In To Kill a Mockingbird, Mayella Ewell is the victim of a savage beating. She tells Sheriff Tate that Tom Robinson, an African American man, is the one responsible. During the trial,
Mayella’s testimony
, combined with other evidence, proves that she is lying, and more importantly, that Tom Robinson is innocent.
Why does mayella testify against Tom Robinson?
The basic idea is that she
says that Tom Robinson raped her by force
. She says that she was hanging out on her porch when he walked by. She called to him and told him to come break up a “chiffarobe” for her — she would give him a nickel if he did.
Why does mayella falsely accuse Tom?
Mayella Ewell falsely accuses Tom Robinson of
rape in To Kill a Mockingbird because he rebuffed her advances
. Mayella tried to seduce Tom, but Tom refused to play ball because of how much trouble he could get into in this racially segregated town.
Who really hurt mayella?
Bob
, looking through the window, saw Mayella grab Tom’s legs and heard her ask him to kiss her. He called her a whore and threatened to kill her. Tom ran off, and Bob obviously beat her afterwards.
What evidence proves that Tom absolutely did not hurt Mayella Ewell?
Atticus is condemning racism, effective because the jury knows tom is innocent. what evidence proves that Tom absolutely did not hurt Mayella Ewell?
that mayella had bruises on her right side which means a left handed person beat her and tom has a crippled left hand.
Why does Mayella first cry?
What might be the reason for Mayella’s crying in the court?
She is trying to gain sympathy from the jury
. She sees things are not going well for her and she wants them to feel sorry for her.
How did Atticus prove Tom was innocent?
How did Atticus prove Tom was innocent? Atticus then shows the jury that Tom is handicapped and his left arm is completely useless. In Atticus’s closing remarks, he proves Tom’s innocence by
mentioning the lack of medical evidence
, the Ewells’ conflicting testimonies, and Tom’s obvious handicap.
Why is Mayella offended by Atticus?
Mayella Ewell believes that Atticus is “sassing” her when he calls her “ma’am” and “Miss Mayella.” Mayella tells Judge Taylor that
Atticus is mocking her
when he has actually addressed her in terms of politeness. The judge informs Mayella that Mr. Finch is not making fun of her.
Who most likely assaulted Mayella?
The only explanation is that Bob is raping Mayella. When he sees her kiss Tom Robinson through the window, he got furious with Mayella. Within his rage, it is highly likely that
Bob Ewell
beat Mayella, and then raped her yet again.
What quote proves that Tom Robinson is innocent?
Three quotes from Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird that prove that Tom Robinson is innocent are “
[Tom’s left arm] ended in a small shriveled hand, and from as far away as the balcony I could see that it was no use to him
,” “there is circumstantial evidence to indicate that Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone …
What side was Mayella beat?
On which side of her face was Mayella Ewell beaten, and why is this significant? She was beaten on the
right side
of her face & Bob Ewell is left handed. Tom also can’t use his left hand because it is disfigured.
What Tom Robinson testifies evidence?
Tom testified that
Mayella called him in to help her, and then she tried to kiss him
. Tom says that he tipped his hat to Mayella as he passed by her place, and last spring she had asked him to bust up a chiffarobe for her. She offered him a nickel, but he didn’t take it.
What does Tom say happened when Mayella invited him inside?
What does Tom say happened when Mayella invited him inside?
She tried to kiss him.
… He tried to give Mayella a hug and she went crazy.
What scout knows about Mayella?
Scout understands that
Mayella has no friends and spends a lot of time isolated
. Scout notices that Mayella is lonely when she hears her testimony because she realizes that Mayella lives an isolated existence. She is lonely and has no friends.
What did Mayella say in court?
Mayella: Said I was nineteen, said it to the judge yonder.
So you did, so you did, ma’am. You’ll have to bear with me, Miss Mayella, I’m getting along and can’t remember as well as I used to.
Why does scout think Tom is innocent?
Scout feels like Tom is telling the truth because
he seems like a respectable man
. After Tom testifies that he resisted Mayella’s advances and ran out of the house, Scout mentions that it occurred to her that Tom’s manners were as a good as Atticus’s. Later on, Atticus explains Tom’s predicament to his daughter.
