Mayella Ewell Important Quotes

Question: "mayella looked as if she tried to keep clean"

Answer: makes the reader feel slightly sympathetic as we are lead to believe that she is doing the best that she can. Theme of poverty

Question: "reckon I did, hollered for all I was worth, kicked and hollered loud as I could"

Answer: Mayellas account of what happened during her supposed rape. Theme of prejudice

Question: "I don't remember too good"

Answer: creates doubt in the mind of the reader that the events did take place weakening her case. linking to the theme of prejudice as the trials outcome goes the way of mayella

Question: Mayellas recital had given her confidence... there was something stealthy about hers, like a steady eyed cat with a twitchy tale

Answer: makes the reader feel negatively towards Mayella as she is compared to her father. links to the idea that parents have a big impact on their children

Question: "I wondered if anybody had ever called her ma'am or 'miss mayella' in her life; probably not"

Answer: through the narration of scout we are made to feel bad for Mayella because of her upbringing. Once again this links to the big idea that parents have a big impact on there children

Question: "with two members of the family reading and writing, there was no need for the rest of them to learn, papa needed them at home"

Answer: the family are shown as being uncivilized and poor from the point of view of mayella. links to the idea of poverty

Question: "the witness fround as if puzzled. 'friends?'"

Answer: makes the reader feel bad for Mayella as we learn that she has no life outside of working for the family

Question: "he does tolerable, 'cept when - "

Answer: opens the readers mind up to interpreting something that tom Robinson said about what her father does doesn't count, makes us think even lower of Bob Ewell and makes us not trust Mayellas story even more

Question: "no, I don't recollect if he hit me. I mean yes I do, he hit me"

Answer: once again shows the reader how unsure Mayella is about what happened and therefore ads gravitas to the fact that tom is still proven guilt by the jury