Essay On Mayella Ewell's Power In To Kill A Mockingbird
During the 1930’s in the poor town of Maycomb, Alabama, segregation was a way of life. This becomes an even bigger issue when Tom Robinson, and African-American man, accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a poor white woman. During this part of the novel, Mayella gains and shows her power. Her accusation of rape draws support from most of Maycomb County based on race, class and gender, allowing her to stand stronger and free. Mayella Ewell is indeed powerful when it comes to class, race and gender. She has gender and race on her side through this case, but the thing that is not quite on her side is class.
Mayella Ewell’s class holds her back from being completely powerful and free in this novel. In the story her and her father, Bob Ewell, are requested
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When referring to gender, Mayella would be ranked with higher power due to the fact that she only asked Tom for help so she was able to be free. Her gender could help with increasing her power but it could also decrease her power. It could decrease her power because she is a female teenager, that is getting physically and sexually abused by her father and she cannot really do anything about it. It could increase her power because she is more intelligent than her father, and she uses an African-American man to outwit him. Even though her gender could lead to either an increase or decrease in power, her race throughout the trial has helped her tremendously.
Her race puts her over the top in power. Race is a big part of why and how Tom Robinson did not win the case over the Ewells. The jury was filled full of white men, and never in Maycomb county has an African-American man won over a case with whites. When Atticus questions Mayella in court, she confesses that her father does abuse her, but she did not realize she had confessed. Even though Atticus was pointing out obvious ways that Tom could not have raped or hurt Mayella, the jury would not pick in favor of a black man, no matter how innocent he may
How Does Atticus Finch Use Rhetorical Appeals In To Kill A Mockingbird
1028 Words | 5 PagesBy his logic, if the court knew what Mayella thought throughout the case, and knew why she framed Tom, they would be able to understand that Tom is innocent. Atticus provides logical reasoning to this by explaining that, “She was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man.”(Lee). Atticus describes what Mayella did, but explains why she felt it was so wrong. It wasn’t because she had committed a crime, and it wasn’t because Tom committed a crime; it was because she had broken the racist codes of Maycomb county, and because this racism was embedded so deep in the roots of her life, Mayella needed to frame Tom so she wouldn’t be thought of as someone negative.
To Kill A Mockingbird Dbq
1060 Words | 5 PagesPower is one of the most sought-after things in the world. Everyone is on a different level of power where some have little of it and others have a lot of it but no matter how much power they have they always crave more. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird is based in a small town called Maycomb, Alabama where a young white woman called Mayella Ewell lives with her father Bob Ewell. The Ewells are thought of as the lowest class because Bob Ewell spends all his checks on liquor and does not support Mayella and her other 7 siblings.
How Is Mayella Powerful In To Kill A Mockingbird
492 Words | 2 PagesOne day in Maycomb, Alabama during the great depression a young girl named Mayella Ewell was raped. This shows Mayella is one powerful young girl in the story To Kill A Mockingbird. It will show how she is power through class, race, and gender. First Mayella is powerful through her class ranking. In the story it said that the “Maycomb’s Ewells lived behind the town garbage dump in what was once a Negro cabin…”.
Of Mayella's Prejudice In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee
513 Words | 3 PagesMayella 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).
Examples Of Atticus Closing Argument
1155 Words | 5 PagesHis argument is compelling because it questions in an emotional way how society at the time could have influenced what Mayella said, and what the jury’s outcome will be. Atticus pleads that the jury puts their hatred behind them, and fairly decides whether Tom was guilty or not, not based on race, but on evidence. This pathos is best shown in the following quote: “‘...confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption—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. Which, gentlemen, we know is in itself a lie as black as Tom Robinson’s skin, a lie I do not have to point out to you. You know the truth, and the truth is this: some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, and some Negro men are not to be trusted around women—black or white.
To Kill A Mockingbird Argumentative Essay Argument
450 Words | 2 PagesIn my opinion that is truly unfair. It makes sense as to why Atticus decided to defend Tom Robinson. He continuously tries to find the good in everyone and believes that the black community contains good people. Atticus had mentioned to his brother, Jack, that Tom was innocent but “doomed”. It was impossible
Theme Of Rape In To Kill A Mockingbird
149 Words | 1 PagesIn the novel: To Kill A Mockingbird, Mayella Ewell, a poor white woman, accused Tom Robinson, an African American, of rape. The Ewell’s are very indigent and her father, Bob Ewell, gets drunk and abuses Mayella. Since Mayella is very poor, this makes her not so powerful. In Maycomb, Alabama, A poor white woman named Mayella Ewell who lives behind the town garbage dump, accuses Tom Robinson, an African American, of rape.
To Kill A Mockingbird Mayella Powerful Quotes
401 Words | 2 PagesI think Mayella is mostly powerful because of her race and here is how. There was quote on page nineteen of the DBQ that said “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…” This here showed us that not one single colored man ever beat a case against another man. And since Miss Mayella is a female, Tom is definitely going to have a hard time winning against her. There was another quote on page twenty-one that said, “...
Southern Womanhood In Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird
730 Words | 3 PagesFirst, 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).
To Kill A Mockingbird Dbq Analysis
709 Words | 3 PagesAlthough due to being a poor, uneducated woman whom is treated like an object, Mayella is not a powerful character. For 19 years of Mayella’s life she has been
Mayella Ewell's Power In To Kill A Mockingbird
773 Words | 4 PagesIs Mayella Ewell powerful or not? Mayella Ewell, the poorest girl in the town of Maycomb, Alabama, living on a pig farm with her abusive father and in an abandoned Negro shack. The Ewell’s are the lowest of the low in the town of Maycomb, in rank wise and are not respected too much either. Bob Ewell, father of Mayella Ewell is an abusive man, sexually and physically and has an alcoholic problem. Mayella is usually beaten and sexually assaulted by him, especially when he is drinking, but Mayella has a plan that will let her be free from Bob.
Just Mercy And To Kill A Mockingbird Analysis
871 Words | 4 PagesTom was accused of raping a white woman who was Mayella Ewell, Mayella said he raped her while he was helping her with chores. She later on tells the readers that it was false allegations. The reason why she didn 't tell the truth at her first trial was because, Mayella was afraid of being embarrassed because she kissed a black male. She rather have an innocent man get charged with a crime than that. “However, Robinson was transferred from the state prison to Maycomb 's county jail on Saturday, two days before he stood trial on Monday, and Atticus had to defend him against a lynch mob”.
To Kill A Mockingbird Dbq
118 Words | 1 PagesMayella was powerless in gender because she was always abused. “Mayella was beaten savagely by someone who lead almost exclusively with his left” (Document B). Based on this quote it shows that Mayella’s father had beaten her sexual, verbally, and physically. Tom Robinson also was crippled in his left hand which shows her father beat her. During the trial Atticus questions Mayella about if she loves her father and she response “he tollable, except when he is drinking” (Document B).
Essay On Mayella Ewell In To Kill A Mockingbird
732 Words | 3 PagesBut she said he took advantage of her, and when she stood up she looked at him as if he were dirt beneath her feet.” Mayella’s loneliness and powerlessness drove her to have an affair with a black man, breaking a societal code. She is a victim of poverty because of the hatred and discrimination occurring in Maycomb. Although some might view Mayella Ewell as a victim, others might view her as a villain because she broke a societal code by attempting to have an affair with a Negro.
Theme Of Bully In To Kill A Mockingbird
830 Words | 4 PagesTom Robinson is a young African-American who's been accused of raping and abusing Mayella Ewell, a young and closeted white woman. Racial discrimination is hinted throughout Tom’s trial as Atticus Finch explains to Jem that a white man’s word will always win over that of a black man’s - "... In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life" (220). Atticus explains to Jem that in the courts of Maycomb, a black man’s state of innocence or guilt is truly determined by a white man’s testimony.
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