When Mayella Ewell arrived on the witness stand, she appeared young and fragile. After she sat down, she was described as being "a thick-bodied girl accustomed to strenuous labor" (To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 18). To Scout, "Mayella looked as if she tried to keep clean." Scout also remembered a neat row of old, worn jars filled with bright red geraniums when she had gone past the Ewell house. They had been arranged by Mayella.
Mayella started sobbing on the witness stand. She claimed to be scared and intimidated by Atticus Finch. After Mayella had composed herself, she told her version of the story about Tom Robinson. Telling the story seemed to give her a certain level of strength and confidence. Scout described this confidence as stealthy, "like a steady-eyed cat with a twitchy tail."
Atticus began questioning Mayella, but she accused him of mocking her. He was very polite when he spoke to her. Atticus called Mayella "miss" and "ma'am." She was not accustomed to anyone addressing her in such a manner, but the judge reassured her that this was how Atticus Finch spoke to all ladies. When Atticus questioned her further, she seemed irritated and then nervous. At one point, she became jumpy. The details Mayella relayed sometimes changed. Atticus questioned her more, and she became angry. Then she announced her story again and refused to talk anymore. She finished with angry crying.
No comments:
Post a Comment