Mayella Ewell, A white girl who has less power than an African American. How is it possible for a white to have less control and less rights than a Negro? Mayella lives in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression (1930’s). The Ewells live “...behind the garbage dump in what was once a Negro cabin…” (Lee, Chapter 17). The place was extremely dirty and the pig farm there causes it to stink. Once corner of the filthy yard, however, were six jars of brilliant red geraniums who people assume were Mayella’s. One might say because she lives in such filth, she is filthy as well. Mayella, however, is trying to be kept clean but is still treated unfairly by her father and others. One might also say Mayella has no power and that might be right basing on her class, gender and race. …show more content…
“ ...white people wouldn’t have anything to do with her because she lived among pigs; Negroes [the Ewells’ nearest neighbors] wouldn’t have anything to do with her because she was white...” (Lee, Chapter 19). For a white person, Mayella is extremely poor and lives in such a filthy home that no one (white nor negro) would want anything to do with her. Whites does not like her because of the condition and filthiness of her home and the pigs. Negroes does not like her because she is white. Tom Robinson, man accused of raping Mayella, was “...probably the only person who was ever decent to her.”( Lee, Chapter 19). Tom felt so sorry for Mayella that he helped her with her chores and did not ask for any money because he felt so sorry for