Bob Ewell Abuse

To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in the 1930s during the Great Depression. During this time ignorance flourished and many people struggled with poverty. The government did provide services aiding those who were unable to provide for their family, but these services were often times abused. For example, Bob Ewell was a character in To Kill a Mockingbird who abused these services. Instead of providing for his many malnourished and disrespectful children, he instead used the money he received to get drunk. Bob Ewell’s oldest daughter, Mayella Ewell was the mother figure to the rest of the children and was often abused by her father. This physical, sexual, and mental abuse created the twisted and distasteful idea of love for Mayella. Mayella does not know what love is because her father abuses her, and she tries to put her idea of love on Tom Robinson. …show more content…
Mayella never experienced any real love. Some can tell this by the way she identifies love as a physically sexual attraction. Mayella saved up money for the children to leave only because she wanted to attack Tom Robinson. Mayella saved up money for the children to leave only because she wanted to attack Tom Robinson. Mayella accused a black man named Tom Robinson of rape; he was being defended by Atticus Finch. Atticus proves Bob Ewell abused Mayella, which caused her sordid view of love. In trial Mayella was asked if she loved her father and she replied, “Love him, watcha mean?”. Atticus explain to her and she went on to say her father is tolerable except for when he is drinking. Some infer that when Bob Ewell is drinking he begins to sexually and physically abuse Mayella. Mayella has been abused and is absent minded which alters her views and causes her to not understand