Additionally, based on circumstantial evidence, this substantiates MAyella was physically abused as well. Atticus states that Bob was left-handed and Mayella was “beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left.” (Doc. B) Overall, Mayella’s gender makes her defenseless to the abuse her father did on
Power: the amount of control one has over their own life, as well as the life of others. In the story, To Kill A Mockingbird, an African American man named Tom Robinson is accused of rape even though he was the one who was attacked. He is accused of raping a woman named Mayella Ewell. We will be seeing how powerful she is based on her class, gender, and race. We will be doing this by examining several documents on each of the three.
The firm declaration of Mayella denying that her father abuses her after claiming he can be intolerable while drunk and her hesitant answer gives us the clear conclusion that Mayella is being abused by her father and her injuries and rape were done not by Tom Robinson but by Mr. Ewell
“Mayella was beat savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left… (Doc. B)” this quote shows Mayella receiving some attention due to her injuries. “He says you goddamn whore, I’ll kill ya (Doc. B)” Tom Robinson claimed that Mr. Ewell yelled this quote to Mayella, this shows what her father does not have much care for his own daughter. From this evidence, it seems that being a female had no difference to the society; especially to
6/24, Chapter One: As the book begins, the readers are introduced to Scout, and her knowledge of Maycomb. I noticed how Scout’s narration sounded; she is telling the story as an adult but from a five year old’s point of view during the book, but her narrative included complex words such as “imprudent” (5) and “domiciled” (10), which is unlike what a child would say. Harper Lee uses the unique narration so that Scout would be able to provide background and context to Maycomb, but also so that readers would be able to see how Scout reacted and felt about the events in the book, and how it impacted her life growing up. Scout also used description and imagery as she told the story, which I found intriguing, since children don’t usually care for description and see things simplistically.
Abuse has a bad effect on children everywhere causing them to lash out in different ways as Mayella did in her environment. For example, kids that come from negligent families often have trouble connecting with others. Throughout the story, Mayella has shown signs that prove that she lacked simple social skills to understand who she should trust or when people are being nice to her. Further, Mayella exhibits attachment issues and tendency to take risky sexual decisions such as she had done with Tom Robinson, which essentially can be attributed to be consequence of abuse perpetrated by Bob Ewell and his out of control drinking habit. The fact that she knew the consequences of abuse should have been a deterrent to her misbehavior with Tom Robinson During Mayella’s testimony, Mayella’s father is exposed as an alcoholic who is intolerable when drunk.
Power, isn’t it something we all want? This court case, we set in a rape crime that has supposedly been committed by a young black fellow named Tom Robinson. The victim of this crime is Mayella Ewell and she’s white and a young girl. In the 1930s racism was a big factor in this case. Now does Mayella have more power because of race?
People can control many aspects of their life, but that kind of power can be challenged because of physical and social and social attributes like race, gender, and class. Traits can be limiting factors on how much flexibility someone has over their own life. Typically, rich, white males have the most power in relation to these three characteristics. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Mayella Ewell is a poor, white, nineteen year old girl who lives in the slums of the fictional town Maycomb, Alabama.
Also, Mayella's father, Bob Ewell, is clearly abusive to her as well. Atticus mentions that Tom is not able to use his left hand, and Bob is left-handed: "[…] but there is circumstantial evidence to indicate that Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left […]" (Doc B). Mayella is still downsized compared to men, and therefore her gender does not give her a speck of power. Mayella's class certainly does not give her power at all. What we mostly know about Mayella is that she is dirt poor and lives in the dump, so her class does not give her power.
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).
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.
“‘... What did her father do? We don’t know, but there is circumstantial evidence to indicate that Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left(Doc B)....’” Mayella knows that no white man will love her, because she is poor, so she goes to the next best thing which is Tom. “She reached up an’ kissed me’ side of th’ face(Doc B).” Based on the evidence she is powerless based on her
Change means to make or become different from a previous state. As an individual grows up, they go through many changes, especially in behavior, character, decisions, friends and body that can be internal or external. It pushes us out of our comfort zone and lets us experience and explore our world. Change is inevitable and many characters in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee display their change through their actions and choices. Jean Louise Finch, known as Scout goes through a significant change in her character and behaviour throughout the novel.
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.
This essay aims to investigate the literary context of Harper Lee 's To Kill A Mockingbird (1960) from four different perspectives. The scope of this essay does not only include the context from historical, cultural and social points of views, but also the significance of Lee 's early life is considered. The essay explores deeply the novel 's events, characters and main themes, which can all be related to the literary context. This is why the research question of this essay is “A Study of Literary Context in Harper Lee 's To Kill A Mockingbird”. To Kill A Mockingbird never fails to amaze a reader because of its audacity, as it brings out many controversial issues from 1930s America.
