Mayella Ewell Trial

Mayella Ewell was a poor white girl who lived in a junkyard with her father and siblings, who told a lie that ended up killing an innocent black man. She accused Tom Robinson of rape. Since Tom was a black man the people of Maycomb saw Mayella a young white girl as the victim. Mayella’s gender, race, and class made her powerful in this situation. Harper Lee the author of To Kill A Mockingbird wrote about a young girl who accused a black man of rape. But the truth was that Mayella started to have feelings for Tom but since he was black and married she knew they could never be together. One day Mayella asked Tom to help her with a couple of things, but that was not her intention. She blocked him in her house and tried to get him to kiss her.

Since she was a woman person saw her as a victim when really Tom Robinson was the real victim. When it was time for Tom to be questioned by Mr. Finch about what had happened, he stated, “She says, ‘Kiss me back, n**ger.’ I say Miss Mayella lemme outa here an‘ tried to run but she got her back to the door an’ I’da had to push her. I didn’t wanta harm her, Mr. Finch, an‘ I say lemme pass, but just when I say it Mr. Ewell yonder hollered through th’ window.” Mayella knew that if she tried to kiss Tom and he rejected her she could say that he attacked her and no one would believe Tom about what really happened. Being a girl in this situation, gave Mayella the power over Tom. While Questioning Mayella, Atticus asked her a question that changed the way people saw her, “Do you love your father, Miss Mayella,”...“He does tollable, ‘cept when—,”...“Except when he’s drinking?” asked Atticus so gently that Mayella nodded.“ All her life Mayella has been mistreated her father. She has gotten used to the abuse of her father when he was drunk. Her answer to Atticus’ question helped her gain sympathy. Mayella Ewell was seen as a victim through the whole trial. Since she was a woman, people only saw what little innocences any Ewell could have. Mayella Ewell's gender gave her the power of Tom

This was the same way that Mayella had power over Tom because she was white and he was black. During the trial the evidence in favor for Tom was impeccable, but since he was a black man being accused by a white girl the jury would rule in favor of the white girl, “Now don’t you be so confident, Mr. Jem, I ain’t ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man…”. No matter how rock solid the evidence in favor for Tom was, he still would be convict for a crime he did not commit. The only reason for this was because he was a black man accused by a white girl. In his closing argument Atticus Finch made a statement about how most white people at that time saw black people,“...the evil assumption—that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber”. No matter how truthful or respectable Tom Robinson was on the stand and in his day-to-day life, no one would ever believe that he did not rape Miss.Mayella Ewell. In the eyes of the people of Maycomb, Tom was just a lowlife piece of scum who raped a white girl and the only reason why he was convicted was because he was black. Even with all the evidence that was going in favor for Tom he still would have been convicted. Mayella knew that no matter how much evidence there was against her, Tom would still be