We've discussed the symbolic meaning of the mockingbird. In your opinion, what does the mockingbird symbolize? In chapter 18, we learn about the life of Mayella Ewell. Is Mayella a mockingbird, in terms of the bird as a symbol? Why or why not?
No, I do not belive Maria is a Mocking bird because I think that Mockingbird Means to be inosent. An example is when Miss Mauldie tells Jem and Scout not to shoot a Mockingbird because it's a simble of the inosence. Mokingbirds are considered precious becuase they do no bad and all they do is sing their beutiful songs. Another example is Jems and Scout's last name "Finch"; it portrays that children are inosent as the Mokingbird. The last name Finch is a bridge to the Moking bird which shows their inocence. I don't belive Maria as inosent because she probably lies about Tom Robinson. Her father as probably the one who beated her. Tom Robinson could have not susatained her as well with his bad hand. It also seems like it is his father who is responsable for the beating because he is drunk and the book portrays him as the type of person who would do that.
I agree with Rodrigo: The mockingbird represents innocece. Mayella is innocent in some ways, in the way that she was taken advantage of and people did things to her against her will. However, ahe didn't tell the truth. The scene where Miss Maudie tells Jem and Scout to never shoot at Mockingbirds is very special, as it is th efirst time that the mockingbird is metioned. I belive that the phrase " to kill a mockingbird" has to do with the universal aspect to human life tha tunites us all: the loss of innocence. Whether Mayells is still innocent is debatteable, but sometimes it is hard to the right thing and remain inocent as well. She also lied incourt, which takes away innocence. It is a theory that Tom Robinson did not beat and rape Mayella becasue of his crippled left arm, so it must of been her father. Because she said that Tom Robinson was the one who beat and raped her, Mayella was probably lying and has therefore lost innocence, in a struggle to protect her father as well as herself.
Mockingbirds symbolize purity. For they do not harm other creatures, but sing to charm people's hearts.
During the trial, Mayella lied to hide her actual desire for Tom Robinson. I have read an overview of the story on Wikipedia, so not let this spoil the climax. She was hollering because her father was beating her up that night.
In this case, Mayella is definately NOT a "mockingbird". She lied to protect her father and avenge Tom's rejection for her.
I i agree with Rodrigo, and Sophie, a mockingbird does symbolize inoccence, but i think it also symbolizes, equality. Because a Mockingbird sings for the pleasure of others, for anyone who happens to be near enough to hear its song. It is not racially prejudiced.
I have mixed feelings about wether Mayella is one or not. Because She was probably lying in the trial. but i don't think she had a option, i mean if her father did beat her, he says "if you don't protect me by saying Tom raped you then i'll beat you again, much harder this time"?
So therefore she didn't have that much of an option.
But then again when she talked about the negroes that lived near her property, she sounded like she didn't really care for them, they were just there to do work.
A mocking bird is a symbol of hope and kindness. A mocking bird is a creature that helps and gives music to the world. It is known as a sin to kill a mocking bird. When Jem and Scout get air rifles, they are told to never shoot mocking birds. It is because of the innocence a mocking bird seems to hold. a innocence that cannot be from the evils of the human heart. It portrays they power and peace animals have and how they will not lie.
I do not belive Maria is a innocent Mocking bird. She does not contain the kindness and beauty that suck a wonderful bird can have. Maria can have a good side as all living things can. But she will never have the good a what a mocking bird has inside, the beauty of innocence and childhood.
This is Kevin, also not sure if this put my name, i set it to but i need to check.
personally i think that Mayella is far from a mockingbird. in court she seems like a devious person keeping something inside her. though she is also a bit like a mockingbird because she herself is fragile. i still think she doesn't really symbolize the mockingbird at all even if she acts like she is fragile and innocent. i think that she is hiding the fact that tom robinson might have not raped her.
I both agree and disagree with the comments prior to mine. In my opinion, along with many other people, a mockingbird represents peace and beauty. This peaceful provide music for all and doesn't ask for much in return, but to not be persecuted against. In the book, Scout, Jem, and all the other characters are extremely nice to the bird which shows that they respect it.
I believe that Mayella Ewell is both the same and different then a mockingbird. She is similar because similar to a mockingbird, they give something out into the world, and are not always re paid, but Mayella is also very different from the mockingbird, because a mockingbird holds a sense or purity and peace.
I think that a mockingbird simblizes happiness and freedom. The song that they sing seems to make everyone happy. The mockingbirds are precious so i agree with rodrigo. They are precious because of their song. Thats why its considered a sin to kill them. I think that Mayella is not like a mockingbird because she seems like a lonely sad person. Mockingbirds seem more like happy creaters. Mayella i think asks Tom to come and do all the tasks because that way she has someone that is close to her age and also is not her father. She also might want someone to talk to. She seems so lonely at home all the time. She seems desprate aswell.
in response to rodrigo's answer, i agree with you rodrigo, but i also think that, in a way, Mayella Ewell is a mockingbird. She could be lying about the case but that is not entirely her fault, her father has put her up to it and if innocence is the problem here, you can see that Mayella is young, she has no idea what she is doing and so she maintains an air of innocence. We have discussed how mockingbirds are innocent but they are also greedy. They collect shiny things and, to some, mockingbirds can become annoying. Mayella Ewell is a mocking bird and Atticus is trying to undo her. He is trying to prove that she is lying about how Tom Robinson raped her, if that is proven, the town will think even less of Mayella and she doesn't really have any other alternative but to lie, otherwise her father will beat her again. But Atticus is doing the right thing...So in a way, the finch family is going to kill a mockingbird, a sin. I don't know if that makes any sense... i hope it does.
the Mockingbird syomblizes a certain inocince and purity. Mayella does not represent inocence.At first mayella seems fragile. then as you get through the chapter she doesn't seem so fragile.She seems that she has a hard life but you still don't find out the trough.
We talked about how a mockingbird is a bird that never harmed anyone and does not do anything to bother anyone else. In a way Mayella is a mockingbird in the way that she is trying to bring something good to the Ewell family, and as the people before me has said she is not because maybe she is not “innocent” as a mockingbird should be, though she is sad and I think there is more about her that we don’t understand, and more about her life. She brings flowers to the dump that they live in, she brings color, and she tries hard to help her family and her siblings. Mayella is very vulnerable and could be hurt easily, but she is bringing, or trying to bring good to the Ewell family. As the people before me has said, she is also not a mockingbird in some ways, but in looking at the Ewell family she is a mockingbird. Also I think that Mayella is very complicated and that in some ways she is a mockingbird and in many ways not. She is a complicated and quite sad character.
I do not think Mayella is considered a mockingbird. a Mockingbird symbolizes innocence and purity. A mockingbird is freedom of evil and guilt. The mockingbird is a beautiful creature that does no harm to others. It sings a song of beauty and, in some ways, love. Mockingbirds are not a creature of hate, but of love and innocence. Mayella, on the other hand, is not a mockingbird- type character in to Kill a Mockingbird. Mayella does feel hate towards others and is not innocent. I agree with Sophie that we are still not sure if she is innocent in some way, but she does lie to Atticus in court about her "rapist". The fact that Tom Robinson is incapable of using his left arm, whether he uses it to hit someone or even to put his hand on a bible to swear in court, shows that Tom could not have possibly raped Mayella. Although Mayella is most likely lying about Tom Robinson being her rapist, her reason for lying is somewhat understandable. She is only lying to protest her father, the strongest and most important person in her life. Many people, especially young adults or children, have an important person in their lives. Bob Ewell is Mayella's most important figure in her life. She must have thought that if she were to lie about who had hurt her, her father would stay in her life. She could have also felt that if she were to tell the truth about her father being the attacker (if he is her attacker) she would feel guilty for putting Bob in jail. This is another reason why she is nothing like a mockingbird. Mockingbirds are free of guilt. Mayella would feel guilt whether she puts Tom in jail or her father.
yes and no. i agree with maite emmett and emilie. she is not a mocking bird because she lied about what happened on the night of november 21st. i think she did it because she wanted to protect of obey her father. however she is like a mocking bird because unlike her father and realatives she seems more innocent and humanly.
I think Mayalla is not a mocking bird or wouldnt be considered one because at first she seemed inocent and vulnerable but then later in the chapter she started to get upset at Atticus for asking her so many questions and said that he was "mocking her" and she didn't seem so inocent then. I think being considered a mocking bird would mean that you are usually inocent and peaceful because mocking birds are usually graceful and seem free.
I agree with Rodrigo in that the mockingbird symbolizes innocence but also regard for others and a lack of selfishness. Mayella is in some ways a mockingbird because she is like a child in a adult's body, she wants to say what is best for herself and her father but she is unnerved and confused by the atmosphere in the courtroom. I think that Mayella is torn between doing what she knows is right (telling the truth) and doing what her father would want. She almost becomes a mockingbird when she starts to say that her father is not always so nice when he is drunk but then goes on to deny that her father beat her. Atticus gave Mayella another chance to redeem herself and to leave behind lies and become pure like a mockingbird but she either sees this chance and decides it is of no use to her or she overlooks this oppurtunity in her endeavor to protect her father's name.
i think the meaning of a Mocking bird that they are innocent and that they do good stuff for you. i dont think Mayella is like mockingbird because she isnt innocent.
Mockingbirds symbolize a certain innocence in sometthing. They don't cause harm and all they do is sing. They don't have to think about anything and they are harmless. Mayella is not a mockingbird. But neither is she a bluejay who feasts on the bounty of others. She is stuck in a situation of lying to god (who is all she has) or disobeying her father. This will result in injury or death. Bob is the one responsable. Atticus already proved it but the racist people that are only capable to feel pity toward a white girl don't see. In a way they are blinded by a white light. -pablo
to be a mocking bird means that you are compleatly inocent, without any contempt twords others. a mocking bird does no harm to others and only sings happy songs. there is no reason to cause them harm. there is no way we can tell at this point in the book if meyella is a mocking bird or not. if she is in fact inocent than she in many ways is a mocking bird, but what seems more likely, if mayela was put up to this by her father, than agian in some ways she could be a mocking bird. if the only reason she was lieing, was because of her father, than she might be a mocking bird, but if she was difending herself from what she had done than no she is not a mocking bird. i dissagre with rodrego in two ways. one: her name is not Maria, and i don't think that there last name being Finch has any thing to do with childrens inocence. though it is a good idea, aticus and aut alexandra and the rest are also Finch. plus finch is quite a comon name.
I believe Mayella Ewell didnt tell the truth, so she cannot be considered as a mockingbird. A mockingbird is a bird that makes beautiful music and does nothing to disturb people, so that is why in Maycomb they said that it was a sin to kill one. I agree with Amber when she says that a mocking bird symbolizes innocence and purity and Mayella is the exact opposite. I think she symbolizes lies and guilt. I think she is trying to protect the real person who beat her, who I think is her father, because she is afraid of that person repeating his actions.
I agree with Rodrigo because a mockingbird symbolizes peace, innocence and purity. Mayella as well has her family do not obtain any of the characteristics listed. Mayella was able to get away with what she did because she was white and Tom Robinson was black. To me Tom Robinson is more of a mockingbird than Mayella would ever have been. He is a kind-hearted, gentleman. But, because of the time period this book takes palce in, it does not matter how nice Tom might have been, all that mattered was that he was black, and black men were not to be trusted with women.
Mayella is one of the most anti mockingbird-like character in this book. She lies and blames Atticus for mocking her. It would make sense that a liar in court would try to fight the only person in the courtroom who suspects her not being 100% truthful while testifying. A mockingbird is an innocent and beautiful creature of the animal kingdom, Mayella is like that of the birch-man that burns the mockingbird's forest down. She fails to get Atticus into deep trouble in his job because she is unaware of how experienced he is. Scout as the narrator makes it clear that Mayella lied atleast once. Especially when she refuses to truthfully answer the question Atticus asks her regarding whether or not her father beats her.
I totally agree 100% with Rodrigo about how mockingbirds are inocent. I do not think that either Bob Ewell or Mayella are inocent. i think that they just are acusing a black man of rape because at that time blacks were way lower in class(outcastes). i think that since they are so poor they came up with a trial to try and get some money. I do not think that mayella is a mockingbird also because she seems like a "dark" person that does not sound like she would sing. She also is a drama queen. For instance. When she came into the court room she busted into tears. I think that that was a complete load of Bologna. BRANDON
I do not think Mayella is the mockingbird. Like many others have said, the mockingbird represents innocence and also represents freedom and difference. Mayella is in my mind lying and giving the correct answers to Atticus that aren't the truth.
In chapter 18, Mayella mentions mock a lot. She is saying that Atticus is mocking her and she will not take it. I am not totally sure but I think Atticus is the mockingbird. From the title i believe something my happen to Atticus.
To me, the symbol of the Mockingbird shows in everyone at sometime in their life. For Mayella, she is not the best clear example of a Mockingbird but sometimes, innocence and purity come with lonliness and Mayella definatley reflects lonliness and Scout picks up on it too. The Mockingbird is pure and innocent but also lonely because it is so different. So, Mayella is definatley not innocent because we dont know and are conflicting whether she is telling the truth in court but her testimony and also Tom Robinson's testimony show lonliness on her part because of the lack of help from her family. Also, Mockingbird's try to do good deeds for other's and dont always get the favor returned. To Mayella, her hitting on Tom is a good thing towards Tom and he resisted. Maybe in her eyes, she would see herself as a Mockingbird but in the reader's eyes, she would be seen as almost the oppisite.
Yes and no, because Mayella isn't a honest person and doesn't represent a innocent persong like a Mockingbird does. Mayella might represent a mockingbird in ways but she isn't showing it at court because she keeps covering up what really happened with some lies and making the whole situation even more confusing then it has to be. We also have to be understanding that if her father is guilty, then she will have no one else and then she has to watch the other children. No teenager should go through that so we really should try to step in her shoes and see her side. She kind of does resemble a Mockingbird because she's quiet and private, and those are other symbols of a mockingbird. So i don't agree with Rodrigo because a Mockingbird doesn't have to be innocent to be who they are, there're other symbols of a mocking bird and Mayella represents them.
I agree with rodrigo that Mayella is not a mockingbird because a mockingbird represents innocence. But in a way Mayella is a mockingbird, she has been hurt, and I believe that she is forced not to be a mockingbird by her father. In the testimony, when Mayella is questioned if she was ever beaten by her father, Mayella becomes tense, and Bob Ewell leans foward in his chair and makes a threatning stare at her as if not to share something. Mayella hesitates and becomes nervous then says that her father has never laid a finger on me, Bob then relaxes and sits bck in his chair as if he is satisfied with Mayella's lie. This shows that mabye Mayella intended to speak the truth, but was threatned my her father to lie, later in her testimony, she got tangled up in her lie, and made it herd for her to speak the truth.
mayella is definately not a mockingbird becasue she is not innocent. mayella is confused whether she should tell the truth or play along with bob ewell and heck tate's answer, accusing tom robinson. a mockingbird defines pure innocence and not showing revulsion towards other people. in addition during the trial, harper lee shows more of mayella's side and personality. she is also pressured by bob ewell when he signals to mayella to say something else and change her answers when bob ewell dosent approve of it.
a Mockingbird's job is to sing and to make sure that everyone has heard what it has to offer. I think it represents sincerity and inoccence. In my opinion I think that Mayella is NOT a mockingbird. Yet there are certain qualities of her that could be mockingbird-like if she weren't in such a situation. Mayella in this scene is not a mocking bird because she lied to the judge as well as accused Tom of raping her. Yet in her ways she is a lonely person and all she really wants is to be wanted. and she feels rejected even by the lowest (in her opinion) dwellers of Maycomb. She isn't inoccent or sincere in anyway but there is a soft side to everyone. And I bet if she didnt have the respondsibility of the eldest child, and didn't have to deal with her father everytime he got home drunk, you would see that side and see that deep down she is a good person, and wants the same thing as we all do, to be loved
I agree with what Rodrigo is saying a little bit. I think that a mocking is somethin precious and i don't think MAyella is preciuos. She maybe but the lonliness might be getting to her which is making her something that she maynot be. I agree with sophie when she says that the phrase to kill a mockingbird means that the innocence is lost in a person. To kill a mockingbird is a medaphore. I away MAyella is a mockingbird because all this stress is making her loss her innocence and its the same when a mockingbird is killed all the innocence leaves the bird. I think that Bob Ewell had killed a mockinbird a long time ago.
I agree with Rodrigo. Mayella isnt a symbol of the bird. Being a mocking bird is kind of like the odd one out or the innocent bystander. That sees everything going on.
Mayella in this case is the participant, that is making false accusations on Tom Robinson. I think the symbol she participates in is injustice. This is an common theme that has been brought up in the book. She is just another part of the community playing the "race" game. That is the evil injustice being played against Tom Robinson.
I agree with Rodrigo and others, that the mockingbird does symbolize innocence and purity by singing songs for others to enjoy and in return they are in a way respected for their gentle nature. "That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird". In my opinion, Mayella is not a mockingbird at all. For example, during her testimony she lied about Tom Robinson raping her, even though he is disabled on his left side. I think her father is the one who really beat her because once he uses all there money on alcohol and is drunk it seems like something, he as the kind of person he is, would do.
I think Mayella Ewell could be called a mockingbird if she had not treated tom robinson so nastily. scout said that mayella had broken a code and needed tom robinson killed. In that respect I think it would be safer to call tom a mockingbird because he has helped mayelle so much.
Mayella in a sense is a mocking bird but at the same time is not. Mayella must testify and and tell the truth about the Tom Robinson case. Being a mocking bird represents honesty and innocence. Mayella has these qualities deep down inside her, but they have been constricted inside her due to the fact that she has no friends and her father is not kind to her. During the case Mayella does not show that she is a mocking bird. It is evident that she is lying to Atticus when she is testifying and not telling the truth about what actually happened with the issue of Tom Robinson.
Mayela Ewell is the direct opposite of a mocking bird. She is causing an innocent man to be sent to prison for a false reason. When she lies and says that she was raped, she is slowly murdering the only piece of mocking bird left in her. Because of a mockingbird’s innocent songbird nature, it is symbolic of ones quality of the purest innocence. This quality is one that Mayela gave up when she accused Tom Robinson.
A mockingbird as a symbol is a very complicated topic to understand, yet everyone who posted online seemed to almost grasp fully the meaning of it. A mockingbird in Maycomb is anyone who goes out of their way to help someone else, when they have really no reason to do so. If you compare this symbolic meaning to what mockingbirds really do, you can see some resemblance. Atticus says that mockingbirds don't eat your gardens, don't aggravate households, but sing for the pleasure of the listener. Mayella is hard to think of as a mockingbird, but before the trial she was. She was probably the loneliest person in the world because of her skin color but her degraded status as a Ewell. Despite this, she cleaned up after herself and cared for the beautiful flowers in the poor scenery of the town dump. But after the trial, she changed and lied agianst Tom Robinson, the real mockingbird, because her father would probably beat her if she told the truth of him raping her.
38 comments:
No, I do not belive Maria is a Mocking bird because I think that Mockingbird Means to be inosent. An example is when Miss Mauldie tells Jem and Scout not to shoot a Mockingbird because it's a simble of the inosence. Mokingbirds are considered precious becuase they do no bad and all they do is sing their beutiful songs. Another example is Jems and Scout's last name "Finch"; it portrays that children are inosent as the Mokingbird. The last name Finch is a bridge to the Moking bird which shows their inocence. I don't belive Maria as inosent because she probably lies about Tom Robinson. Her father as probably the one who beated her. Tom Robinson could have not susatained her as well with his bad hand. It also seems like it is his father who is responsable for the beating because he is drunk and the book portrays him as the type of person who would do that.
I agree with Rodrigo: The mockingbird represents innocece. Mayella is innocent in some ways, in the way that she was taken advantage of and people did things to her against her will. However, ahe didn't tell the truth. The scene where Miss Maudie tells Jem and Scout to never shoot at Mockingbirds is very special, as it is th efirst time that the mockingbird is metioned. I belive that the phrase " to kill a mockingbird" has to do with the universal aspect to human life tha tunites us all: the loss of innocence. Whether Mayells is still innocent is debatteable, but sometimes it is hard to the right thing and remain inocent as well. She also lied incourt, which takes away innocence. It is a theory that Tom Robinson did not beat and rape Mayella becasue of his crippled left arm, so it must of been her father. Because she said that Tom Robinson was the one who beat and raped her, Mayella was probably lying and has therefore lost innocence, in a struggle to protect her father as well as herself.
Mockingbirds symbolize purity. For they do not harm other creatures, but sing to charm people's hearts.
During the trial, Mayella lied to hide her actual desire for Tom Robinson. I have read an overview of the story on Wikipedia, so not let this spoil the climax. She was hollering because her father was beating her up that night.
In this case, Mayella is definately NOT a "mockingbird". She lied to protect her father and avenge Tom's rejection for her.
I i agree with Rodrigo, and Sophie, a mockingbird does symbolize inoccence, but i think it also symbolizes, equality. Because a Mockingbird sings for the pleasure of others, for anyone who happens to be near enough to hear its song. It is not racially prejudiced.
I have mixed feelings about wether Mayella is one or not. Because She was probably lying in the trial. but i don't think she had a option, i mean if her father did beat her, he says "if you don't protect me by saying Tom raped you then i'll beat you again, much harder this time"?
So therefore she didn't have that much of an option.
But then again when she talked about the negroes that lived near her property, she sounded like she didn't really care for them, they were just there to do work.
A mocking bird is a symbol of hope and kindness. A mocking bird is a creature that helps and gives music to the world. It is known as a sin to kill a mocking bird. When Jem and Scout get air rifles, they are told to never shoot mocking birds. It is because of the innocence a mocking bird seems to hold. a innocence that cannot be from the evils of the human heart. It portrays they power and peace animals have and how they will not lie.
I do not belive Maria is a innocent Mocking bird. She does not contain the kindness and beauty that suck a wonderful bird can have. Maria can have a good side as all living things can. But she will never have the good a what a mocking bird has inside, the beauty of innocence and childhood.
This is Kevin, also not sure if this put my name, i set it to but i need to check.
personally i think that Mayella is far from a mockingbird. in court she seems like a devious person keeping something inside her. though she is also a bit like a mockingbird because she herself is fragile. i still think she doesn't really symbolize the mockingbird at all even if she acts like she is fragile and innocent. i think that she is hiding the fact that tom robinson might have not raped her.
sorry tom its me emmett
I both agree and disagree with the comments prior to mine. In my opinion, along with many other people, a mockingbird represents peace and beauty. This peaceful provide music for all and doesn't ask for much in return, but to not be persecuted against. In the book, Scout, Jem, and all the other characters are extremely nice to the bird which shows that they respect it.
I believe that Mayella Ewell is both the same and different then a mockingbird. She is similar because similar to a mockingbird, they give something out into the world, and are not always re paid, but Mayella is also very different from the mockingbird, because a mockingbird holds a sense or purity and peace.
hey tom i was just checking on when the ch 19 question will be posted. :)
I think that a mockingbird simblizes happiness and freedom. The song that they sing seems to make everyone happy. The mockingbirds are precious so i agree with rodrigo. They are precious because of their song. Thats why its considered a sin to kill them. I think that Mayella is not like a mockingbird because she seems like a lonely sad person. Mockingbirds seem more like happy creaters. Mayella i think asks Tom to come and do all the tasks because that way she has someone that is close to her age and also is not her father. She also might want someone to talk to. She seems so lonely at home all the time. She seems desprate aswell.
in response to rodrigo's answer, i agree with you rodrigo, but i also think that, in a way, Mayella Ewell is a mockingbird. She could be lying about the case but that is not entirely her fault, her father has put her up to it and if innocence is the problem here, you can see that Mayella is young, she has no idea what she is doing and so she maintains an air of innocence. We have discussed how mockingbirds are innocent but they are also greedy. They collect shiny things and, to some, mockingbirds can become annoying. Mayella Ewell is a mocking bird and Atticus is trying to undo her. He is trying to prove that she is lying about how Tom Robinson raped her, if that is proven, the town will think even less of Mayella and she doesn't really have any other alternative but to lie, otherwise her father will beat her again. But Atticus is doing the right thing...So in a way, the finch family is going to kill a mockingbird, a sin. I don't know if that makes any sense... i hope it does.
the Mockingbird syomblizes a certain inocince and purity. Mayella does not represent inocence.At first mayella seems fragile. then as you get through the chapter she doesn't seem so fragile.She seems that she has a hard life but you still don't find out the trough.
We talked about how a mockingbird is a bird that never harmed anyone and does not do anything to bother anyone else. In a way Mayella is a mockingbird in the way that she is trying to bring something good to the Ewell family, and as the people before me has said she is not because maybe she is not “innocent” as a mockingbird should be, though she is sad and I think there is more about her that we don’t understand, and more about her life. She brings flowers to the dump that they live in, she brings color, and she tries hard to help her family and her siblings. Mayella is very vulnerable and could be hurt easily, but she is bringing, or trying to bring good to the Ewell family. As the people before me has said, she is also not a mockingbird in some ways, but in looking at the Ewell family she is a mockingbird. Also I think that Mayella is very complicated and that in some ways she is a mockingbird and in many ways not. She is a complicated and quite sad character.
I do not think Mayella is considered a mockingbird. a Mockingbird symbolizes innocence and purity. A mockingbird is freedom of evil and guilt. The mockingbird is a beautiful creature that does no harm to others. It sings a song of beauty and, in some ways, love. Mockingbirds are not a creature of hate, but of love and innocence. Mayella, on the other hand, is not a mockingbird- type character in to Kill a Mockingbird. Mayella does feel hate towards others and is not innocent. I agree with Sophie that we are still not sure if she is innocent in some way, but she does lie to Atticus in court about her "rapist". The fact that Tom Robinson is incapable of using his left arm, whether he uses it to hit someone or even to put his hand on a bible to swear in court, shows that Tom could not have possibly raped Mayella. Although Mayella is most likely lying about Tom Robinson being her rapist, her reason for lying is somewhat understandable. She is only lying to protest her father, the strongest and most important person in her life. Many people, especially young adults or children, have an important person in their lives. Bob Ewell is Mayella's most important figure in her life. She must have thought that if she were to lie about who had hurt her, her father would stay in her life. She could have also felt that if she were to tell the truth about her father being the attacker (if he is her attacker) she would feel guilty for putting Bob in jail. This is another reason why she is nothing like a mockingbird. Mockingbirds are free of guilt. Mayella would feel guilt whether she puts Tom in jail or her father.
yes and no. i agree with maite emmett and emilie. she is not a mocking bird because she lied about what happened on the night of november 21st. i think she did it because she wanted to protect of obey her father. however she is like a mocking bird because unlike her father and realatives she seems more innocent and humanly.
I think Mayalla is not a mocking bird or wouldnt be considered one because at first she seemed inocent and vulnerable but then later in the chapter she started to get upset at Atticus for asking her so many questions and said that he was "mocking her" and she didn't seem so inocent then. I think being considered a mocking bird would mean that you are usually inocent and peaceful because mocking birds are usually graceful and seem free.
I agree with Rodrigo in that the mockingbird symbolizes innocence but also regard for others and a lack of selfishness. Mayella is in some ways a mockingbird because she is like a child in a adult's body, she wants to say what is best for herself and her father but she is unnerved and confused by the atmosphere in the courtroom. I think that Mayella is torn between doing what she knows is right (telling the truth) and doing what her father would want. She almost becomes a mockingbird when she starts to say that her father is not always so nice when he is drunk but then goes on to deny that her father beat her. Atticus gave Mayella another chance to redeem herself and to leave behind lies and become pure like a mockingbird but she either sees this chance and decides it is of no use to her or she overlooks this oppurtunity in her endeavor to protect her father's name.
i think the meaning of a Mocking bird that they are innocent and that they do good stuff for you. i dont think Mayella is like mockingbird because she isnt innocent.
Mockingbirds symbolize a certain innocence in sometthing. They don't cause harm and all they do is sing. They don't have to think about anything and they are harmless. Mayella is not a mockingbird. But neither is she a bluejay who feasts on the bounty of others. She is stuck in a situation of lying to god (who is all she has) or disobeying her father. This will result in injury or death. Bob is the one responsable. Atticus already proved it but the racist people that are only capable to feel pity toward a white girl don't see. In a way they are blinded by a white light. -pablo
to be a mocking bird means that you are compleatly inocent, without any contempt twords others. a mocking bird does no harm to others and only sings happy songs. there is no reason to cause them harm. there is no way we can tell at this point in the book if meyella is a mocking bird or not. if she is in fact inocent than she in many ways is a mocking bird, but what seems more likely, if mayela was put up to this by her father, than agian in some ways she could be a mocking bird. if the only reason she was lieing, was because of her father, than she might be a mocking bird, but if she was difending herself from what she had done than no she is not a mocking bird. i dissagre with rodrego in two ways. one: her name is not Maria, and i don't think that there last name being Finch has any thing to do with childrens inocence. though it is a good idea, aticus and aut alexandra and the rest are also Finch. plus finch is quite a comon name.
I don't think Mayella is the mockingbird in the story because she is lying and hiding the truth on what hapended to her that day.
I believe Mayella Ewell didnt tell the truth, so she cannot be considered as a mockingbird. A mockingbird is a bird that makes beautiful music and does nothing to disturb people, so that is why in Maycomb they said that it was a sin to kill one. I agree with Amber when she says that a mocking bird symbolizes innocence and purity and Mayella is the exact opposite. I think she symbolizes lies and guilt. I think she is trying to protect the real person who beat her, who I think is her father, because she is afraid of that person repeating his actions.
I agree with Rodrigo because a mockingbird symbolizes peace, innocence and purity. Mayella as well has her family do not obtain any of the characteristics listed. Mayella was able to get away with what she did because she was white and Tom Robinson was black.
To me Tom Robinson is more of a mockingbird than Mayella would ever have been. He is a kind-hearted, gentleman. But, because of the time period this book takes palce in, it does not matter how nice Tom might have been, all that mattered was that he was black, and black men were not to be trusted with women.
Mayella is one of the most anti mockingbird-like character in this book. She lies and blames Atticus for mocking her. It would make sense that a liar in court would try to fight the only person in the courtroom who suspects her not being 100% truthful while testifying. A mockingbird is an innocent and beautiful creature of the animal kingdom, Mayella is like that of the birch-man that burns the mockingbird's forest down. She fails to get Atticus into deep trouble in his job because she is unaware of how experienced he is. Scout as the narrator makes it clear that Mayella lied atleast once. Especially when she refuses to truthfully answer the question Atticus asks her regarding whether or not her father beats her.
(By the way Tom, how was your weekend?)
I totally agree 100% with Rodrigo about how mockingbirds are inocent. I do not think that either Bob Ewell or Mayella are inocent. i think that they just are acusing a black man of rape because at that time blacks were way lower in class(outcastes). i think that since they are so poor they came up with a trial to try and get some money. I do not think that mayella is a mockingbird also because she seems like a "dark" person that does not sound like she would sing. She also is a drama queen. For instance. When she came into the court room she busted into tears. I think that that was a complete load of Bologna. BRANDON
I do not think Mayella is the mockingbird. Like many others have said, the mockingbird represents innocence and also represents freedom and difference. Mayella is in my mind lying and giving the correct answers to Atticus that aren't the truth.
In chapter 18, Mayella mentions mock a lot. She is saying that Atticus is mocking her and she will not take it. I am not totally sure but I think Atticus is the mockingbird. From the title i believe something my happen to Atticus.
To me, the symbol of the Mockingbird shows in everyone at sometime in their life. For Mayella, she is not the best clear example of a Mockingbird but sometimes, innocence and purity come with lonliness and Mayella definatley reflects lonliness and Scout picks up on it too. The Mockingbird is pure and innocent but also lonely because it is so different. So, Mayella is definatley not innocent because we dont know and are conflicting whether she is telling the truth in court but her testimony and also Tom Robinson's testimony show lonliness on her part because of the lack of help from her family. Also, Mockingbird's try to do good deeds for other's and dont always get the favor returned. To Mayella, her hitting on Tom is a good thing towards Tom and he resisted. Maybe in her eyes, she would see herself as a Mockingbird but in the reader's eyes, she would be seen as almost the oppisite.
Yes and no, because Mayella isn't a honest person and doesn't represent a innocent persong like a Mockingbird does. Mayella might represent a mockingbird in ways but she isn't showing it at court because she keeps covering up what really happened with some lies and making the whole situation even more confusing then it has to be. We also have to be understanding that if her father is guilty, then she will have no one else and then she has to watch the other children. No teenager should go through that so we really should try to step in her shoes and see her side. She kind of does resemble a Mockingbird because she's quiet and private, and those are other symbols of a mockingbird. So i don't agree with Rodrigo because a Mockingbird doesn't have to be innocent to be who they are, there're other symbols of a mocking bird and Mayella represents them.
I agree with rodrigo that Mayella is not a mockingbird because a mockingbird represents innocence. But in a way Mayella is a mockingbird, she has been hurt, and I believe that she is forced not to be a mockingbird by her father. In the testimony, when Mayella is questioned if she was ever beaten by her father, Mayella becomes tense, and Bob Ewell leans foward in his chair and makes a threatning stare at her as if not to share something. Mayella hesitates and becomes nervous then says that her father has never laid a finger on me, Bob then relaxes and sits bck in his chair as if he is satisfied with Mayella's lie. This shows that mabye Mayella intended to speak the truth, but was threatned my her father to lie, later in her testimony, she got tangled up in her lie, and made it herd for her to speak the truth.
mayella is definately not a mockingbird becasue she is not innocent. mayella is confused whether she should tell the truth or play along with bob ewell and heck tate's answer, accusing tom robinson. a mockingbird defines pure innocence and not showing revulsion towards other people. in addition during the trial, harper lee shows more of mayella's side and personality. she is also pressured by bob ewell when he signals to mayella to say something else and change her answers when bob ewell dosent approve of it.
♥ Emma Francesca ♥
a Mockingbird's job is to sing and to make sure that everyone has heard what it has to offer. I think it represents sincerity and inoccence. In my opinion I think that Mayella is NOT a mockingbird. Yet there are certain qualities of her that could be mockingbird-like if she weren't in such a situation. Mayella in this scene is not a mocking bird because she lied to the judge as well as accused Tom of raping her. Yet in her ways she is a lonely person and all she really wants is to be wanted. and she feels rejected even by the lowest (in her opinion) dwellers of Maycomb. She isn't inoccent or sincere in anyway but there is a soft side to everyone. And I bet if she didnt have the respondsibility of the eldest child, and didn't have to deal with her father everytime he got home drunk, you would see that side and see that deep down she is a good person, and wants the same thing as we all do, to be loved
I agree with what Rodrigo is saying a little bit. I think that a mocking is somethin precious and i don't think MAyella is preciuos. She maybe but the lonliness might be getting to her which is making her something that she maynot be. I agree with sophie when she says that the phrase to kill a mockingbird means that the innocence is lost in a person. To kill a mockingbird is a medaphore. I away MAyella is a mockingbird because all this stress is making her loss her innocence and its the same when a mockingbird is killed all the innocence leaves the bird. I think that Bob Ewell had killed a mockinbird a long time ago.
I agree with Rodrigo. Mayella isnt a symbol of the bird. Being a mocking bird is kind of like the odd one out or the innocent bystander. That sees everything going on.
Mayella in this case is the participant, that is making false accusations on Tom Robinson. I think the symbol she participates in is injustice. This is an common theme that has been brought up in the book. She is just another part of the community playing the "race" game. That is the evil injustice being played against Tom Robinson.
I agree with Rodrigo and others, that the mockingbird does symbolize innocence and purity by singing songs for others to enjoy and in return they are in a way respected for their gentle nature. "That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird".
In my opinion, Mayella is not a mockingbird at all. For example, during her testimony she lied about Tom Robinson raping her, even though he is disabled on his left side. I think her father is the one who really beat her because once he uses all there money on alcohol and is drunk it seems like something, he as the kind of person he is, would do.
I think Mayella Ewell could be called a mockingbird if she had not treated tom robinson so nastily. scout said that mayella had broken a code and needed tom robinson killed. In that respect I think it would be safer to call tom a mockingbird because he has helped mayelle so much.
Mayella in a sense is a mocking bird but at the same time is not. Mayella must testify and and tell the truth about the Tom Robinson case. Being a mocking bird represents honesty and innocence. Mayella has these qualities deep down inside her, but they have been constricted inside her due to the fact that she has no friends and her father is not kind to her. During the case Mayella does not show that she is a mocking bird. It is evident that she is lying to Atticus when she is testifying and not telling the truth about what actually happened with the issue of Tom Robinson.
Mayela Ewell is the direct opposite of a mocking bird. She is causing an innocent man to be sent to prison for a false reason. When she lies and says that she was raped, she is slowly murdering the only piece of mocking bird left in her. Because of a mockingbird’s innocent songbird nature, it is symbolic of ones quality of the purest innocence. This quality is one that Mayela gave up when she accused Tom Robinson.
A mockingbird as a symbol is a very complicated topic to understand, yet everyone who posted online seemed to almost grasp fully the meaning of it. A mockingbird in Maycomb is anyone who goes out of their way to help someone else, when they have really no reason to do so. If you compare this symbolic meaning to what mockingbirds really do, you can see some resemblance. Atticus says that mockingbirds don't eat your gardens, don't aggravate households, but sing for the pleasure of the listener. Mayella is hard to think of as a mockingbird, but before the trial she was. She was probably the loneliest person in the world because of her skin color but her degraded status as a Ewell. Despite this, she cleaned up after herself and cared for the beautiful flowers in the poor scenery of the town dump. But after the trial, she changed and lied agianst Tom Robinson, the real mockingbird, because her father would probably beat her if she told the truth of him raping her.
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