- - - Explain the significance of Mayella's CHARACTER in the novel. Not her responses to Atticus, or her actions on the stand, but only her character.
- - - Explain Lee's use of setting in the two chapters. This is bigger than just where the Finch kids are sitting in the courtroom.
Question 1: Mayella is an significant character because she shows how racist the town of Maycomb is. When speaking on the stand, she is cruel to the African American community. She speaks of them as if they are lower class citizens and should be treated that way. Racism has been an important topic in the book so far and has helped bring out the main themes of the book. Mayella only helps prove these points true.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2: Lee uses setting to draw out the emotions of the trial and the theme of the book. She uses the almost happy atmosphere of the audience to show their feelings toward African American people. They disrespect them so much, that they treat the determination of a man's life as a show. This helps show the extreme racism in the town. Lee uses the children having to sit with Reverend Sykes to show that Scout has become less judging. She was raised to believe that everyone is equal and that is now showing in her behavior and thoughts. Finally, Lee uses the setting in the courtroom to show the racism in another way. By sitting with the African Americans, Scout can see firsthand the emotions that they express due to the trial. This is important because it helps Scout, and ultimately the readers, understand how racism and judging affects the victims lives' for the worse.
Mayella's character in the novel is so significant because without her their would be no trial against Tom Robinson and in turn no story. Mayella is a character with no joy and feels the weight of her siblings on her shoulders. Since Mayella's life is so terrible she is trying to find a way to make it better, and this causes her to lie about Tom Robinson. She is the cause of the whole trial, and she sets up the basis of the brutal racism in the town.
ReplyDeleteLee sets up the setting of how poor the Ewell's truly are and that in the community the only thing keeping them noticed in the community is that they are white. Lee shows the Ewell's house and how rundown and beat up it is, she shows it this way to demonstrate the extremes they would go to feel accepted in the community. The setting of the courtroom is important to show Atticus' smooth techniques. He is so good at what he does that he uses a form of trickery to have people tell the truth. Lee's use of setting is so significant to the novel because it is able to build the trial up and give the reader a sense of suspense.
Mayella's character is significant because it helps to explain and further thoughts on southern women. Mayella is described as fragile and gentle on her way up to the stand. Women in the south were viewed that way. She helps to show that women have barely any power in the south. Mayella wants to be better than her family. These things are made evident by the flowers she grows and how she attempts to be clean. Mayella has no power to change her family, but she gains power over Tom Robinson through the trial. Her character is significant because it represents how people in the south do not always want to be categorized by their family. Her character also shows how a person does not always want what they think they do. Mayella wants power in the book or at least she thinks she does. She has to opportunity to gain power over her father but she does not take it. Instead, Mayella asserts herself over someone who is already lesser. She is given power by Atticus when he is respectful to her, but she disrespects him instead. Mayella's character has important significance within the book.
ReplyDeleteLee using setting in chapters 17 and 18 to help show differences within the community. The setting segregates the blacks from the whites and gives the blacks poor seating. This shows how blacks are second class citizens in the book. The fact that so many people fill the court room shows the desires of the townspeople. They want to see a man suffer just because he is black. The townspeople are drawn to the trial similar to those who watch a car crash. They can not look away. By having the regulars of the courthouse stand in the back, Lee is showing how this is not an everyday trial. The trial is a significant moment in the town of Maycomb and not an ordinary occurrence. The fact that they stand in the back also shows how a new wave is coming. The old are being pushed out by the young and new ideas are forming. The placement of Scout is very important. She needs to be up above so that she can see and narrate everything that happens. The children are up there because they are different and could not just be with the regular white people. Lee uses setting in the novel to help further the ideas about blacks and the children that have already been established in the book.
Mayella as a character is significant to create more conflict in the story. The reader does not learn much inciting information about her. Because of this I believe that her main purpose
ReplyDeleteMayella's character is significant because she demonstrates the struggles young women in the south. Her character is used to bring light to another side of Maycomb. Throughout the novel so far, the reader has seen the issues of Maycomb through a child's perspective. This perspective only allows for the reader to see the struggles of children in the south. Mayella's character allows for the reader to see how older women are effected. The character of Mayella also helps to show the treatment of Negroes in Maycomb. She is a big part of the trial, and even though it is evident that Tom Robinson is not guilty, she allows the mistreatment of him in order to keep someone else safe.
ReplyDeleteLee uses setting to establish life in the Ewell house. In the novel, Scout describes the Ewell home as a dump and compares it to the clean homes of blacks surrounding it. The fact that black houses are more clean than the Ewell home allows the reader to understand why the Ewells are falsely accusing a black man with rape. It can be understood that the Ewells are aware of how the people in Maycomb view them and resent blacks for being cleaner than they are. By using the setting of the Ewell house, Lee establishes motives behind the Tom Robinson case and creates another conflict inside of Maycomb.
The significance of Mayella's character is that she is the motherly figure in her family. Being that their mother died and she is the eldest daughter she has been forced to make sacrifices to help the family such as dropping out of school. Mayella is the victim of the rape, which the reader is led to think that her father is the one beating her instead of Tom Robinson. The setting of chapter 17 is a bit more relaxed because jokes are being made. But in chapter 18 the setting in the room is tense. When Mayella is called to the stands she tries to reach out to the judge and the crowd's guilt. Then the chapter becomes depressing when we hear more about the home life of the Ewell's.
ReplyDeleteWith Mrs. Ewell dead, Mayella has become the mother role to her siblings. She can't go to school because she must care for the home, especially when her father is away. Despite her situation, she does have a brighter dream for herself which can be shown through the red geraniums that she tends for on the Ewell property.
ReplyDeleteThe courtroom is significant because it is where Atticus works and where his "element" is. The children have never before seen him in action and are surprised to observe his sneaky questioning while maintaining his polite stature.
Mayella Ewell is a prominent character in chapter 18. She is very important to the plot and the overall story. The significance of her character is that she is the one that the whole court case revolves around. She is the accuser on the offensive side. Without Mayella Ewell's character there is no trial. The whole case is in process, because her side is accusing Tom Robinson of rape. If the story did not have Mayella then there would be no case and would be no accusations. Her character is the one driving one of the central conflicts of the story. The conflict of Tom Robinson's side against her side is driving this part of the novel. However, even though she is the accuser she has little to no power. Her mother his dead, she doesn't attend school, and she is ruled by her father. I believe her being a witness and the accuser and victim of the trial gives her some power which is why she acts like she does in the court. This power given to her by being a witness gives her justification to call names and cry many times in the court room. In conclusion, Mayella is essential to this part of the story and is currently the reason for the court case.
ReplyDeleteOther than where the kids sit in the courtroom Harper Lee uses setting and placement as important factors that mean bigger things. To start off we have a completely segregated courtroom in that the blacks are forced to sit in the balcony and the whites get to sit on the ground floor showing they are more important. The next important thing is how Atticus keeps going to the window. I believe this is done in order to show how Atticus and us as readers need to escape the morals of the town and construct our own based on facts and equality. Also, Atticus keeps going toward the windows to get us to try to see outside of ourselves and develop our own standards about the case and segregation. Through the special placements of the courtroom Harper Lee is able to develop bigger meanings.
ReplyDelete1.The significance of Mayella's character is that she represents beauty and strength out of nothing. She tries to keep herself clean, opposite of the rest of her family. And she grows flowers in the garden of the Ewells run down dirty shack of a house to try to show something beautiful. She represents strength in a way that she takes care of her siblings more than her father does. She has to basically raise her siblings because her father is a drunk and most likely abusive father. With the evidence presented in the courtroom as a reader I can draw a conclusion that Mayella is beat by her father.
ReplyDelete2. Lee's use of setting in the two chapters sets the mood of the two chapters. The courtroom is described as being hot and packed. To me this created tension in the air as if every person in the crowd watching the prosecution clung to every word. The setting makes the chapters feel intense and dramatic. The setting really shows that these chapters and the following ones are most crucial chapters in the book.
Part 1-
ReplyDeleteMayellas character is significant to the story because she does not fit in the ewell stereotype. She seems to be the only one who wants to be normal and clean. She is related to the white man who hangs with the blacks. Also she is as atticus is to the rest of the town. She is significant because she has followed the pattern of being different we have seen in the novel.
Part 2-
The setting in the two chapters is significant because it shows the court case from the blacks point of view, rather than the whites. Also it is once again an example of atticus against the rest of the towns opinion. I believe the greatest significance of the setting is to show all of the people being together but diverse at the same time. As the workd was in the time the book was set in. Everyone is in the same area or town, but is diverse in so many ways. Or atleast believes they are.
Mayella Ewell is a dull and ignorant person. She only has the views of those of Maycomb. She does not formulate responses when Atticus questions. Its shows the general population of Maycomb. The town does not seem to know any other way of living than being discriminate and hateful. They take offense to politeness because it is so rare, especially the Ewells. Mayella’s character is significant because she represents the lower side of Maycomb which was not seen in the other characters of the novel.
ReplyDeleteThe setting of the courtroom is significant because it shows another side of the characters. In court, Atticus becomes almost a different character. The intensity of the courtroom silences all that are attending. The people of Maycomb did not realize the conflict in the case until Atticus picks apart the prosecution and show the population of Maycomb they where wrong about many things. Scout and Jem sitting in the balcony shows they have separated from the community. By the end of chapter eighteen Maycomb is more together as the white population questions who is truly right in the case.
Mayella's character in the novel is thought of as a victim, but the fact that she is thought of as a victim shows how blinded Southern people are by racism. Mayella is a lonely, pitiful character that is strongly influenced by her rotten father. The people in Maycomb side with these despicable people over Tom Robinson due to the fact that he's black. The Ewells are described as a disgrace to Maycomb, but they are still thought of over blacks. Mayella's character brings out this side of the town. She instigates these traits to be shown. She could be seen as an innocent character, but it is destroyed by her fathers hate.
ReplyDeleteThe setting in Chapters 17 and 18 are very important. The courthouse is set up where the blacks are seated in a certain section, and the whites are in another. This represents the split between the two groups. Lee shows how accepting the Finch children are when they sit with the blacks, and this also gives them the perfect view of the courtroom. This use of what they see is very important. Since they are so accepting, they are able to experience the trial better. This shows that accepting others gives you a better outlook on life and Lee shows that with the children.
Mayella Ewell is significant to the novel because she shows that it was not only the black people who were being mistreated. She works hard for her family and yet her father decided to abuse her. She never wanted to be in this courtroom situation but her father made her. Up until now, this kind of situation would only happen to a black person, but Mayella shows that some white people did not have it so great either.
ReplyDeleteThe setting for these two chapter is the courtroom where the Tom Robinson case is being held. This setting is significant because it shows the struggle the black community has against the white community. They are almost not seen as real people and are wrongfully judged by the white people. The setting shows that inequality and prejudice are still around in Maycomb.
Mayella is a typical woman living in the South during the 1930's. Men rule the household, but women want a voice. Mayella wants to prove Atticus wrong about her father and convince the jury that it was Tom that beat and raped her. She is weak and fragile, although her figure represents a strong, hearty woman. The Ewell's may be dirty people, but Mayella grows red geraniums in the yard. This suggests she is a clean, pretty person and sticks out of the Ewell family. However, her true character is revealed by the way she acts in court. She is just another Ewell.
ReplyDeleteLee sets up the court case as a family event, such as going to a park for a picnic. All of Maycomb is present. As the case begins, Lee reminds the reader of the many children and women present at the case. The blacks and whites are separated. The blacks sit up on the balcony floor where Jem, Dill and Scout join them. This shows the reader must see the case from the blacks' perspective and simply that the children would not be able to view the case from down below. Atticus is then described as looking out the court room window while he waits for Mayella to respond to his questions. Lee uses this window to show Atticus thinks deeply about what he is going to say, unlike the rest of Maycomb which is quick to speak before processing.
ReplyDeleteMayella Ewell is one of the books many innocent victims or just another "mockingbird" that is faced with the hatred that surrounds her in Maycomb. Lee’s way of displaying her character is to show her part as a victim. Her father abuses her physically and possibly sexually, all while she has to take care of her many siblings. When the flowers are presented, they symbolize her desire for something better, a status above all the garbage the Ewell name is covered in. On the other hand, Mayella has become a victimizer. This is through her accusing Tom Robinson and turning him into another poor, silenced mockingbird. She does this to cover her own disgust and shame she holds against herself and all she wants is for someone to notice her because she believes this is her only way out.
Scout says there was "nothing to buy and no money to buy it with" in Maycomb all because of the Great Depression. So the time period of the case is a slow moving era for the economy and people's everyday lives. The persecution of Tom Robinson is simply something new to entertain the towns people.
Also, Lee grew up in a small town during this time period and is most likely basing the story of of real events she experienced and observed growing up.
Mayella's character is significant because she is different from people's perspective of the Ewell family. Mayella is the oldest of the Ewell children at 19 years of age and is extremely lonely. As white people perceive her as coming from 'trash', and due to the fact she isn't coloured, she doesn't fit in anywhere. This loneliness causes Mayella to accuse Tom Robinson of rape, and her father also pressures her into accusing Tom.
ReplyDeleteThe courtroom is a setting that creates such an atmosphere of suspense, but there is no real suspense. Atticus knows that the verdict is a pre-decided conclusion. No matter what evidence is presented at the trial, the racist jury would not acquit a black man accused of raping a white woman.
In To Kill a Mockingbird when Mayella is introduced she was an interesting character. She was manipulative of Tom Robinson rapping her to cover for her dad really hurting her I believe. With the Ewells being dirt poor and knowing they would have won that case and win money. I believe they made the case up well mostly Mayella, to get what they want. By this they were being greedy. In chapter 18 the setting are both taken place at the courthouse. But they are from two peoples points of views and what happened when each characters go up to the stand and how their responses have on the people and others in the stands.
ReplyDeleteMayella's character in the novel is described to be pitiable and to have a miserable life. She is poor, gets abused by her father, has no friends, is not treated with respect, cannot bathe regularly, lacks education, and has to do a lot of labor in her home. This is significant because it ties into the overall meaning of the book. Mayella is a symbol of the mockingbird. She is an innocent victim of the hardships in life, like the poverty and prejudices around her.
ReplyDeleteLee uses setting in the two chapters to depict the racial segregation of the time period. The court house is set up so that there the colored people sit farthest away and the white people sit the closest. This shows how much the black people were looked down upon. Even the poorest, dirtiest, and most ignorant white people in society, such as the Ewells, are more accepted than someone who so happens to be black.
Mayella's character is essential because Lee needed to show us the complete ignorance of the Ewells. Her character needed to represent the ability to be vulnerable enough to repeat anything to to her, or anything drove into her, so that Atticus could build a strong case against her.
ReplyDeleteThe court house is a representation of Maycomb itself. It's oversize pillars (like the peoples' opinions) date back to the War Between the States. The surrounding building is an unorganized masterpiece, just like the arguments of Atticus and the people against the bigoted opinions; new but unorganized. The location is central, and the unreliable clock represents Maycomb's unchanging ways.
Mayella is very innocent. She is physically and possibly sexually, not specified, abused by her father. On top of that, she is forced to raise her many siblings because her mother is dead. This is important because Lee wants to show that there is some innocence left in this cruel and corrupted world around her.
ReplyDeleteSince this book is set during the Great Depression, not a lot goes on in this small town. So when something like a rape case is going on, the entire town gets together for this event. Lee also grew up in a small town so this is most likely based off of something that occurred in her childhood.
Mayella's character is significant because she represents the common view of women in the novel: helpless, feeble, and needing protection and sympathy from big, strong men. She symbolizes gender prejudice and women's oppression in this time period.
ReplyDeleteLee utilizes elements in the setting as symbols. The geraniums in the Ewells' grubby yard symbolize Mayella's clean femininity in an otherwise dirty and masculine family. They stand alone as the only beautiful item in the yard, just as Mayella stands alone as the only girl of the Ewells. The barrier in the balcony of the courtroom symbolizes how separated the children are from the events, as well as from the rest of the white community in their perspectives. Atticus repeatedly looks out a window in the courtroom, the glass window representing his clarity of thought and knowledge and how he sees through the Ewells' transparent lies. Other symbolisms include the swamp representing Mr. Ewell's condition when he drinks, the dump representing the poor social, economic, and moral condition of the Ewells, and the hot, packed courtroom representing the public's interest and passion about the case.
The significance of Mayella Ewell's character is that she puts herself on trial. This action, and my predicted outcome is that the jury will accuse Mayella's father, help Lee show the mistreatment of the black community. The Ewells accuse Tom Robinson, a black man, of raping Mayella. However, Atticus tries to prove that Mayella's father caused the injuries Mayella received. Since the novel is set in a time before the civil rights movement, the black community is being overlooked and despised by their white counterparts. I believe that Tom Robinson will be proven innocent, and the town will realize how he was falsely accused.
ReplyDeleteLee uses setting in order to have a way to convey the case, and to show links between the black and white community. Lee places Jem and Scout I the upper level of the courtroom. The main reason she does this is to have an overlook of the entire trial. If Jem and Scout were on the lower floor, they would struggle to see the trial. Lee also uses the setting to form a link between the white and black communities. Lee explains to the reader that the Ewells live in an old negro cabin beyond the garbage dump. Besides living in an old negro cabin being an obvious link, living near the dump, and the description of the house also are links. The negro population of Maycomb live considerably close to the Ewells, on the other side of the dump. This close location of the two races is also a link. Lastly, the description of the Ewell house is a link. Lee describes the Ewell home as a dump. The Ewells leave things stranded around their yard, have no windows, and have a fence made of various objects strewn together. Lee describes the Ewell home as a mess. The only other location described as messy to this extent is Calpurnia's church. Since the church is an all black church, one may say that Lee is trying to show that both races can be connected. The significance of the setting in these chapters is to convey the case and make links between the races.
Mayella's character seems to be fragile, despite her muscular physical appearance, and steadfastly protective of her family. This shows that not only she has been hurt by someone she trusted, but that she feels as though she has no choice but to stick with those who hurt her. She feels unwanted and incredibly lonely even though she is surrounded by her siblings and father. Her character is important to the plot because it informs not only Scout, but also the reader how difficult life was for the Ewells and poor families like them during the time and place the story took place. The setting described during the trial of the Ewell house also helps Scout and the reader understand how poor the family is. The family lives by the dump and the black community's part of Maycomb, which tells the reader the Ewells are considered to be almost as low-class as the blacks. However, the Ewells live slightly closer to the town which shows that they are considered to be superior. The row of flowers in the yard of the Ewell house signify Mayella: she is one of the most educated members of the family and as the oldest girl, it can be assumed that she assisted in the rearing of her siblings.
ReplyDeleteMr. Moio
Today, one of our pet birds died. We think that she was depressed because instead of eating, she'd always just dump her food and water dishes out onto the floor of her cage, where it would slip through the bars to where she couldn't reach it. She slowly starved herself to death like a mentally unstable cheerleader. Although she was full of hatred for us, her sister, and life in general, she was a "love" bird named Sunshine, and I know I sound like one of those crazy cat ladies who can describe in detail the personalities of all eighteen of her precious felines to anyone willing to listen, but once you have a pet for a while they almost become a part of you. Seeing as you aren't particularly fond of animals, I cannot possibly expect you to understand. It's just ironic, though: what's probably the last day of this year where we'll be getting some warmth, Our family lost Our Sunshine.
Magella's character is the daughter of a poor family. She tries to keep clean more than the others in her family, but still has a rough and tough look to her. It is obvious that she works on the farms and is required to do things for herself. This character provides an example of the level of poverty some families came to in this time. The Great Depression caused a great deal of families to live with their children fighting for themselves. The setting in the courtroom is important to the emotions going on at this point in the story. The colored people are on the balcony above, and when pressure sets in for the Ewells the whites feel it as well. The colored look down on them from above creating this feeling. The balcony also represents separation. The colored get second pick on where they sit so it seems as though they are underprivileged, but in reality they can see the trial from a better view point. This also has to do with the difference in attitude with whites and blacks in Maycomb. The whites do not have the positive attitude that the colored do, even though they receive better treatment.
ReplyDeleteThe significance of Mayella’s character symbolizes the physical manifestation that ignorance, prejudice, and racism can do to a person. Atticus’s cross-examination provides an insight on Mayella’s home life. Mayella’s life is portrayed as pitiable, lonely, and pathetic. But she uses her geraniums as an escape. The flowers she cares tenderly for symbolizes her desperate search for beauty and meaning in her horrid life. While she was testified, she answered in a snarky tone showing that she is willing to demolish a person’s life to improve her own.
ReplyDeleteLee’s use of setting depicts the prejudice and attitudes of the South. In 1856, the courthouse burned down only leaving the pillars standing. The pillars date back to pre-civil war days; a time period where blacks had been slaves. The Victorian courthouse was then built around the Greek pillars, even though they were not needed, to show the people’s desire to preserve every aspect of the past. This foreshadows the trial of Tom Robinson. Inside the courthouse, Lee creates an atmosphere of suspense and drama when there really is none. Jem still stuck in his youthful state of mind, outbreaks of quarrels, and Atticus’s disassembly of the prosecution divert the reader from the true conclusion of the case. The reader knows that a black man against an all white jury, no matter how hard hitting the evidence is, will never be proven guilty.
The significance of Mayella Ewell's character in the novel is that almost the whole court case revolves around her. If her character was not presented in the story, there would be no trial because she is accusing Tom Robinson for raping a white women. Mayella's character reveals one of the central conflicts in the novel, which is the argument between her side and Tom Robinson's side in the court. Also, her actions such as her calling people names and crying shown during the court case represents her power she has inside the courtroom. Although, outside of the courtroom, she lacks power. She does not attend school and her father rules over her since her mother is dead. Therefore, Mayella's character plays a significant part during the court case.
ReplyDeleteLee's use of setting in the two chapters is significant because of the placement and segregation of whites and blacks. In the court room, whites are only allowed to sit on the ground floor seats, while blacks are forced to sit on the balcony. This represents how white people have more importance over black people and are not welcomed to sit with white people. Also, Atticus continues to walk to the window to symbolize the significance of developing personal views with facts and equality for the case. Lee wants the people to escape all of the discriminative thoughts and develop facts not opinions to support the case. Furthermore, Lee develops a more significant meaning towards the placement in the court room.
The significance of Mayella's character in the novel is that she is the reason for the trail to occur and for Atticus to be drawn into the middle of Maycomb's racism. So the audience sees that Mayella effects Scout's judgment of racism since Mayella causes Atticus's involvement. From this Scout 's character developers as she finally understands how perspectives effect actions. Mayella's cowardice also reveals the injustice the blacks receive because even if the Ewells are proven liars, Tom Robinson is doomed to die. In all the significance of Mayella's is that she drives the plot of part 2 of the novel.
ReplyDeleteLee uses setting in these two chapters as a reveal of the Ewells' home life to the court room. The audience can clearly see why the Ewells are looked down in Maycomb as dirty, violent, and uneducated people. Atticus reminds the jury that in Maycomb they would not trust a Ewell ,but his point is overlooked because the blacks are below the Ewells on the social ladder.
Mayella character is significant to the novel not just because of her responses on the witness stand, but what her character represents. She represents the discrimination whites have against blacks. Even someone considered disgusting and rejected in society still is much better than a black. This shows the horrible and useless hatred of the blacks. Throughout the story, the reader understands there is segregation between whites and blacks, but this is the last piece of the puzzle that shows how bad it really was and how influential it was in each small town.
ReplyDeleteThe court house setting is the key to understanding the purpose of the book. Obviously, one reason to have that setting in the book was to continue the plot with the trial of Tom Robinson, but the setting represented more than that. Atticus was up in front of the entire town during the trial. It was as if he was putting the town on trial and had the iconic place to do it where he could point out the injustices that take place every day. The whites were on the bottom and the blacks on top. This was done on purpose to try to show how stupid it is do categorize ourselves like we to all the time. At this point, it’s Atticus verses the town and what better place to have a showdown than the place where a lot of the injustices happened.
Mayella is the eldest daughter of the Ewell family. She is the one of the main foucus's in the Robinson trial. She is shown as a daughter that seems to be more educationally advanced than the other Ewells. She is also stated to have made an attempt to look clean. This shows that she tries to be seperate and somewhat different than the other Ewell's which are usually represented as the cheapskates of the town.
ReplyDeleteThe setting of the courtroom shows the divide between the two races in Maycomb. Lee shows that the black people and how they support there own Tom Robinson. Likewise, the whites support and show biased towards th Ewells. This helps us understand the cultural divide in the town.
Mayella's character comes across as unwanted,hardworking, and lonely. It almost makes you feel sorry for her. With how she acts in the courtroom it shows that she is just like the others who discriminate against blacks. This whole case almost seems like it is to draw attention to the Ewells because they are at such a low status in the town of Maycomb.
ReplyDeleteLee uses the setting to show how much whites and blacks are not equal in society. Whites are allowed to sit on the ground and blacks are forced to sit on the balcony.
The significance of Mayella’s chapter is that this is the first time we see the character of the Ewells. The entire case of Atticus is based around her getting raped, and who she was raped by. In order for better analysis of the story, it is helpful to know the character of Mayalla. In her chapter we see that she is timid, restrained from society, and rejects the outside world. This is important. This shows the reader the character of the Ewell family, and how they function within society. It shows the reader that the Ewell’s family may not be 100 percent reliable, that they may do things just to discriminate against black people. Lastly, this chapter is important because the point of view is not of Mr. Ewell’s but of another family member. This allows us to see things from a whole different perspective to create predictions, and analyze characters.
ReplyDeleteThe setting in Chapters 17 and 18 the setting allows for Atticus to make his case. The setting of the court room was aligned perfectly, to reveal that Tom Robinson had a crippled left arm. Secondly, the window in the scene allows Atticus to collect his thoughts, in order to ask questions. This is important for multiple reasons. First, it is used to create suspense, and allows Mayalla, and Mr. Ewell, to be played by Atticus in order to favor Atticus’s case. By doing this the Ewells are set up for a trap. Secondly, Tom Robinson is in the sight of the witness. Allowing the Ewells that take the stand to get a good look at him, although after they realize that Tom has a handicapped arm, their testimonies can be disproved. So the setting of the courtroom was used to create suspense and develop plot.
Mayella's significanceas a character is that almost the whole story revolves around her. She being the victim of Tom Robinson brings out the racism in the whole town of Maycomb. This racism almost pulls the town apart. If she was not part of the story, then there would be no trial, Tom Robinson would be irrelevant, and racism would not of been brought out. Lee's use of setting in the past two chapters is showing the segregation between blacks and whites in the court room. Blacks have to sit on the balcony and whites get to sit on the floor of the court. This shoes the importable of white over blacks in Maycomb. Also, Atticus continues to walk over to the window to symbolize the significance of personal views over equality. Lee wants us to see the discrimitation of blacks and how Atticus will get people to see equality.
ReplyDeleteThe significance of Mayellla in the book was to show the side of the Ewell's that people had prejeduice upon. It showed that all the rumors about them were right. They were uneducated, poor, dirty and didn't have a social status. It also showed the side of the Ewell's that we didn't know. The Ewell's obviously didn't get out much but they would lie and die for each other. They are very loyal people to thier family.
ReplyDeleteTo have the case in a small town court room were all the towns people went for the trail is important. It showed the racial divide among the town. How the blacks sat high up and went in last but the whites had a front row seat. It also showed how important the case is for both races. It showed that the whites were loyal to the whites and the blacks were loyal to the blacks.
Her character is significant because she is conflicted on telling the truth or whether to lie like her father wants her to. The reader can tell that expressions on her face where confused because she doesn't know what to do. The setting of the chapters is important because it shows all the people in the courtroom don't really know what they want to happen to Tom Robinson. The setting also shows that the people getting questioned are all white and they are not really going to question any black people that are there.
ReplyDeleteMayella Ewell is a "good" Ewell. In the book the Ewells are portrayed to be bad and disrespectful people, but Mayella changes that thought. Atticus calls her a "polite fiction"
ReplyDeleteThe setting in the courtroom causes suspense. It is filled with people and extremely hot which makes the room more suspenseful for everyone in there. They get more antsy and can't wait to hear what will be said next.
Mayella's character is significant because she represents the role of women in society and how they aren't treated as highly as men and almost act as their property. Her actions contradict those of the rest of the Ewells which shows she has a side that desires good and beauty, and encourages the reader to sympathise with her. She also represents the racism in the town of Maycomb because the people will agree with her case because the man accused is black. It doesn't matter if there is no evidence against Tom Robinson, he will not be acquitted because of his race. Lee is trying to create suspense but there is in fact no suspense whatsoever because the outcome of the trial is already known.
ReplyDeleteThe setting is important in these two chapters because the time period in which the trial occurs allows the reader to form a predictable outcome. Lee creates suspense when there really is none. Racial segregation was a huge aspect in social situations and blacks pretty much had no say in anything and were shunned whenever they could be. The people of Maycomb also try to preserve old traditions and philosophies. During the Civil War, many years before the time in this book, blacks were slaves. Now they are trying to preserve some of those aspects, essentially trying to keep whites higher than blacks.
Mayella's character shows big aspects of her family, the Ewells - she tries to be different than them, more classy and sophisticated, but we can all tell she's very similar to them and only trying to hide. The way she responds to her father's looks and words in court shows that she fears him. Though she is not much different than them, when reading most people sympathise with her character, and see that she isn't doing any wrong, it's her father forcing her to lie.
ReplyDeleteThe atmosphere and the people around the Finch kids shows the difference between the blacks and whites of Maycomb, especially in the court room. The kids are put with the blacks just to show how the black community will react to the case. On the street, the names Atticus is called by complete strangers shows the contrast of the whites and the blacks. The blacks respect him for what he is doing, while the whites think he is some of the lowest of the white people for supporting the "bad" people.
Mayella is a hardworking independent teen but at the same time she is dirty and not very accepted by Maycomb. She is a Ewell therefore she is undereducated and is unable to read and write very well. She accuses Tom Robinson of rape just to cover up her socially unacceptable desires of liking a colored man. She is a liar and is willing to let a man die instead of admitting the truth.
ReplyDeleteLee has the children sitting where the colored people are assigned. This shows that they truly don't care about color and they view them as equals unlike others. Also Lee points out that when Scout, Dill, and Jem arrived in the colored area that people moved in the front to make room for them, since they are white.
1. Mayella's character in To Kill a Mockingbird is to symbolize a child oppressed by her alcoholic father. Lee used her to portray her views on women's suffrage during the Depression.
ReplyDelete2. Lee uses the setting of the courtroom to set the tone of the chapter and allow the reader to step fully into her vision of the court proceedings. She wants nothing to be up to the reader's imagination.