Scout ponders about how Mayella is a very lonely person. When Atticus asked if she had any friends, she thought he was making fun of her. Mayella was also classified as a “mixed child” but was not necessarily one. In that case, many Negroes did not want anything to do with her because she was white and same goes to the whites because she was poor, filthy, trashy, etc. Their town, Maycomb, would send the Ewells Christmas baskets, welfare money, and the back of their hand. The back of their hand means they pushed them out. Society back then would treat people a certain way according to their color.
Scout’s insights are not still valid today. The way Mayella lived is not how most people live today but there are some exceptions. The people who do not have as much money or do not own a home are going to take what they can get. Usually children stay in school until they graduate. It is very unlikely that they drop out before graduation. Society does not treat people according to their race as much anymore, but there a few cases still.
In conclusion, Scout has different reflections about Mayella Ewell. They all say something about our society and the how humans treat each other. Scout also reveals many insights about her.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
Atticus shows that his words are not empty, and he practices what he has taught his children. Atticus conveys empathy for the minorities around him, such as the Ewell family and the Negroes. Tom Robinson, a black man, is being represented in court by Atticus. Atticus empathizes for Tom who is wrongly accused of taking advantage of Mayella Ewell, a poor white women, and tries his hardest to win the case for Tom. After losing the trial and humiliating the Ewells in the process, Bob Ewell, Mayella’s father, spits in Atticus’ face and threatens to get even with him. Atticus, feeling sorry for Mayella, takes this incident and uses it as a lesson of empathy for his children. Atticus says, “ Jem see if you can stand in Bob Ewell’s shoes a minute. I destroyed every thread of credibility at that trial, if he he had any to begin with. The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always do. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and I’d rather it be me than that houseful of children out there” (292-293). The lesson of empathy is supported largely through Atticus, and his ways with Tom and the Ewells. To sum up, Atticus’ inspirational experiences convey greatly to his children, and help to better them for the rest of the…
- 814 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
According to the book on page 256, Scout used the word “mixed child” because white people wouldn't have anything to do with Mayella, because she lived near the trash dumpsters. Black people wouldn't have anything to do with her because of her color of her skin. Mayella didn’t interact with the people of Maycomb because they didn't really come around by her place because she lived by a dump.…
- 171 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
Tom Robinson, one of the main characters in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, is accused of raping Mayella Ewell, daughter of Bob Ewell, and is taken to court. Atticus Finch, father of Jean Louise Finch and Jeremy Finch, is appointed as Tom Robinson’s lawyer by Judge Taylor due to his experience and wit. Mr. Gilmor is the prosecuting lawyer and is chosen as Mayella/Bob Ewell’s attorney. Whilst the court case is happening Reverend Sykes,…
- 400 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
During the trial of Tom Robinson, he encounters false accusations on behalf of the Ewell family. “Miss.Mayella...you’ve testified that the defendant hit you, grabbed you by the neck, and took advantage of you.” This quotations explains the false accusations Mayella Ewell made up to save her father Robert Ewell from the jury.Mayella Ewell obviously thought if she traps a black man, which is already disrespected by society instead of her father the jury will take her side either way.This act of pleading innocence was wrong of Mayella because she took advantage of an innocent man that has a family of his own to be there for. Mayella’s loneliness and isolation from the rest of Maycomb county lead her to take such actions. But she was smart enough…
- 282 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
To Kill a Mockingbird was written to show the Great Depression in the southern United States and what life was like during these times. Maycomb, Alabama is a little town where each person knows who you are, your class, and race. In Maycomb, race was a huge issue. Tom Robinson, a black man, was accused of raping and beating Mayella Ewell, a poor white girl. However, Atticus Finch, a white man, who was representing Tom proved to the court and town Tom did not rape or beat Mayella, but Tom did not win the case due to his race. Mayella was one of the poorest people in Maycomb and part of the lower class. For this reason, I do believe that Mayella is powerful due to her class, race, and gender.…
- 585 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
When it comes to Mayella’s class, she is in lack of better terms, white trash. “Maycomb's Ewells lived behind the town garbage dump in what was once a negro cabin.” (DBQ Mayella, 13) Her and her father, Bob Ewell live there together.…
- 566 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
The feelings and exhibited concern and empathy for other is too extreme. When defending Tom Robinson, during the court case he questions Mayella Ewell with courtesy and respect. Mayella is an uneducated girl whom Atticus believes is lying about being raped by Tom Robinson. Mayella is rude to Atticus saying "Won't answer a word you say long as you keep on mockin' me." (page 200). However Atticus remains calm and polite, never attempting to trick her. He addresses her as "miss" and his own daughter Scout "wondered if anybody had ever called her ma'am or 'Miss Mayella' in her life." (page 201). Atticus shows an empathy towards Mayella, he knows she is like a wounded animal and he doesn't want to hurt any further. The caring and concern presented by Atticus Finch is too idealistic. This extreme idealistic portrayal extends to his role as a single father and a…
- 1073 Words
- 5 Pages
Better Essays -
Sympathy is not only created through a description of her family, but also by a portrayal of her character. Mayella acts almost like a child, as though she were only Scout’s age; this softens Atticus’ as he feels pity for Mayella, who is a young innocent girl born in a less fortunate family: «Mayella stared at him and burst into teas. She covered her mouth with her hands and sobbed […] Mayella said something behind her hands. ‘What was that?’ asked the judge. ‘Him,’ she sobbed, pointing at Atticus». Mayella acts young and makes the audience empathize as she pretends to timidly denounce Atticus to the court by accusing him of scaring and intimidating her. In that extract, she also shows her vulnerability and pretends that men take advantage of her easily, especially when she is susceptible.…
- 501 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
The groups of people in Maycomb rarely allow different people to interact with each other. Sometimes, people get excluded because of the colour of their skin, or by the amount of money they carry in their pockets. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Helen Robinson, the wife of the convicted black man, can’t find a job after her husband gets accused of rape. She needed to support her family by getting a job, but nobody wanted to employ her because of what her husband was rumored to have done. Prejudice against Tom Robinson lead to his wife and kids not being able to get what they needed. Another example of exclusion in To Kill a Mockingbird is when Aunt Alexandra wouldn’t let Scout play with Walter Cunningham because he was poor. She says that his family is different from the Finches, and that he wasn’t as good as them. She also places certain families of Maycomb into groups that exclude the rest of the town from their activities. An example of this is when she ways that all Penfield women are flighty, after a Penfield girl giggled during church. According to her, all Maycomb families have a streak of their own, and that places them into their own groups. This lead s to exclusion from various other groups, because people don’t think you belong with them, and not being able to get what you want. If a person can’t feed their kids or support themselves, they can’t lead a good…
- 966 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
In chapters 17-19 of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the court case, Ewell v. Robinson, examines the accusation of rape by Tom Robinson, an African-American male. According to Tom Robinson, he walked by Mayella Ewell’s house every day and she always asked him to help her. Tom claimed that in the spring Mayell a asked him to chop up the chiffarobe contrary to Mayella and Bob’s testimony. Mayella asked Tom to come inside and help fix a door but he goes in to her house and the door appears to be unbroken. According to Mayella, Tom snuck up behind her, hit, and pushed her down then raped her. However, Tom…
- 633 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Also Scout describes how the place where Mayella lives looks like: “Its windows were merely open spaces in the walls . . . What passed for a fence was bits of tree-limbs, broomsticks and tool shafts.”(Document A). The description of the place helps…
- 701 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
In “To Kill a Mockingbird” a black hardworking man named Tom Robinson, is accused of raping a white women named Mayella Ewell. The truth of this matter is Tom Robinson, is Mayella threw herself at Tom. Mayella was a lonely women whose father abused her. She wanted to have intimacy with Tom Robinson, which “brings shame to her family”. When her father finds out Mayella tried to throw…
- 631 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, a majority of the characters faced life not being good for them at times. One character in the book that faced life being unfair is Tom Robinson. He was being accused of raping Mayella Ewell. He didn’t do anything to her,…
- 687 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Mayella Ewell is the first minor character I shall discuss; a beacon of racial prejudice and the injustice of the courthouses. She is considered to be trash along with the rest of the Ewell's; despite the fact that she is one of the few Ewell's who can read and write. As well as being literate she tries her best to make that most of what she's got, "the quote about the flowers she keeps". Despite her decency compared to the others in her family Mayella still only cares for her own wellbeing.…
- 903 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Scout learns a lot about her town and how everybody feels about different issues. Race is a major factor of being discriminated. However, how much money your family has is big in being discriminated. Scout attempts to tell their new school teacher, Miss Caroline, about how Walter Cunningham won’t borrow money because “The Cunninghams never took anything they can’t pay back- no church baskets and no scrip stamps. They never took anything off of anybody, they get along on what they have. They don’t have much, but they get along on it” (22). Scout and Jem ended up bringing Walter home with them for lunch that day and she realized that Walter was a complex individual with his own burdens and dreams. Another example of people being discriminated would be Dolphus Raymond, a white man who is married to a colored woman and lives with the colored folk. He and his wife have lots of mixed children. Jem explains to Scout that the mixed children are real sad because “they don’t belong anywhere. Colored folks won’t have ‘em cause they’re half white; white folks won’t have ‘em cause they’re colored, so they’re just in-betweens, don’t belong anywhere” (184). Scout realizes then that her town judges on skin…
- 1407 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays