever meet she ended up costing him his

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