Tom Robinson testifies that he had always worked around the Ewell house on a regular basis doing chores for Mayella. On the day of the "rape" Tom was walking home past the Ewell house, as usual, and Mayella asked him for help with the so called broken door. There appeared to be nothing wrong with the door and the house seemed quieter than usual. Mayella had sent the kids out for ice cream and Bob Ewell was not home yet. Mayella then asked for Tom to grab a box dow from on top of a dresser. While Tom was on the chair getting the box, Mayella grabbed ahold of Tom's legs and when she finally let go and Tom came down from the chair, She threw her body at Tom, hugged him and asked for him to kiss her. Mayellas father then appeared in the window and called her a whore and threatened to kill her as Tom fled the house with fear of being accused of assault on Mayella.
If Tom's testimony is accurate, Harper lee is trying to show us that even in the court and when years in prison are on the line, Whites over powered the blacks and it didn't matter who was telling the truth. Tom's testimony does tell us that Bob threatened to kill Mayella and could have easily cause the bruising and damage on Mayella. Even if Tom is telling the truth, it is clear to the reader that he id innocent but just as clear that he is domed to be proven guilty.
How do you think the jury and/or Mayella will react to Tom's testimony? Do you think that Mayella thought of the idea of accusing Tom of rape or do you think it was Bob? Does Mayella still like Tom?
When Tom Robinson gives his testimony it totally contradicts what Mayella Ewells had originally said. Combining Mayella's unsure and hesitant responses with how Atticus leads Tom through his testimony it led me to think that Atticus had this case in the bag. Then Mr. Gilmer comes along and twists Tom's words and screws everything up and GAH he's so annoying. Sorry, anyway, this leads me to question if Tom Robinson's story will hold up. The reader is presented with all the data; emotions, dialogue, action, and everything else going on in the court room, but not everyone sees everything, which leads people to different opinions. I, being a reader, think that TRob is innocent, but if I was a farmer sitting in a crowded, hot room, I'm not too sure.
ReplyDeleteDo Jem, Scout and Dill fully understand what's going on?
I think that the jury will still find Tom guilty because he's black, but I think that his testimony might make them think it over a little bit more. I actually disagree with Lyons that it is clear that Tom is innocent. It is Tom's word versus the Ewells, and it is true that the Ewells have reason to lie about it happening, but Tom also has reason to lie about it NOT happening. Just because we know this book is about racism, and we know Bob and the Ewells are racists, doesn't mean that this rape accusation isn't true. I think that Bob must have come up with this idea because it really wouldn't benefit Mayella in any way because she's just a teenager. I also think that parts of each testimony could be true, because I don't think it would make sense to have the kids conveniently out of the house, and for the Bob Ewell to come home right as the "rape" is happening. In the contrary though, I feel like it's too easy to assume that Tom is innocent just because he is the under dog.
ReplyDeleteBetween Tom and Mayella’s testimonies I believe Tom’s more. The way Mayella stuttered and just repeated what Bob Ewell said I found it easier to believe that she could have been lying. From reviewing both Tom Robinson's and Mayella's testimony's I don't believe that Mayella ever had a real "crush" on Tom. It is visible through the way Mayella sits and replies to the questions, asked of her, that she is insecure and uncertain. Tom says that after Mayella kissed she told him that he was the first "adult man" that she had kissed before. Mayella is sheltered in the Ewell home and when comes to new topics she is in the dark. Mayella, in her "dump" of a world, craves more, to know more and to experience more than her dull everyday chores. From the amount of chores Mayella asked Tom to help her with in both of the testimonies, I conclude that as the eldest child she is the replacement mother but not treated with as much respect as a mother would/should be treated with. Mayella is kept inside –only having 2-3 years of schooling-and so is ignorant in numerous categories. When she asked Tom to help her with a chore, the invisible task, she took advantage of the opportunity. Mayella did not give off the impression of being in love or like-liking Tom but the impression of (for lack of better word) hunger for any romance no matter the subject.
ReplyDeleteThe chances of Tom Robinson winning this trial is close to none. A black man in the 1930's running against a white man was not going to end in a fair manner. Tom's story, however, is much clearer that Mayella's, and overall much more believable. The story he told had no contradictories, where as Mayella had many, and he was quicker to answer the prompted questions. I think that Scout also recognizes the innocence of Tom despite her age. Throughout these courtroom chapters, Scout is once again being shown what is happening in the world around her. Sure, she claims she has no interest of growing up, but she's showing signs of interest and seems to comprehend the events occurring during the trial. She has also predicted where her father's questions were leading to when he was talking with Mayella: "Slowly but surely I began to see the pattern of Atticus's questions...Atticus was quietly building up before the jury a picture of the Ewells' home life." (244) The topics coming up during the trail, including rape, are not things children should be necessarily be hearing, but when Scout and even Dill hear Mayella and Tom speak about the case, they took another step up in maturity and began to understand the big issues occurring in their country.
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