Why did Mayella Ewell Lie? In my opinion Mayella could have lied for many reasons. First, I think she lied because she wanted to protect her father. If people found out that her father was the one who raped her; Bob would be seen as a monster in the small town of Maycomb. Bob’s social ranking in the society could have depleted. Also People would think that he is a coward and many more terrible things. Bob would also have a high possibility of going to prison. His action would not be taken lightly in the town of Maycomb and he would have to face his punishment with no way getting out of it. Another thing is he will not be accepted by the people in the town. He will loose all of his friends, and he wont be able to find any work. These circumstances …show more content…
Another reason is the family name could have received an even worse reputation then before. Finally, Mayella could have lied to save her dignity. If the people in the town would have faced the real truth. Mayella’s reputation could have been at risk. The fact that she fell for a black man would make people feel insecure. In Maycomb, having sexual interactions with colored folks back in the day was not accepted in society. From Tom’s point of view Mayella hugged him around the waist and kissed him on the side of his face. People could also see her differently. Now that she fell for a black man the white society might not accept her into their group. Because of her action, people would think that she is lonely and desperate. When Atticus asked her if she had any friends. She didn’t know how to respond. From this context in the story, you as the reader can conclude that she probably doesn’t have many friends to keep her company. The fact that she was raped by her own father and still tried to protect him is very disturbing. From this you can infer that she is a weak human being with no social standard for herself. She even blames the crime on an innocent
Mayella was only anxious because she had something to hide: she had kissed a black man. Mr. Ewell saw the scene and decided to bring an innocent
She wants a better life for herself. She found herself a mother for her siblings, she didn’t go to school, and when she liked a black man and seduced him. He is the one that she can control and everything else she is just powerless. She was devastated when he refuses her; she wanted to remove him from her way, instead of telling the truth she accused him of raping her fact that making advance towards Tom Robinson (the black man) gives Mayella power. Her feeling of guilt motivated her, the society want accept that a white women seduced a black man a trying to take advantage of him, she is a victim
Mayella 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).
First, they need to protect the family from looking like liars. Since they accused Tom Robinson of raping Mayella, they need to stick with their story by covering up that lie with more lies. Next, Mayella needs to protect herself from looking like a liar. If Mayella admits that she lied, she will be frowned upon. Last, She needs to keep the whites above the blacks.
He talks about how she’s become a part of the family and has earned his trust. In turn, she respects and trusts him. She shows it by taking good care of him and his children. When Walter comes over to their house, a place is cleared for him to join them. Atticus begins a conversation with him “he and Atticus talked together like two men, to the wonderment of Jem and me.
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).
Everybody has two different sides to him or her- one that is seen by others and one that is buried in their personal lives, completely hidden from others. People tend to perceive themselves as how they are seen by other people, but can open up or be exposed when they are put in that position. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, both of Mayella’s sides are evident. On the outside, she can be dismissed as a lying cheat, as she lied while on the witness stand.
Then some people thought that Tom was innocent but the judge decided to make Tom go to prison. In the book it said that Mayella hugged and kissed Tom on the cheek. From this I can infer that Mayella is desperate and can get away with this because Tom Robinson is a black person. This reminds me of a couple southern movies I’ve watched where black people are always the first to suspect because of their color. Tom Robinson on trial for his life said Bob Ewell yelled “whore I’ll kill you” when he saw Mayella kiss Tom from the window.
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.
In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird Mayella Ewell's is a powerful young teenager. In the 1930’s in Maycomb, Alabama Mayella set news to the small town, she made allegations of rape against Tom Robinson. Mayella is as powerful as the ocean when it takes you underwater. In Harper Lee’s, To Kill A Mockingbird will show Mayella’s power by using Class, Race, and Gender.
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.
But 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.
In 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.
100) Scout soon learns that Bob Ewell is the prosecutor in the case. In chapter 18, Atticus proves that Bob was actually the person who beat up mayella. It takes an enormous amount of courage to beat you daughter and then blame it on someone else. At first, he said Tom assaulted her, but then changed the charge to rape.
Bob Ewell, is Mayella’s father, the villain of the novel and most figures that struts hatred to the African Americans. Bob Ewell has no money, no education, he wants his life to be better, and he pours his anger on whoever is weaker than him. He bashes his daughter when he discovered her intentions towards Tom Robinson; he also tried to hurt Scout and Jem. "I see that black nigger yonder ruttin' on my Mayella!" (84)