To Kill A Mockingbird Mayella Analysis

In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, nine-teen year old Mayella Ewell is forced to go against Tom Robinson, an African American who is accused of raping her. Although it is obvious that the rape didn’t happen, the author portrays Mayella as a victim of circumstance. Lee makes it somewhat easy to sympathize with Mayella by describing Mayella’s homelife, indirectly characterizing Bob Ewell throughout the novel, and describing Mayella’s actions while in court.
Lee first makes it easy to sympathize with Mayella by describing Mayella’s homelife. In Chapter 3, although Mayella is not introduced yet, her brother Burris is. When Scout’s teacher, Miss Caroline, asks about the Ewells one of the students explains that, “...their paw’s right

contentious.” When the student says this, they are basically saying that Mr. Ewell is one to start arguments and even fights which is later proven when he starts up an unnecessary argument with Atticus in Chapter 23. Later, in Chapter 13, Lee goes on to describe Mayella’s current living conditions. Lee says through the words of Scout, “The tribe of which Burris Ewell and his brethren consisted and lived on the same plot of earth behind the Maycomb dump and had thrived on the county welfare money for three generations.” This shows the families real poverty while also explaining why they don’t have a very good education. There
Another way that Lee makes it easy to sympathize with Mayella is through the indirect characterization of her father, Mr.

Ewell. Towards the end of Chapter 3 after Atticus is done explaining to Scout that the Ewells are a part of an exclusive society and had privileges that they didn’t, Scout explains how she believes that is bad. With that, Atticus replies, “It’s against the law, all right, and it’s certainly bad, and when a man spends his relief checks on green whiskey his children have a way of crying from hunger pains. I don’t know of any landowner around here who begrudges those children any game their father can hit.” This analysis by Atticus helps demonstrate how Mr. Ewell doesn’t care much for his kids and may be characterized as selfish. When Mr. Ewell takes the stand in court, it is revealed that he is very stubborn, violent and rude. He describes Mayella as a “stuck pig” and even deems it appropriate to joke and say that he might not even be her real father. Later, at the beginning of Chapter 23, Miss Stephanie describes a confrontation that occurred between Mr. Ewell and Atticus. While Atticus stands his ground and stays respectful towards him, Mr. Ewell continues to spit and curse at him, yelling at him for defending an African American in court. This event helps characterize Mr. Ewell as disrespectful and rude, even when out in public surrounded by

people.
Lee lastly make it easy to sympathize with Mayella by then going on to describe her actions in court. After reading the whole court scene, it is very easy to feel bad for Mayella. She seems to be stuck between a rock and a hard place since she knows what she’s doing is wrong and could end a man’s life, although she doesn’t want to receive repercussions of her telling the truth from her father. When Atticus continuously questions her, Mayella tells a story of neglect and sadness that makes it even easier to feel sympathy for her. Mayella while lying to the town out of fear, accuses the one person who actually cares for her wellbeing, Tom Robinson, while knowing that this could lead to his death. This realization may make it sound hard to sympathize with Mayella since she is nineteen years old and should be able to take responsibility for her actions.
All in all, Lee gives you reasons to feel sympathy with Mayella while also giving you reasons to sympathize with Tom Robinson.