How Does Mayella Ewell Use Gender Inequality In To Kill A Mockingbird

In the novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird”, the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama becomes the center of attention during the Great Depression. Infamy of the town arises when Mayella Ewell accuses African American, Tom Robinson, of rape. Mayella Ewell is defined by power when concerning her race, gender and class in “To Kill a Mockingbird”. This scandal characterizes Maycomb as segregated, sexist, and a very poor town. In elaboration, Mayella Ewell and Tom Robinson go to trial. Mayella uses her race, gender, and class to her advantage against Tom and the town. Mayella is a young, white, clever, yet impoverished woman, and she uses these aspects in her life to benefit to win the trial. Mayella’s strong suit is her race. Being a caucasian, Mayella’s word, according to the jury, is more honorable and trustworthy than an African American male’s word. The jury is associated with the “evil assumption”. This assumption theorizes that “all Negroes lie, that Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women…”. This belief in Maycomb …show more content…
The males of Maycomb are very protective over thier women. During this time period, Jim Crow laws were issused. Many of these laws prohibited white women to have contact with African American males. This gives Mayella liable evidence for why Tom Robinson could be proven guilty, and therefore, power. Although Mayella has this advantage over Tom, she is hindered with power when concerning her father, Bob Ewell. Bob abuses Mayella physically, emotionally, and sexually. This results in the lessening of her power during the trial. Mayella is very intimidated by her father and is precautious about what she reveals about her father to the jury. Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson’s attorney, gets Mayella to admitt her father’s abusive actions. Her indescretion makes her father uneasy and it shallows his confidence for the result of the