Suhas Yalavarthi Mrs. Hewlett English 1H - 7 23 January 2023 Honorable Compassion Compassion is awarded to people who undergo traumatic experiences in their lives. For example, disturbing events can be considered sexual and mental abuse. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Robert Ewell and his daughter Mayella, are seen as the ‘white trash’ of Maycomb county. In the 1930s, it was rare for a white person to be seen with a black person because of the social inequality in their community. Tom Robinson, a black man, meets up with Mayella to help her with chores after he goes to work. When Robert sees Robinson near his daughter, Robert accuses Robinson of raping Mayella. As a result, Robert brings them to court for justice and to assert …show more content…
Mayella does whatever her father tells her to do as she is scared that she will get abused by her father. During the trial of Robinson, Heck Tate, the county sheriff, was called to defend Robert. When Heck Tate looked at Mayella’s right side, she “had more bruises…her arms were bruised, and she showed her neck. There were definite finger marks on her gullet” (Lee 192). The cruel actions could not have been from Tom due to the fact his right arm is his only functional arm; his left arm was caught in a cotton gin, making it worthless. Therefore, the bruises from Mayella must be from Robert, a left-hand puncher. The audacity her father has to hurt his child, put a black man’s life in jeopardy, and lie about the scene is unjust. Similarly, if someone saw what Mayella is going through, they would bring “attention or awareness to recognizing that [she] is suffering” (Jazaieri). If Mayella had any friends, they would show people what she is going through and ultimately bring about justice. Everyone in the courtroom needs to recognize what Robert did to Mayella. Due to Mayella’s abusive father, she deserves