Bob Ewell Flashcards
The Ewells had been the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations
Bob Ewell is the only person that Atticus labels as ‘trash’ and is head of a disgraced family. In a way, this causes some pity to be felt for him: he was doomed the moment he was born a Ewell. The town’s view that he’s just a Ewell and that Ewells are trash makes it easy for them to avoid responsibility for trying to help him or his children.
“Are you the father of Mayella Ewell?” was the next question.
“Well, if I ain’t I can’t do nothing about it now, her ma’s dead,” was the answer.
The trail is the first time Scout sees Mr Ewell (interesting as it is the first time that she sees Tom as well- both her views of the men are made up by Maycomb society, only one is lived up to) and it doesn’t give a good impression.
He seems to behave antagonistically towards everyone, even those on his own side and he is rude towards the jury.
Also shows his view on woman in general: lying cheating whores (which ironically is what he called Mayella)
[Mr. Ewell says] “I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin’ on my Mayella!”
This shows how, by using the most disrespectful language he can, he is trying to stir people’s emotions and fears by using language that: dehumanises Tom; emphasises his race; compares Tom to an animal; makes Mayella a passive victim and asserts power over his daughter.
This therefore stirs the jury and those watching to irrationality.
The jury learned the following things: their relief check was far from enough to feed the family and there was a strong suspicion that papa drank it up anyway.
By the end of the trial, Bob has been proven to be a drunkard and abusive towards Mayella- the only thing he had before was pride, and after the trial that had been taken away from him too.
“She says what her papa do to her don’t count”
By the end of the trial, Bob Ewell was also shown to be sexually abusive towards his daughter, again destroying his reputation.
It’s interesting to note that although all of this was hilighted by the enquiry, the Ewells were allowed to go back to their daily lives- the community weren’t willing to do anything to help them.
Atticus was leaving the post office when Mr. Ewell approached him, cursed him, spat on him, and threatened to kill him
This is Stephanie Crawford’s recount of what happened. Although it may not be entirely accurate, it does show that after the trail, Bob isn’t satisfied with Tom’s death sentence- he wants revenge on those who gave him a fair trail.
All the little man on the witness stand had that made him any better than his nearest neighbors was, that if scrubbed with lye soap in very hot water, his skin was white
He’s determined to go after those who gave Tom a fair trail because the only thing that makes him any better than his ‘nearest neighbours’ (ie. the black community) is the fact that he is white.
He needs racism to allow him to feel superior.
