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How Is Mayella Ewell A Sympathetic Character

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In the classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Tom Robinson, a sympathetic, considerate African American field worker, is accused of the rape of an abused 19 year old white girl, Mayella Ewell. As the consequent trial unfolds, the reader glimpses Tom’s understanding personality despite the harsh 1930s stereotypes that cloud the trial. First, early into his testimony, Tom reveals that Mayella regularly invited him into the Ewell yard to do a few minor chores, which was usually chopping wood or toting water. Then, when Atticus, his defense attorney, asks if Tom was paid for his services, Tom replies, “No suh, not after she offered me a nickel the first time. I was glad to do it, Mr. Ewell didn't seem to help ner none, and neither did the chillun, and I knowed she didn't have no nickels to spare" (Lee 218). Containing four detailed reasons which all justify his favors, his response displays his thoughtful nature because provide a genuine explanation of his actions. If he had been counterfeiting these reasons, they would not have been nearly as numerous or detailed. …show more content…

At the time, Mr. Ewell saw this from a window and ran around to the front door. As a result, Atticus wants to know what Mr. Ewell yelled during his sprint to the front of the house. At first, Tom Robinson resists quoting him due to the profanity Mr. Ewell used. He claims that it’s “not fittin‘ for these folks’n chillun to hear” (Lee 221). Here, he is displaying consideration for the adults with small children in the courtroom by avoiding the curses, fearing they may adopt the unhealthy vocabulary. Furthermore, Tom is showing regard for Judge Taylor’s preferences. Specifically, he prefers witnesses to keep their accounts “within the confines of Christian English” (Lee 198), which discludes

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Titus Smith Mrs. Lawson English 10 11 January 2023 Who is to blame? Mayella Ewell had no evidence to prove Tom was guilty, but on Tom's side, there was specific evidence that proves he is innocent. The story of, ¨To Kill a Mocking Bird¨ by Harper Lee, is about a little girl living through the experiences of a court case between a local family daughter Mayella Ewell, and a black man Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson was accused by Mayella of rape when he came to the Ewell house to help her. Mayella invited Tom inside to help her and considering Tom Robinson was a black man, the community already did not treat him well.

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The book To Kill a Mockingbird is narrated by a young girl named Jean Louise Finch, also known as Scout. Throughout the story, Scout faces many problems and confusions in the world she lives in. The world she knows is split in two. People who hate and fear, and others, such as Atticus Finch, who have sympathy and an understanding for those who are different and less fortunate than others. Atticus, father to Jem and Scout, defends Tom Robinson in court against the Ewell family.

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Tom was accused of raping a white woman who was Mayella Ewell, Mayella said he raped her while he was helping her with chores. She later on tells the readers that it was false allegations. The reason why she didn 't tell the truth at her first trial was because, Mayella was afraid of being embarrassed because she kissed a black male. She rather have an innocent man get charged with a crime than that. “However, Robinson was transferred from the state prison to Maycomb 's county jail on Saturday, two days before he stood trial on Monday, and Atticus had to defend him against a lynch mob”.

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The Importance of Action John Ruskin was a famous artist and critic who composed multiple works including The Crown of Wild Olive in which the quote, “What we think, or what we know, or what we believe is, in the end of little consequence. The only consequence is what we do,” is found. Ruskin is saying that thoughts, knowledge, or beliefs do not have very much significance and only action can lead to tangible results. The ideas in this statement have been shown to be correct throughout literature and history in To Kill a Mockingbird, “The Gettysburg Address,” and “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”

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424 Words | 2 Pages

Ewell takes a stand to defend Mayella in the courtroom when Atticus starts to realize that Mr. Ewell could’ve been guilty for Mayella’s rape. Atticus tries to prove that Mr. Ewell is guilty by intentionally asking Mayella questions, but Mayella refuses to prove that Mr. Ewell is guilty and responds to this saying “I got somethin’ to say an’ then I ain’t gonna say no more. That nigger yonder took advantage of me.. “ (Lee 251). This quote symbolizes the judgement that Mayella made on Tom Robinson to prove that he’s guilty.

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871 Words | 4 Pages

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, the author, Harper Lee, uses the character of Tom Robinson to give her insight on the recent crime of Emmett Till. The trial was a very controversial case in the 1950s, involving the brutal murder of a young black boy, in racist Mississippi. In the real-life case, there is a woman named Carolyn Bryant who accuses Till of cat-calling and using vulgar language. However, Till was innocent, yet received punishment. Lee also recreated the persona of Carolyn into Mayella Ewell, who is the women that accuses Tom Robinson of raping her.

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1034 Words | 5 Pages

During this time, blacks were considered uneducated and so were the Ewell’s. They could be afraid of being compared to the blacks, and somebody saying that they are just like the blacks. If people say they are just like the blacks they will feel like they do not have an advantage over them. That is all the Ewell’s want, they want to feel like they are higher than somebody.

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(Lee 202) where Tom responds "No suh, I's scared I'd be in court, just like I am now" (Lee 202). This shows how Tom wasn’t meaning to hurt anybody and is further evidence that he is not guilty while he is ultimately convicted. This tragic outcome underscores the pervasive and unjust stereotypes that were common during that era, as well as the dire consequences they could have for innocent individuals like Tom

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1649 Words | 7 Pages

Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird is about a man named Atticus and his two kids Jem and Scout. Atticus was appointed to defend an African American, named Tom Robinson. Tom was accused by Bob Ewell for raping and beating his daughter, Mayellea Ewell. During the trial scene, everyone in that courtroom finds outs the truth that Tom is innocent against the accusations from Bob. The truth is that Mayella kissed Tom and Bob saw what she did.

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Essay In the novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee, there are many important messages shown throughout the book. However the primary focus was set on racial prejudice that existed in the 1930s-1940’s in the fictional town of Maycomb County. The racism in the novel was very much a reality in 1930s-1940s America. A very good example of the racial prejudice that existed was in the courtroom during Tom Robinson’s trial, an innocent Negro man held against his will for a crime he did not commit.

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Tom Robinson is a black man who is wrongfully convicted of raping a white girl, Mayella Ewell. This novel goes through Scout's life from when she was 6, till she is 9. She lives in the town of Maycomb Alabama, and lives an innocent life until about halfway through the story, where she begins to ask questions. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout shows the readers that racial inequality creates an unjust society through the African American community, through the people surrounding colored folks, and through Tom Robinson’s Case. The first example of the consequences of racial inequality is the African American community in Maycomb.

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830 Words | 4 Pages

Tom Robinson is a young African-American who's been accused of raping and abusing Mayella Ewell, a young and closeted white woman. Racial discrimination is hinted throughout Tom’s trial as Atticus Finch explains to Jem that a white man’s word will always win over that of a black man’s - "... In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life" (220). Atticus explains to Jem that in the courts of Maycomb, a black man’s state of innocence or guilt is truly determined by a white man’s testimony.

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1454 Words | 6 Pages

When Scout comes home after her awful first day of school and complains about her teacher getting frustrated with her, Atticus teaches her that “you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view” (39). Instead of being upset about it, Atticus tells her that she should think about how her teacher must feel after having to deal with a class of rowdy children. By being kind and understanding, Atticus teaches her to think about others, an important lesson that influences Scout for the rest of her life. An additional idea that Scout retains, this time through real-world experience, is when she learns about prejudice from Tom Robinson’s trial. Atticus is hired to defend Tom Robinson, a young black man, in court against rape charges.

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149 Words | 1 Pages

In the novel: To Kill A Mockingbird, Mayella Ewell, a poor white woman, accused Tom Robinson, an African American, of rape. The Ewell’s are very indigent and her father, Bob Ewell, gets drunk and abuses Mayella. Since Mayella is very poor, this makes her not so powerful. In Maycomb, Alabama, A poor white woman named Mayella Ewell who lives behind the town garbage dump, accuses Tom Robinson, an African American, of rape.

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813 Words | 4 Pages

When discovered she covers her guilt and shame by accusing him of rape. In this era and in this community, Mayella’s accusation is seen as reasonable and unfortunately believable, which leaves Tom beaten before he enters the trial. However, Atticus expresses a powerful message in his closing argument to create a move for change in his society. The argument is expressed subliminally, by communicating that in the 1930’s society disregarded that all were equal, and categorised men and women based on the colour of their skin.

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