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Why Is Atticus Finch Important In To Kill A Mockingbird

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To Kill a Mockingbird is a very controversial novel about racism. It takes place in the 1930s in Maycomb, Alabama. The book is about an African American male, Tom, who gets accused of raping a 19-year-old woman, Mayella. To set the scene, Mayella is a part of Maycomb's most trashy family. She has many siblings, her mother died when she was little, leaving it up to her dad to care for her. Tom is an African American and Mayella is white, which already puts her at an advantage during the time period. Tom gets a lawyer to fight for him, Atticus Finch, he has two kids that play a big role in this novel, Scout and Jem. Atticus Finch takes on the role of defending Tom Robinson, he gets hate from the community and is treated poorly because of it but …show more content…

Mayella did something that was extremely wrong in that time era, she kissed a black man. During the trial, Tom Robinson is asked to state what happened from his point of view, in chapter 19 of the novel he states “She says she never kissed a grown man before an’ she might as well kiss a ******. She says what her papa do to her don't count” (Lee 221). This is extremely important and alarming, no father should ever do something such as that. This means Bob Ewell has performed some kind of nasty act on Mayella before. Mayella practically admitted to Tom what her father has done to her, this is disgusting and shows that Mayella’s father has and would in fact abuse or assault …show more content…

First Mayella told Tom what her father did to her sexually doesn’t count as her first kiss, this is assault and abuse, who knows what kind of other things happen to her and her siblings. Then Mayella shows signs of abuse, she's hesitant with her words, takes things back, and changes her story. This makes it seem like she's being hoaxed or she was told what to say and what not to say before the trial, she wasn’t relying on her story and thoughts. Adding on, Bob said he was going to kill Mayella after seeing her force herself onto Tom. This by itself has extreme power, if this is what Bob is going to say when one of his kids does something he doesn't like Bob is clearly not fit to be a father. Then coincidentally the next time she leaves her house she is full of bruises and cuts. With every source of evidence, it is concluded that Mayella’s family is at fault for what happened to Tom in the novel To Kill A

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739 Words | 3 Pages

Mayella feels guilty after lying under oath in court. Mayella lied about Tom Robinson raping her because she doesn't want her dad to beat her up if she tells the truth. PARTIES Members of the jury, the state will review the evidence against Mayella Ewell who let her greed influence her decision to lie under oath. While her father Bob Ewell forced her to lie about the case so he wouldn't be

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763 Words | 4 Pages

Mayella’s answer of “he never touched me” to a question that wasn’t asked indicates she is protecting her father from what he was doing. I asked Mayella if she remembered Tom beating her in the face. First, she answered, “No, I don’t recall that he hit me. I mean yes I do, he hit me. Yes he hit – I just don’t remember.it happened too quickly”.

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The stories of what happened the night of the alleged rape walk the same trail in the beginning. Mayella asked Tom to help her cut up a chiffarobe. Both parties agree on the fact that Tom has helped Mayella on multiple occasions. Tom stated, “Seemed like every time

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531 Words | 3 Pages

During the trial, Tom Robinson revealed that Mayella’s father verbally and sexually abuses her. Tom states “She says she never kissed a grown man before. She says what her papa do to her don’t count.” (Doc. B) After Mr. Ewell caught Tom and Mayella, he called Mayella a “goddamn whore” and threatens her by saying “I’ll kill ya.” (Doc. B)

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1245 Words | 5 Pages

Because of Mr Ewell’s way of life and his pattern of abusive behaviour, Mayella and her siblings “lived like animals”. This sad living situation is what led to Mayella’s desperate attempt at a relationship with Tom, therefore bringing the blame back to Mr Ewell. Though it is not stated it the text explicitly, it is likely that it was Bob Ewell, rather than Mayella that came up with the plan of accusing Tom of rape, as it would give Mr Ewell a chance to simultaneously publicly denounce a black man and make himself out to be the hero of the story. This is why, despite Tom’s conviction, Mr Ewell is infuriated by the results of the trial, as Atticus was still able to destroy “his last shred of credibility”, the exact opposite of what Bob had planned for the trial. This would suggest that Bob Ewell was willing to have Tom killed, not because he truly believed he had committed a crime, but rather so he could promote his own prejudiced narrative at the trial and restore to himself the power that the social structures of Maycomb had taken away.

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516 Words | 3 Pages

Mayella’s father took advantage of her and used her. Not only did he use her for chores and babysitting, he abused her verbally, physically, and also sexually. Bob Ewell manipulates Mayella by forcing her to put all of the blame on Tom Robinson during the trial. Mayella is pressured by Bob Ewell, her father, to keep everything that happens at home a secret from everyone else. Also, Mayella admits that her father is tolerable to live with, except when he is drinking.

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423 Words | 2 Pages

but she lied in court which was the worst one. This connets to my thesis because Mayella knew that by lying on Tom she would jeopardize his innocence and that makes her a evil person for doing wrong knowing there would be

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840 Words | 4 Pages

She also says “What her papa do to her don’t count” (Doc B) which shows that he’s probably took advantage of her because she can’t physically do anything to stop him. The last quote i got was “There is circumstantial evidence to indicate that Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left” All these quotes show that Mayella has been beaten by someone they don’t know who but being a female she isn’t as strong as whoever beat her so she can’t defend herself. She won’t say it’s her father but from the circumstantial evidence that whoever beat her was left handed and it couldn’t have been Tom because he can’t use his left hand so the only other suspect left is her father and it makes sense that it could be him because he told her that he would kill her if she didn’t say that Tom raped her because there is evidence to pass that someone has beaten her and her father doesn’t want the truth to come

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990 Words | 4 Pages

She came from a very traumatic background with a passed mother, seven useless siblings, and a father who abuses her. Her father has very immense power over Mayella and she does all of the chores in the yard. She is a very hard-working young woman and tries her best to impress her father. Mayella was completely cut out of the real world and did not even comprehend the thought of kissing and hugging Tom. Mayella was seeking attention and possibly affection because it was never given to her by her father.

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646 Words | 3 Pages

While the accused Tom Robinson gave his testimony, he included a small detail that slightly entailed what Mayella’s father does to her. Tom attested, “She says

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1261 Words | 6 Pages

The book is set around the time of slavery and discrimination of different races. Tom Robinson, a slave, was working one night, when he was accused of raping his owner’s daughter, Mayella. Atticus Finch had dedicated his time and work to help Tom, and that’s what made people so angry. They were mad because a white man was helping a black man. In the end, readers find out that it was all a lie and that Mayella and her dad had lied, yet Tom had tried to escape prison when found guilty and was shot to death.

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594 Words | 3 Pages

She says she never kissed a grown man before an’ she might as well kiss a N*****. She says what her papa do to her don’t count’” (Lee 221). His testimony is a significant point in understanding how substandard Mayella Ewell’s life truly is. What Tom said about Mayella’s dad conveys that Mayella is experiencing sexual abuse by her father behind closed doors, which no one should have to go through.

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934 Words | 4 Pages

On Tuesday, October 27th at 7:30pm, I attended the USA Percussion Ensembles “USA Jaguar Drumline and Front Ensemble Fall Concert” at the Laidlaw Recital Hall. The concert contained five different pieces of music. It also contained five drumline and front ensemble pieces. The first piece of music performed was called “Apple Blossom (1972).” This piece was composed by Peter Garland (b. 1952).

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It has been heard the tales of Aeneas, Gilgamesh and Odysseus, all great heroes of their day, all great leaders of their people, but just how well off would someone be if under their watch? Odysseus, in his pride, has been gifted a curse upon himself so that his journey home seemed endless and would leave no man standing when he return to Ithaca, something unwanted of from a leader, but Odysseus tries at every encounter to safeguard his men. In the many times of hardship that Odysseus faces he does show concern for his men, he drags those whom have eaten the lotus fruit that would refuse to return home. When Odysseus finds himself in the cyclops Polyphemus’ cave he is quick to offer gifts to comfort the giant while his men show intentions

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730 Words | 3 Pages

First, she had to make up a story about Tom Robinson because she had kissed a black man, which was frowned upon for a white woman to do. “She was white and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society in unspeakable: she kissed a black man”(272). Mayella is also used as an example when she convinces the jury to convict an innocent black man because of Southern Womanhood. “That n***** took advantage of me, an’ if you fine fancy gentlemen don’t wanna do nothin’ about it then you’re all yellow stinkin’ cowards, stinkin’ cowards, the lot of you”(251).

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