...Mayella is a white female living in the lowest of the low class. Due to her race, gender, and class status, Mayella does not have much power. In the following text below, will be an explanation for all of these themes that have been called to your attention, explaining the reasoning for saying. According to race, class and gender, Mayella Ewell, is not all powerful. It is the nineteen-twenties, in this time period; the Jim Crow laws are still in effect. These laws state that, “Any white woman who shall suffer or permit herself to be got with child by a Negro or mulatto… shall be sentenced to the penitentiary for not less than eighteen months.” (DBQ “Is Mayella Ewell Powerful According to Race, Class and Gender?”) This is exactly what Mayella did. In the courthouse, Tom Robinson, an African American, Is being accused of raping and beating Mayella; however, it was Mayella’s father, Bob Ewell, who was abusing Mayella....
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...Mayella is powerful because of her class, race, and gender. Mayella is a white female who lives with her father, Bob Ewell. This story takes place in Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930’s. Mayella is trying to get out of the situation with her sexually abusive father and sets up a plan and accuses a negro man named Tom Robinson of raping her and her dad catches them. Mayella’s race is powerful in the story because she is a white poor woman who lives being the towns garbage dump in what once used to be a negro cabin. “Mayella Ewell must have been the loneliest person in the world: white people wouldn’t have anything to do with her because she lived among pigs; Negros wouldn’t have anything to do with her because she’s white” Quote(Lee chapter 19). The quote gave Mayella even more power by showing everyone how poor and innocent she was, giving her an advantage to win the case. The quote is saying why would a poor white woman be lying about getting raped by a negro male, the jury would believe Mayella more....
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...others. With the power Mayella has, she uses it to her advantage to convict an innocent man because of her wrongdoings. Because of Mayella’s class, and gender, Mayella lacks power, but her race makes her powerful. Again, Mayella Ewell lacks power because of her social class. “Maycomb’s Ewells lived behind the town garbage dump in what was once a negro cabin” (Doc A) shows and tells us that the Ewells class falls very low, limiting Mayella’s power socially. Mayella’s limited social power is also shown in the quote “Mayella must have been the most lonely person in the world… white people had nothing to do with her because she lived among pigs, and the negroes wouldn’t have anything to do with her because she is white” (Doc E) because Mayella was not socially accepted by anyone. It is lastly shown in the quote “‘Won’t answer a word long as you keep mocking me”’ because this shows Mayella has never seen the power to be called “ma’am” or “Miss”, so she takes great offense to it when Atticus speaks (Doc C). Besides the lack of power socially due to her social class, Mayella also...
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...In addition to not being able to show their true selves, these individuals also find themselves in problematic situations. Mayella Ewell, from the book To Kill a Mockingbird, is indecisive with her answer to Atticus Finch’s question about Mayella’s father, Bob Ewell: “Do you love your father, Miss Mayella?” was his next. “Love him, whatcha mean?” “I mean, is he good to you, is he easy to get along with?” “He does tollable, ‘cept when--” “Except when?” Mayella looked at her father, who was sitting with his chair tipped against the railing. He sat up straight and waited for her to answer. “Except when nothin’,” said Mayella. “I said he does tollable.” (Lee 245) Mayella Ewell is scared of what her father might do to her if she tells Atticus the truth. The...
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...anyone. Being a mockingbird is something very powerful in this era just because it is during the Great Depression and segregation. In the book, Atticus says “shoot all the bluejays you want if you can hit em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (119). Atticus is pointing out that killing an innocent is wrong. I think that in a sense, the mockingbird symbolizes the innocent and the innocence in people. Although there are many mockingbirds that can count in this novel, I have carefully analyzed the material and chose Atticus Finch and Tom Robinson as my two “mockingbirds”. I chose Atticus Finch as my first mockingbird because he is the one who got chosen to defend Tom in his trial. Although he got chosen to do his job, he actually tried to save Tom which showed a lot of courage in this time. Atticus truly put forth all his effort in defending Tom even though before he took on this trial, he knew that they would not win. He still tried. For Atticus trying,...
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...comprehend why he would do this. Because it was frowned upon for whites to be associated with blacks, this case ultimately ends up with the white community losing respect for Atticus. When the trial does actually come around, it becomes really obvious with how brainwashed the people of Maycomb are. Atticus’s defence of Tom was comprised of intensive questioning of Heck Tate, Bob Ewell, Mayella Ewell and Tom Robinson. Within the case, readers learn that Mayella was beat up on her right side, therefore making it impossible for Tom to have raped her because Tom had a crippled left arm. Atticus ends his persuasive argument with a speech to try to get the jury to overlook the fact that Tom is black. After a powerful lesson about the courts, Atticus begins to make the message more personal, claiming “A court is no better than each man of you sitting before me on this jury”(Lee 274). Even though Atticus tries his very best to get a fair judgement for Tom, in the end it was a case of black versus white, and the white’s prevailed. While Atticus understood the unlikelihood that he would win the case, it is unfair that his hardwork and effort has little impact to change the white community. Atticus’s struggle fighting against Maycomb’s unjust political did end up serving a purpose anyways. It had brought light to the hidden social discrimination of blacks in society. While Atticus had struggled against the courts, Jean Louise Finch struggled to grasp an understanding of why segregation...
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...How does Harper Lee present the theme of Prejudice in the novel? ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’? In the novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Harper Lee presents the theme of prejudice in a number of different ways. She shows that prejudice is present throughout all levels of society in Maycomb. She directs her attention to groups and individuals. ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ was set in the mid 1930’s and although slavery was abolished by the North in 1865 throughout America, the South still treated blacks as inferior, as the slaves they once were and the residents of Maycomb County typify this. The main theme of prejudice in this book is that of racial prejudice. The whole trial of Tom Robinson is full of prejudice against him. Before the trial even commences Reverend Sykes invites the children to sit in the coloured balcony – (Pg 181). Even the black and white public must sit separately! Extreme racial prejudice is shown to us by Harper Lee when she tells us of the colour segregation. In Maycomb there is segregation between black and white people. This is emphasised by the way blacks file in last and are seated in the balcony. Their politeness to the children is shown when four black people give up their front row seats for them. This shows white children also have authority over black adults. It is ironic that the children will have the same viewpoint as the black people attending the trial – in terms of where they see it from. At the time black people could not show their disapproval...
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...Innocence Essay By Kori Duperron “That’s what it takes to be a hero, a little gem of innocence inside you that makes you want to believe that there still exists a right and wrong, that decency will somehow triumph in the end.” Harper Lee's novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” shows how courage can be shown in different ways and that even the most subtle act of courage makes a difference. According to Atticus Finch, an honest lawyer in Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" teaches the children that courage can be portrayed as both physical bravery and strength, but fighting for what is right regardless of whether you win or lose takes more strength in character, and that is ultimately more courageous. Many characters show real courage in Maycomb, such as Scout, Atticus, and Tom Robinson. Courage is shown in different ways. Early in the novel, Scout illustrates the courage she is full with. On her first day of school, Scout acts as a leader for the entire class and takes the duty of informing Miss Caroline of Walter Cunningham's situation. Miss Caroline had just scolded Scout for her ability to read, however, Scout still feels the class is in need of leadership. This is courageous because most children at her age would fear speaking to the teacher is such a bold fashion. A very good example of courage is when Atticus asked Scout not to fight anymore. "When I committed myself to a policy of cowardice. Word got around that Scout Finch wouldn't fight anymore, her daddy wouldn't...
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...prejudice and the factors affecting its existence are pervaded in Harper Lee’s novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. Through the dual narration of Scout Finch and drawing inspiration from her own life, Lee allows for the reader to gain insight into the fatalities of a society steeped in prejudice. The absence of self-respect is destructive for both the individual lacking the quality and the people surrounding them. An individual not employing self-respect is unable to respect others and through this, prejudice can be created. This is demonstrated through Bob Ewell’s actions against Tom Robinson. In the court room when Mr Ewell is giving his testimony, he ‘stood and pointed his finger at Tom Robinson… “I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin’ on my Mayella!”’ This clearly shows that Mr Ewell does not respect himself, evident through the crude language that he uses in public. His body language shows that he does not respect Tom Robinson either, pointing and refusing to address him by name. By doing this, Mr Ewell...
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...Racism, the Destruction of Humanity Greed, arrogance, anger, and ignorance are destructive forces in our world that may destroy our humanity, beat down our beliefs and wreak havoc on our morals. But none is as powerful as racism. Racism is the worst kind of prejudice in society, as illustrated in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, what befalls Tom Robinson and his family, it can ruin Bob Ewell’s lives. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Tom Robinson and his family are the most apparent victim of racism. He is guilty by raping a white woman but actually he is innocent. Everyone is blinded by his color and has already decided to put him into the jail. Obviously, he gets an unfair trial. In the court, Mr. Gilmer, the lawyer who defends for Mayella Ewell, treats Tom without any respect. Even though Atticus finds much evidence that proves Tom is innocent, no one listens to him. Tom is a nice man and he only wants to help others, however, his kindness becomes his murderer. After his death, his wife Helen Robinson needs to raise their children by herself. But no one feels sympathy for her and even no one is willing to offer her a job. Is appearance so important that can destroy our humanity? We are going to lose our selves because of racism. Atticus defends for Tom in order to protect the justice. However, he and his children are disliked by the town people. Jem and Souct get troubles from school. Everyone teases them and no one is willing to make friends with them. Furthermore...
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...To Kill a Mockingbird, by Nelle Haper Lee was published in 1960, after the 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education and during a time of increasing civil rights unrest (Johnson). It was also a time of great social change in the United States, and a novel about the racial injustices of 1930s Alabama carried a powerful message to its readers. After the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, literature and literacy were used to expose and educate on racial injustice (Prendergrast 2). The dominant theme of the novel is prejudice and ultimately the courage needed to overcome prejudice. There are three main types of prejudice that are explored in the novel; racial prejudice, social prejudice and fear of the unknown. Racial prejudice is present throughout the novel in the people of Maycomb’s everyday life, as it is a novel set in the ‘deep south’ of America in the 1930’s. This period is not so long after the American civil war, so slavery’s abolishment had occurred not all that long ago, and the horror of slavery was still on the mind of many black people at the time (Brundage 86). Because of this, most people’s attitudes towards black people had not changed very much. The situation that shows the best examples of racial prejudice is the trial of Tom Robinson. In his trial, Tom Robinson is misjudged and mistreated because he is black. One of the clearest examples of this is the way in which Mr. Gilmer, Tom’s prosecutor, calls Tom “boy.” He uses a tone of voice towards...
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...To Kill A Mocking Bird BY HARPER LEE Novel Analysis I.BACKGROUND IN FORMATION ABOUT THE AUTHOR Nelle Harper Lee (born April 28, 1926) is an American author known for her 1960 Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, which deals with the issues of racism that were observed by the author as a child in her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama. Despite being Lee's only published book, it led to Lee being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom of the United States for her contribution to literature in 2007.Lee has also been the recipient of numerous honorary degrees, but has always declined to make a speech. Other significant contributions of Lee include assisting her close friend, Truman Capote, in his research for the book In Cold Blood. II.INFORMATION ABOUT THE NOVEL Classification- To Kill a Mockingbird is embodied by Atticus Finch, who is virtually unique in the novel in that he has experienced and understood evil without losing his faith in the human capacity for goodness. Atticus understands that, rather than being simply creatures of good or creatures of evil, most people have both good and bad qualities. The important thing is to appreciate the good qualities and understand the bad qualities by treating others with sympathy and trying to see life from their perspective. He tries to teach this ultimate moral lesson to Jem and Scout to show them that it is possible to live with conscience without losing hope or becoming cynical. In this way, Atticus is...
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...stupid, you either know how to read or you don’t. Another time Scout faced injustice is when she went to their aunt and uncle’s house for Christmas. Scout and her cousin, Francis got in a fight, in which only she got in trouble for. Scout told uncle Jack, “You ain’t fair... in the first place you never stopped to gimme a chance to tell you my side” (Lee,113). Uncle Jack only listened to Francis, who talked first after they got into a fight. Scout never got a word in before she was punished, which is unfair and unjust. Multiple characters in To Kill A Mockingbird were up against injustice, but by far Tom Robinson received the most of it. From the trial to the way he is treated is far from justice. Heck Tate arrested Tom Robinson, and only saw Mayella beaten up and claims Tom did it. In court, Heck said, “So I went down to Robinson’s house and brought him back” (Lee,223). Heck didn’t even think that he might have been framed. Also he was locked up in a jail for months without seeing his family. The jail is small and away from other people, which would drive any person crazy. There are numerous times when injustice occurred in To Kill A...
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...Lee, Harper—To Kill a Mockingbird 1960 TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee DEDICATION for Mr. Lee and Alice in consideration of Love & Affection Lawyers, I suppose, were children once. Charles Lamb PART ONE 1 When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. When it healed, and Jem’s fears of never being able to play football were assuaged, he was seldom self-conscious about his injury. His left arm was somewhat shorter than his right; when he stood or walked, the back of his hand was at right angles to his body, his thumb parallel to his thigh. He couldn’t have cared less, so long as he could pass and punt. When enough years had gone by to enable us to look back on them, we sometimes discussed the events leading to his accident. I maintain that the Ewells started it all, but Jem, who was four years my senior, said it started long before that. He said it began the summer Dill came to us, when Dill first gave us the idea of making Boo Radley come out. I said if he wanted to take a broad view of the thing, it really began with Andrew Jackson. If General Jackson hadn’t run the Creeks up the creek, Simon Finch would never have paddled up the Alabama, and where would we be if he hadn’t? We were far too old to settle an argument with a fist-fight, so we consulted Atticus. Our father said we were both right. Being Southerners, it was a source of shame to some members of the family that we had no recorded ancestors on either side of the Battle of Hastings...
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...Student Name: Lecturer’s Name: Date: Southern Contemporary Fiction and the Issue of Race Thesis: Southern contemporary fiction contained a lot of truths about the race relations between Black and White Americans in the twentieth century. Introduction Since the beginning of the twentieth century, there has been a significant shift in the focus of southern literature, both fiction and nonfiction. In the nineteenth century, most Southern fiction works were mainly on the Civil War and the Reconstruction. However, as that generation died away, the new crop of authors who had never experienced the civil war or the Reconstruction became more objective in their writings about the South. Contemporary Southern writers such as Harper Lee, Tennessee Williams and William Faulkner wrote fiction, but the stories written had a lot of truth about the way communities in the American South lived like in the twentieth century. As a result, one cannot fail but notice that there is one recurring issue in almost every novel in contemporary Southern fiction; the issue of race. (Sundquist 1994) Authors usually write stories which are a reflection of the attitudes and the norms of their time and contemporary Southern fiction reflects this. The southern part of the United States has always had a large percentage of people of African descent living there. At the beginning of the twentieth century, two states actually had an African-American majority; South Carolina and Mississippi...
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