This song represents Atticus proving Mr. Ewell guilty of hitting his daughter.
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The Ewells are pretty poor, they live near the dump. Mr.Ewell is a drunk and dosen't work. The Ewell kids don't go to school unless it's the first day. Mayella says Tom Robinson raped her and this case is brought into trial, for the jury to deside who is right.
Atticus has Mr.Ewell write with his left hand to prove he is left handed. That is why Mayella's face is beat up on the right. Atticus: "Will you write your name and show us?" Mr.Ewell: "I most positibely will. how do you think I sign my relief checks?" page 236 Mayella: "Well sir, I was on the porch and--and he came along and, you see, there was this old chiffarobe in the yard Papa'd brought in to chop up for kindlin'--Papa told me to do it while he was off in the woods but i wadn't feelin' strong enough then, so he came by--" Mr. Gilmer: "Who is 'he'" Mayella pointed to Tom Robinson. Mr. Gilmer: "I'll have to ask you to be more specific." "That'n yonder," she said. "Robinson." Mr. Gilmer: "Then what happened?" Mayella: "I said come here, nigger, and bust up this chiffarobe for me, I gotta nickel for you. He coulda done it easy enough, he could. So he come in the yard an' I went in the house to get him the nickel and I turned around an 'fore I knew it he was on me. Just run up behind me, he did. He got me round the neck, cussin' me an' sayin' dirt--I fought'n'hollered, but he had me round the neck. He hit me agin an' agin--" -Mayella Ewell's testimony (Lee 241) This quote describes social and racial prejudice within a community and court system. Because Tom is a black man that supposedly means he wanted to rape Mayella. |