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Why Is Tom Robinson Guilty In To Kill A Mockingbird

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A novel called To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. There is a case between an African American named Tom Robinson and a white woman named Mayella Ewell. She accused him of raping her. Tom was always kind to Mayella by helping her with things to do because he felt bad that she was always working. He passed one day and she asked him to get the box on top of the chiffarobe, so he got on the chair and got it then she put her hands around his leg, but she claims that he threw her down and raped her. Tom tried to run away, but she blocked the door and Tom pushed her out of the way. Tom heard Mr. Ewell yell to Mayella that he was going to kill her while he was running away. Also, Mr. Ewell claims to see Tom raping Mayella. One of the first reasons …show more content…

Ewell never called a doctor to come and check on his daughter that was badly injured. Atticus asked Mr.Ewell, “Did you think she should have had a doctor, immediately?”(Lee pg.175). Harper said ,‘“The witness said he never thought of it… and if he did it would cost him five dollars” (pg.175)’.This evidence shows that Mr. Ewell was afraid to call a doctor because he did not want them to notice he beat her, then tried to defend his answer by saying it would cost him five dollars. Therefore, Mr. Ewell is the one who beat his own daughter because she tempted Tom …show more content…

Mr.Ewell arrived first from the woods before the kids. Atticus asked, “Why didn't you scream make them come running? The dump’s is closer than the woods, isn’t it?”. “Where were they?” No Answer.’”(pg 187). This evidence shows that Mayella had nothing to say because she knew that she was caught lying and he showed the jury that they were lying. Therefore the Ewell family is not telling the truth in every response and is more likely Tom is not

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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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1250 Words | 5 Pages

Ewell, her father bought a chifforobe to chop up, then Tom Robinson came by and she gave him a nickel for busting up the chifforobe. Mayella went in the house to get a nickel for him. Before she knew it, he was on her, cussing her out, and hit her, chocked her, and beat her several times. She also claims she screamed and fought back when she could, but that he took “full advantage” of her and “he done what he was after.” In Tom Robinson’s testimony, he says he passed Mayella’s house going to and from the field every day, and sometimes she would have work that needed to be done that he would do with no charge.

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1434 Words | 6 Pages

Due to her living conditions, she is uneducated on the matter. In addition, in the Ewell’s household, Mayella has no supportive influence to help her with her situation. The jury learns that in their household, “Everyone was for himself,” (Lee, p.245). This proves that they were independent and had no one to help make their decisions. As well, their mother is dead and their father is not concerned.

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1981 Words | 8 Pages

While this was occurring Tom ran out of the house because he was confused. The Ewells came up with a story stating that Tom raped Mayella and they went to court for it. Eventually, it was found out that Mayella lied to hide the embarrassment of trying to kiss an African American man along with trying to make herself feel better. Bob Ewell wanted to accuse Tom to cover his own tracks in abusing his daughter. Yet, with all this information and evidence Tom’s verdict was guilty.

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798 Words | 4 Pages

During the trial of Tom Robinson, for being accused of raping a white women. Some people in the town turned their backs on Atticus for taken the case. Atticus took the case and has proven that Tom is innocent but as Atticus knows since Tom is a “Black Male” that he would never be treated fairly. When the closing argument comes about, Atticus tells the people on the jury that they need to look past Tom being “Black Man” and see him and treat him just as a regular man. Atticus is trying to have them do the right thing instead of listening to the town and doing the wrong thing.

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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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804 Words | 4 Pages

The evidence heavily supports that Tom Robinson could not have beaten Mayella Ewell. Robert not only lied in court, but he also beat Mayella himself. After seeing Mayella kiss Tom, Mayella’s father, who is extremely racist, beat Mayella which caused Tom Robinson to run away in fear, making him look guilty. Mayella Ewell has been abused by her father, sexually and physically, but he refuses to take the blame. Mayella Ewell unwillingly lies in court to sacrifice an innocent black man to keep her father free of accountability.

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709 Words | 3 Pages

Mayella was not favored by the people in Maycomb. She was extremely poor and never spoke on any harassment she suffered from her father. Tom Robinson attempts to get the truth out in the open when he is giving his testimony, “She said what her papa do to her don’t count” (Doc B). Mayella doesn’t fully understand that her father is physically abusive towards her. To her it’s just love.

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1046 Words | 5 Pages

In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Lee took the minor character of Mayella Ewell and made her into a sympathetic role to her readers in a latent way. Mayella's life at home is told through the story's background and foreshadowing references. This is how Lee made Mayella memorable enough to the reader to know who she is and her family situation without needing her point of view of her side of the story. Once Mayella enters the storyline, her actions will become understandable to the reader and generate sympathy. One way Lee makes Mayella a sympathetic character is how before entering her into the story, one of Mayella's younger siblings was introduced.

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1666 Words | 7 Pages

For instance, determination in Bob Ewell is involved in a variety of situations throughout the story. Bob Ewell is determined to be victorious in the case between his daughter, Mayella, and Tom Robinson. He is there for her to guide her through it alongside their lawyer, Mr. Gilmer. It is thought to be that Tom Robinson rapes Mayella Ewell one day. Bob Ewell arrives to the scene and sees Tom raping Mayella which leads to where Tom panics and runs off into the distance.

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682 Words | 3 Pages

In this paragraph I will be questioning the Ewells’ reasoning for lying. While reading the court scenes, I got the feeling that Mayella and Bob had separate motives for trying to convict Tom. There are quite a few reasons that Bob would want Tom Robinson convicted. His most demanding motive would have to be the need to cover up the fact that he abuses his children.

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732 Words | 3 Pages

Mayella Ewell is a victim. Mayella is a victim of her father, Bob Ewell, because he is an alcoholic that abuses her. During the Tom Robinson trial, Atticus proved Bob Ewell to be left-handed. Based on Bob and Heck Tate’s testimonies, Mayella’s right eye was blackened

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1033 Words | 5 Pages

Atticus, a white man, fights to defend Tom Robinson, a black man, in a case consisting of domestic violence. Throughout

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1604 Words | 7 Pages

In chapters 17-24 in To Kill A Mockingbird, Jem and Scout observe their father in court defending Tom Robinson (a black man) from the accusations of the Bob Ewell (a "low grade ' ' white man). Bob Ewell accuses Tom Robinson of sexually assaulting his daughter; Mayella Ewell. Before the fate of Tom Robinson is given in the possession of the jury, both lawyers have a final attempt at convincing the jury that Tom Robinson should/shouldn 't be prosecuted. Atticus starts off his closing remarks with the fact that he believes that the case should have never come to trial and that the case "”is as simple as black and white."

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149 Words | 1 Pages

Bob Ewell, Mayella 's father, gets drunk and abuses Mayella. He possibly even sexually abused Mayella. Not to mention, Mayella had enough of the abuse and got an idea. In addition to this, Mayella thought since she was a white woman she could blame an African American man, Tom Robinson, of rape and if her father sees, he will

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