Tom Robinson takes the stand. Although she is a mean, racist neighbor, Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose teaches the children a lesson in courage. We can have little real sympathy for Mayella Ewellwhatever her sufferings, she inflicts worse cruelty on others. In Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a MockingBird", a woman named Mayella Ewell, lived on a Piggery in Maycomb, Alabama. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. However, she insists that he never lays a hand on her or beats her. He pleads with Mayella, asking her to tell the truth: that Tom never raped her, and that it was her father who hit her. Tom realized it was quiet because there were no children. He explains how she attacked him while he was trying to help her. Cite a specific quote from the text to support your answer. Tom says that on the night of November 21st he was walking home from work when Mayella asked him to come inside the house to help her retrieve a box that was on top of a tall dresser. | 3 Judge Taylor furiously expels Deas from the courtroom for interrupting. Analysis: Chapters 18-19. When Mayella begins to cry, Scout observes that, "Somehow, Atticus had hit her hard in a way that was not clear to me, but it gave him no pleasure to do so." After calming down, Mayella begins her story. Scout exercises perspective by standing in Mayella's shoes during her testimony and has sympathy for her. Who interrupts the court proceedings to speak on Tom's defense? Summarize his testimony. "His left arm was fully twelve inches shorter than his right, and hung dead at his side." The phrase "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" refers to intentionally and pointlessly destroying something that does no harm. This is clearly demonstrating to the jury that Tom does not have use of his crippled arm. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. You can view our. During the trial Tom had told his side of the story and it goes like this. The phrase "it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" refers to intentionally and pointlessly destroying something that does no harm. Mayella doesn't seem to have any friends. In Chapter 18, Mayella Ewell gives her version of events. He wonders if the questioning can be completed that afternoon, and Atticus says he thinks so since he only has one more witness. Mr. Gilmer then moves on to focus on Tom's strength. Mayella continues with her description of Tom choking and hitting her. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. Harper Lee published To Kill a Mockingbird in 1960. Then she asked him to lift a box down from a dresser. Link Deas represents the diametric opposite of prejudice. Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Jem explains to Dill that Atticus is showing Tom has nothing to hide by admitting to a thirty day sentence for disorderly conduct. After Atticus's cross-examination, Scout mentions that she feels numb and looks over at Jem and Dill, who are both yawning. While Mr. Gilmer, the prosecuting attorney, makes his way to the stand, Mr. Link Deas announces he never had any trouble from Tom in the eight years he has been working for him. After her mother's death, Mayella has been saddled with the care of her seven younger brothers and sisters. Tom ran out of the house as fast as he could. It is then when her father saw them, Tom says that Mr. Ewell yelled at Mayella, calling her a whore. Expert Help. Mayella is a liar who puts an innocent man's life in danger, but her testimony does make her more of a sympathetic character. The premise of Mayella's testimony is that she was on the porch and asked Tom Robinson to break up a Chiffarobe when he attacked her. Scout seemed to be the most moved out of the three children by Mayella's story. In this chapter he gives his testimony of what happened on November 21st. Mayella jumped on top of him and hugged his waist. After taking the stand, Mayella tells Mr. Gilmer, the prosecutor, that she is nineteen years old. Why does Atticus take Tom Robinsons case knowing that hell lose? This statement puts the courtroom ill at easein Maycomb, black people arent supposed to feel sorry for a white person. You'll also receive an email with the link. Start studying TKAM Part 2 Test. The Mayella Ewell testimony occurs in Chapter 18 of To Kill a Mockingbird. LitCharts Teacher Editions. When Scout expresses concern that Mr. Underwood, the newspaper reporter, has seen them sitting in the balcony, she is concerned that he will tell Atticus that they have attended the trial despite his instructions to stay home. He is a pillar of the community who is elected to the legislature every term unopposed. The small sample of his cross-examination that Scout and the reader do hear is enough. What does Tom's testimony say happened? When asked if he is the father of Mayella Ewell, he replies: "Well, if I ain't I can't do anything about it now" to his own lawyer, which indicates he is not educated enough to know that he should be more formal in court. She thought he was making a mockery of her. Historical Context Essay: The Scottsboro Boys Trials, Literary Context Essay: To Kill a Mockingbird & The Southern Gothic Tradition. Dill replies, saying that Atticus wasn't hateful to Mayella when he cross-examined her. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. On hearing this, Scout realizes that Tom's manners are similar to Atticus's. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. It also adds suspicion that . This is a major turning point for Scout, as she begins to understand the horrible and lonely situation that both Mayella and Tom are in. During this questioning, Tom slips and says he 'felt right sorry for her.' As children, Dill and Scout pretend that they are engaged to be married. Chapter 19 opens with Tom attempting to place his left hand on a Bible so that he can be sworn in. Atticus asks whether Tom helped Mayella more than the once. Wed love to have you back! Mayella and her father are trying to destroy an innocent with their false accusation. Instant PDF downloads. In the recess that follows, Mr. Underwood notices the children up in the balcony, but Jem tells Scout that the newspaper editor wont tell Atticus about their being therealthough he might include it in the social section of the newspaper. Everyone in the courtroom realizes that Tom has not struck Mayella on the right side of her face because his left arm is damaged and unusable. Then, Tom saw Bob Ewell in the window yelling at Mayella. After Mayella paints a grim portrait of her life as the sole caretaker of her siblings, courtroom observers feel some sympathy for her situation. When Tom climbs up on a chair to reach the box, Mayella knocks him to the ground. While in the house retrieving the nickel, she claimed Tom entered the house and jumped on her. Example: S{\color{#c34632}S}S This book of poems is one of my favorite possessions. She takes Dill under the trees, and Dill explains he couldn't stand how Mr. Gilmer was treating Tom. What does Judge Taylor say about Mr. Ewell's testimony? She's described as thick and used to hard labor and cultivates bright red geraniums in the family's yard. She lied to protect herself. Mayella identifies Tom as the man who beat her, and Atticus asks Tom to stand. Ms. Lee was born in 1926 in the small town of Monroeville, Alabama. When Atticus began questioning Mayella, he treated her with politeness. for a group? Despite Atticus showing Bob and Mayella's story to be untrue, Tom's testimony is not received well. Tom fled. They are beginning to see the world as it truly is. Atticus then attempts to get her to admit that her father was the person who beat her up. Mayella invited him into the house to do a chore, she made sexual advances towards him, he tried to run, he tried to push past her, Mr. Ewell showed up and said, "you ******** *****, I'll kill ya." He then asks her if she has ever asked Tom for help before, and she gives a non-answer. Tom has good reason to be scareddue to the likely combination of sexist and racist beliefs in the community, the idea that a white woman would willingly touch a black man in an inappropriate manner is likely unthinkable to many in this courtroom. This episode serves two important purposes in the novel. But, as Atticuss awareness of his defeat as a foregone conclusion suggests, Lee was not interested in the believability of the trial. She claimed the door was coming off its hinges, and it would be cold soon. Under questioning, Ewell admits that he can use either hand equally well, indicating that he might be the person who beat Mayella. Atticus and Tom Robinson in court from the film To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! He tells her that he is bothered by how hateful Mr. Gilmer is acting towards Tom. He says he understands why Dill is upset. He addressed her as he would any lady. Atticus is establishing for the jury what life is like at the Ewell home; they are extremely poor, Mayella has no friends, the father is an alcoholic. What is a quote that depicts Mayella accusing Tom Robinson of rape in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird. She then asked Tom to kiss her, telling him she'd never been kissed before and that what her father does doesn't count. What role does Calpurnia play in the family and in the novel? The judge attempts to explain that Atticus is simply being polite. But both Mayella and Bob lied rather than admit that Mayella tried to kiss Tom. I mean yes I do, he hit me." Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs Tom works for Mr. Link Deas most of the year, and knows of no way to get to work except passing the Ewell house. In Chapter 11, Atticus shoots a mad (rabid) dog in the street. She tells the jury that Tom beat and raped her when, in fact, it was her father who beat her when he saw her hugging and kissing an African American. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% 5 chapters | This is important for two reasons: Tom Robinson's left arm got stuck in a cotton gin when he was young, leaving it useless, and Mayella's father is indeed left-handed. He calls her Miss and Ma'am; she has never been spoken to this politely by anyone. Why does Reverend Sykes tell Jem to take Scout home during Bob Ewell's testimony? flashcard sets. Mayella attacked Tom and asked him to kiss her. They did not react otherwise. Sometimes it can end up there. Her situation is so dire that even the judge fails to chastise her the way he should. When he asked where they were, Mayella replied she spent a year saving seven nickels so she could send them to get ice cream. Mayella went to school for a few years but none of her eight siblings go, and their mother is dead. She cannot admit that she is lonely and attracted to a Black man, so she allows Tom Robinson to stand trial for a crime that he did not commit. He insists that was the only furniture disturbed when he left. Tom has helped Mayella with her chores many times. What aspects of Mr. Ewell and Mayella's testimony does his appearance immediately call into question? When Atticus treats her with respect, she is immediately suspicious of his motives. Erica has taught college English writing and literature courses and has a master's degree in children's literature. In her cross-examination, we learn Mayella is nineteen and her family receives relief checks, but there isn't enough food to go around; her father seems to be a drunkard. Tom then gives his version of what happened on November 21st. When the judge asks her what's wrong, she replies that she is upset about Atticus's insinuations of asking her father if he was left-handed. Mayella cuts a pathetic figure in the witness box. Mayella told him she had saved her money and sent them all to buy ice cream. Mayella Ewell is pitiable, and her miserable existence almost allows her to join the novels parade of innocent victimsshe, too, is a kind of mockingbird, injured beyond repair by the forces of ugliness, poverty, and hatred that surround her. creating and saving your own notes as you read. She and Atticus agree that Jem and Scout may need round-the-clock supervision during the public spectacle, and she believes that the children need more exposure to the propriety and traditions of their upstanding family. When she tells Atticus that she screamed, he asks where the children were. Log in Join. Tom Robinson takes the stand in chapter 19. She is the sole caretaker for a passel of children. "Do you remember him beating you about the face?" When he calls her "ma'am," Mayella claims that he is making fun of her. What is evident once Tom Robinson stands up? How did Atticus get to Mayella? To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. The most obvious reason justice isnt served is because the jurys overwhelming racism prevents Tom from getting a fair trial. Tom tells Mr. Gilmer that he was afraid of being accused of something he didn't do. Tom ran away before finding out what happened next. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% If she were hit straight on, it would have come from someone's left hand. First, Mayella Ewell testifies. The judge tells Atticus to call the witness. She also recognizes how someone like Mr. Raymond can get away with breaking social codes simply because hes white and wealthy, whereas Toms very livelihood is in danger for allegedly doing the same as a black man. However, just as the court refuses to accept the undeniable implications of the evidence that Atticus presents, so too does it refuse to accept the implications of Deass validation of Toms character. Refine any search. Your fathers one of them. 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