The Tom Robinson Trial

1191 Words5 Pages
We are first introduced to the Ewell family in a negative light, influencing the reader to presume that the whole family follows this trait, as is thought in Maycomb County due the exceeding amount of family stereotypes in this city. This introduction to way of the Ewell’s life is given before the start of the Tom Robinson Trial, to show us that they are deceptive and would attempt anything to achieve their cynical goal of punishing an honest, non-guilty black man. Their cabin looked “like the playhouse of an insane child: what passed for a fence was bits of tree limbs, broomsticks and tool shafts, all tipped with rusty hammer-heads…axes …held on with pieces of barbed wire”. This listing of harsh metals along with the hard alliteration sounds…show more content…
When she is called to the stand she is “fragile-looking” and “looked as if she tried to look clean”. This agrees with the readers theory that Mayella is wanting be good, yet she is tainted by her father who “had a scalded look” due to “an overnight soaking”. Again we see that she is different from her despised family as she wants to be clean and noble. As the reader begins to feel that Mayella doesn’t want to punish Tom Robinson we see her “burst into tears” as begins to be questions. This would make some readers feel pity for Mayella as she is lamenting due to horrific flashbacks she may encounter, others may think that this is a cover up as she knows what she is doing is wrong, and she is trying to get the judge and the jury to side with her. This technique is used by Lee to make the ruler think and engage the readers. This view shared with Jem: “she’s got enough sense to get the judge sorry for her, but she might just be just – oh, I don’t know”. Here Harper Lee shows the mental controversy of the characters as that the trial has brought on
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