In Harper Lee's novel “To Kill a MockingBird”, a woman named Mayella Ewell, lived on a Piggery in Maycomb, Alabama. Mayella lived in a time when Class, race, and gender were a big controversy. Mayella had allegations against Tom Robinson. Class, race and gender were an advantage for her because of the trial with Tom Robinson. Mayella had no say in the trial, which caused her to have no power.
Mayella was exacerbate when Atticus kept on calling her “Ma’am and miss.” (Doc:C) Judge Taylor told Mayella that Atticus was not making fun of her because he was being polite and of what she’s been through so Mayella got away with being rude to Atticus. “Now don’t you be so confident, Mr. Jem, ain’t ever seen any jury decide in a favor of a colored man over a white man…’” (Doc:D) The jury decided in favor of a colored man over a white man due to all the evidence that was found and leading to Mr. Ewell. “Tom Robinson was probably the only person who was ever decent to her.” (Doc:E) Tom helped Mayella with chores and not for one penny because he felt sorry for her and for her being white and left him vapid. In this time period race overpowered everything.
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…”. This shows that Mayella Ewell is powerful through her class by saying she is the lowest of the low of classes. Mayella and her family are very poor and can not really afford anything extra. They also say that “... white people wouldn’t have anything to do with her because she lived among pigs…’. This is saying since she was in the lowest class, that she lived wherever and did whatever she needed to do to survive, therefore Mayella Ewell is powerful through class by living life to the fullest and doing everything she can to survive no matter the money or class.
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. Power is or means having control over someone or something.
The people, who live in Maycomb, say such ugly things about Atticus Finch, a white man, for defending Tom Robinson in court, because Atticus believe Tom and he tried to defend Tom seriously. Long time ago, many people believed that black men is not good, polite, and NOT believable, so they were treated like slaves. Now in real life, people who believe idea of racism by skin color are less than before. However, some people
The whites don’t accept the Ewells because they live like pigs. The blacks don’t accept the Ewells because they are white. Scout stated, “... Mayella Ewell must have been the loneliest person in the world… When Atticus asked had she any friends, she seemed not to know what he meant, then she thought he was making fun of her… Tom Robinson was probably the only person who was ever decent to her. 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.
Racial equality and discrimination is a founding issue that has been spread throughout every part of the world, To Kill A Mockingbird was written and published by Harper Lee in 1960, this time was dominated by civil rights protests and some of the first hippie movements following the crushing reality of the Vietnam War, the 60s also saw the struggle against segregation and racial equality. It is no surprise that the extreme political conflict affecting her life and world would greatly impact her writing and influence how she perceived the world during the writing of To Kill a Mockingbird. the influence of the fight for racial inequality is shown greatly in her book as she depicts the everyday life
Provincialism is a manner of expression beliefs or mindset particular to a special region and not commonly used outside that region, therefore not fashionable or sophisticated. It can be dangerous as time goes by. In To Kill A Mockingbird, there three examples of how provincialism can be dangerous: Mrs. Dubose, Gangs of men, and Bob Ewell. This novel clearly reflects racism that was popular during 1930s. In this time, the discrimination against black people was harsh, and people think poorly of black people. In To Kill A Mockingbird, white citizens believe that black people always commit crimes. First, Mrs. Dubose was mean to the Finch family because Atticus defends Tom Robinson. She insults Atticus in front of their children. Second, the gangs of men believe Tom Robinson is guilty because he is black. They are more violent to him and treat him like a slave. Third, Bob Ewell is an evil man. He raped and assaults his daughter, but he
Tom 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. As can be seen, Lee’s usage of Tom Robinson’s trial and the racial discrimination and prejudice seen throughout it helps reinforce the theme of social injustice throughout To Kill A Mockingbird. Another encounter that the
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Mayella Ewell is a powerful character. Mayella get’s her power from her class,race,and gender. Her power mostly comes from her race. Tom Robinson has been accused of rape by Mayella Ewell.
What is Power? Power means to control yourself and/or others. This story is about a black man named Tom Robinson and a white woman named Mayella Ewell. The story consists of an unfair trial, a lot of racism, and prejudice people. What makes Mayella powerful due to class, gender, and race? Although Mayella is powerless when it comes to class and gender, her race ultimately makers her powerful.
Is 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. One would say she is not powerful because she is enclosed from the world, beaten by her father, and not very respected.
The 1930s was a very challenging time for america, it was the peak of the the Great Depression and the social oppression of women. The fictional novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is centered around the political issues america faced. The novel takes place in the fictional town of Maycomb Alabama where we look at the case of Tom Robinson against Mayella and Bob Ewell. The story goes that Tom Robinson went into the Ewell household and took advantage of Mayella and beat her. Although Mayella was actually the perpetrator, she won the case and Tom Robinson was sentenced to prison. Although due to being a poor, uneducated woman whom is treated like an object, Mayella is not a powerful character.
Thesis- Injustice and ignorance can be shown through the narrow-mindedness of people, such as Mayella Ewell, Aunt Alexandria, and the even the town of Maycomb.
Racial rejection, more commonly know as racial rejection or racism, and it has been around for ages, from the first day man came to be all the way to now. It is an everyday occurrence which is, for some, very unpleasant. It is depicted in both To Kill a MockingBird by Harper Lee through the view of Scout, a young girl who lives in the imaginary town of Maycomb in Alabama, and in The Butler a movie directed by Lee Daniels about Cecil Jacobs, a black man who makes his living in the states as a butler. Both set in 1920-1930s and the discrimination is shown a lot in the form of segregation, lack of basic human rights toward African-Americans and sheer disrespect.