Being trash is more than just being poor In society, people tend to judge others so fast without giving them a second look; the rich are looked at as successful and the poor are looked at as trashy. However, to be trash goes far beyond the limits of how wealthy a person is. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Miss Alexandria refers to the Cunninghams as “trash” because they are poor, but to be trash is much more than that. To be “trash” is not solely based on wealth, but morals as well. The Ewell’s are trash because they are known for being liars, dirty, and “had been the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations,” (Lee 33). The Ewell’s are considered the lowest on the social hierarchy for whites but because of their colour they are above
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In court, Mayella is blatantly rude to Tom using words such as “that nigger yonder”(213) and pointing at him instead of saying his name, she is trying to dehumanize him because he is black which shows she has no empathy for Tom or his family and proves that she is trash. When Mr. Gilmer asked Mayella who raped her she pointed at Tom Robinson, instead of saying his name, and when Mr. Gilmer asked her to say his name she said, “That’n yonder, Robinson”(205). This proves how she is blatantly rude to Tom Robinson which is trashy because it shows she lacks morals and is narcissistic. Finally, Mayella Ewell is white trash because she is very poor and, is not very educated. She is not very educated because when Atticus asks her on the stand, “How long did you go to school?”(207) She responds, “ two year-three year-dunno.”(207). This proves that she is trash as shedoes not have a proper education and lacks ambition, she shows no interest in fitting in with society and lacks common morals. Mayella Ewell is poor white trash because she purposefully lies on the stand to make herself and her family look good. She constantly changes her statements when Atticus is asking her what had happened. When Atticus asks her,”Do you remember him beating you about the face?”(210). She responds, “No, I don’t recollect if …show more content…
He is white trash because he uses the little money that the family has on liquor for himself, he abuses his children physically, and uses his stature of being white to treat black people poorly. Bob Ewell uses his welfare money on himself instead of his family and buys liquor. Atticus says,”When a man spends his relief checks on green whiskey his children have a way of crying from hunger pains.”(34) This proves that Bob Ewell is trash because he feels no empathy for his kids and lacks all common morals within society. Bob physically abuses his children by beating them which makes him white trash as it shows he has no empathy. On the stand when Atticus asks Mayella, “I mean, is he [Bob Ewell] good to you, is he easy to get along with?”(208) She says, “He does tollable, ‘cept when-”(208) and she does not answer when Atticus asks,”Except when he’s drinking?”(208). This proves that Bob is a drunk and is not good to Mayella or her siblings while he is drinking, showing he has no empathy towards them and is therefore trash. Also, because Tom Robinson did not beat Mayella it had to be Bob because he was the only other person there. Bob Ewell is white trash because he treats black people poorly for one reason: he is white and they are black. He is considered the lowest of the white people in Maycomb but because he is white he takes Tom Robinson to trial and knows that he will win. Atticus
In court, Mayella is blatantly rude to Tom using words such as “that nigger yonder”(213) and pointing at him instead of saying his name, she is trying to dehumanize him because he is black which shows she has no empathy for Tom or his family and proves that she is trash. When Mr. Gilmer asked Mayella who raped her she pointed at Tom Robinson, instead of saying his name, and when Mr. Gilmer asked her to say his name she said, “That’n yonder, Robinson”(205). This proves how she is blatantly rude to Tom Robinson which is trashy because it shows she lacks morals and is narcissistic. Finally, Mayella Ewell is white trash because she is very poor and, is not very educated. She is not very educated because when Atticus asks her on the stand, “How long did you go to school?”(207) She responds, “ two year-three year-dunno.”(207). This proves that she is trash as shedoes not have a proper education and lacks ambition, she shows no interest in fitting in with society and lacks common morals. Mayella Ewell is poor white trash because she purposefully lies on the stand to make herself and her family look good. She constantly changes her statements when Atticus is asking her what had happened. When Atticus asks her,”Do you remember him beating you about the face?”(210). She responds, “No, I don’t recollect if …show more content…
He is white trash because he uses the little money that the family has on liquor for himself, he abuses his children physically, and uses his stature of being white to treat black people poorly. Bob Ewell uses his welfare money on himself instead of his family and buys liquor. Atticus says,”When a man spends his relief checks on green whiskey his children have a way of crying from hunger pains.”(34) This proves that Bob Ewell is trash because he feels no empathy for his kids and lacks all common morals within society. Bob physically abuses his children by beating them which makes him white trash as it shows he has no empathy. On the stand when Atticus asks Mayella, “I mean, is he [Bob Ewell] good to you, is he easy to get along with?”(208) She says, “He does tollable, ‘cept when-”(208) and she does not answer when Atticus asks,”Except when he’s drinking?”(208). This proves that Bob is a drunk and is not good to Mayella or her siblings while he is drinking, showing he has no empathy towards them and is therefore trash. Also, because Tom Robinson did not beat Mayella it had to be Bob because he was the only other person there. Bob Ewell is white trash because he treats black people poorly for one reason: he is white and they are black. He is considered the lowest of the white people in Maycomb but because he is white he takes Tom Robinson to trial and knows that he will win. Atticus