In Chapter 18, Atticus questions Mayella on the stand, and his questions gradually reveal that
Mayella’s father, Bob Ewell
, was actually the one who beat her up.
Who is guilty of beating Mayella?
A jury finds
Tom Robinson
guilty of raping Mayella Ewell, but he is in fact innocent. As Atticus is able to establish, Mayella, who was isolated and lonely, liked Robinson’s company. She invited him into the house, saying she would pay him a nickel for breaking up a chiffarobe for her.
Who does Atticus beat up mayella?
Ewell
is not shaken from his story, but Atticus carefully plants the seed that Mr. Ewell himself could’ve beaten Mayella. Mayella takes the stand next. Even though Atticus believes that she’s lying, he treats her with courtesy and respect; Mayella thinks that he’s making fun of 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.
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.
Is Bob Ewell mayella’s dad?
Mayella is the
eldest daughter of Bob Ewell
, and thus ends up having to take care of her siblings because her father is a strong alcoholic.
Does Atticus think Tom Robinson is guilty?
Atticus is convinced that his client is innocent
. Even after the guilty verdict, he tries to get Tom Robinson to appeal. Robinson has lost his faith in the legal system though. He commits suicide by jumping over the fence, trying to escape from prison.
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.
What evidence is there that Mayella is lying in her testimony?
During the trial, Mayella’s testimony, combined with other evidence, proves that she is lying, and more importantly, that
Tom Robinson is innocent
. At the trial, Mayella testifies under oath that Tom Robinson attempted to strangle her with both hands and punched her in the face.
Why is mayella upset with 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.
Did Atticus lose the case?
Though the trial targets Tom Robinson, in another sense it is Maycomb that is on trial, and while
Atticus eventually loses the court case
, he successfully reveals the injustice of a stratified society that confines Black people to the “colored balcony” and allows the word of a despicable, ignorant man like Bob Ewell to …
Is mayella a victim or villain?
Mayella Ewell is portrayed as a complex character who is more of a victim than she is
a villain
in To Kill a Mockingbird. Mayella’s unfortunate home life, extreme loneliness, and nonexistent support system make her a sympathetic character.
What evidence shows Tom Robinson is innocent?
The most compelling evidence to exhibit Tom Robinson’s innocence is the
fact that his left arm is unusable due to an accident he had when he was younger
. During the victim’s (Mayella’s) testimony, as well as that of her father, the beating she took during the rape resulted in the right side of her face being bruised.
Why did Atticus take the case when he didn’t believe they would win?
Atticus took the case
because he needed the money
. Tom Robinson asked for Atticus’s representation.
What is Atticus famous quote?
“
Courage is not a man with a gun in his hand
. It’s knowing you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.” “You rarely win, but sometimes you do.”
How Scout lose her innocence?
Scout loses her innocence in To Kill a Mockingbird
when she watches the jury deliver a guilty verdict in the Tom Robinson trial
, despite the overwhelming evidence that Robinson is innocent.
