Bob Ewell's Death In To Kill A Mockingbird

Bob Ewell is a wretched, two-faced, conniving most unworthy person to have the gift of life in all of Alabama. He drinks a lot, does not bother to work, and he just collects welfare checks and spends them on alcohol. Harper Lee wrote, “a little bantam cock of a man . . . A shock of wispy new-washed hair stood up from his forehead; his nose was thin, pointed, and shiny; he had no chin to speak of—it seemed to be part of his crepey neck”(Lee 227) Harper describes Bob Ewell as a apathetic, tipsy, Neanderthal that can’t keep a job to save his skin. During Tom Robinson’s trial Bob Ewell tried to say that he beat his daughter Mayella and then raped her; when in in reality Bob Ewell is the one who beat Mayella. Another reason Bob Ewell is terrible person is at the end of the story when he tried to kill Scout and Jem. Harper Lee had wrote, “What is it, Heck? Said Atticus. Mr. Tate found his neck and rubbed it. Bob Ewell’s lyin’ on the ground under that tree down yonder with a kitchen knife stuck up under his ribs. He’s dead, Mr. Finch. (Lee 357). Mr. Ewell had aimed to kill Scout and Jem but Mr. Author James Radley, more commonly known as Boo Radley, saved their lives. Mr. Ewell was mad at Atticus because he knew that it wasn’t Tom who beat Mayella and raped her, so Bob Ewell saw that he could get back at Atticus by taking the lives if the two most important people in the world to him. Bob Ewell illustrates the dark side of

The book, To Kill a Mockingbird, is an American classic and has been a staple in high schools for many years. The main storyline that this novel follows is of Scout, a young girl, living in the sleepy town of Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s. It follows the case of Tom Robinson, an African American man, and how he was accused and convicted of rape. In prison, Tom was shot and killed because he was said to have tried to escape. While Mayella is the one who is saying that Tom raped her, the real person who should be to blame is her abusive father. As is quite apparent, Bob Ewell is the person who is most responsible for the death of Tom Robinson.

Atticus decides to take on a highly controversial case in Maycomb, where Mayella Ewell, a 19 year old white female, accuses Tom Robinson, a black man in his thirties, of rapeing her. During the trial, Mayella, Bob, and the sheriff state that Robinson hit her on the right side of her face; however, Atticus contradicts the Ewell’s story by showing the jury that Tom Robinson only has one useful hand. Jem then whispers, ‘We’ve got him’” (Lee 202). Although, Maycomb’s society would never allow for Tom Robinson to win the trail, Jem’s innocent perspective enables him to believe that race does not come before the facts. Shortly after the trial, Jem says, “‘Doesn’t make it right. You can’t just convict a man on evidence like that-—you can’t’” (Lee 252). Jem displays an understanding of the racism and divisions in society within Maycomb in this quote. He knows that the conviction of Tom Robinson is bias and that the treatment of all blacks is unfair. Jem shows moral growth in this quote and has a more mature mindset about equality than most of the folks in Maycomb.

The Finch kids demonstrate friendly and kind attitudes, showing no malice towards anyone, yet a wicked man attacks and injures them, do to his rotten view of justice. Walking home from the school one evening, Bob Ewell charges at Jem and Scout, attempting, most likely to kill them both. This situation reestablishes the sense of injustice among the pages of To Kill a Mockingbird. Two adolescent bodies and souls experience physical wounds, as well as mental shock, and crime committed against the children as well as the town of Maycomb. “My arms were beginning to tingle, and they were red with small hexagonal marks (Chapter 28). Scout’s injury’s shows the true violence of Bob’s attack and a violation of human morality. Bob Ewell committed a heinous act, and while the children did nothing wrong, they are unjustly hurt because of someone else’s lack of morals.

Scout’s exposure to the events occurring in Maycomb impacted her growth in both subtle and forceful manners. The shooting of the wild dog, Tim Johnson, clears up the fact that Atticus is not a bland or boring person, but a very interesting and skilled one — hence the nickname “one-shot finch”. The shooting of the wild dog, taught Scout that there may be more to people than there first appears to be, and it is solely up to her to find out what “more”, the person contains inside. Prior to the shooting of the wild dog, Scout describes her father as feeble, but after, her opinion changes. When miss Maudie asks “Still think your father can’t do anything? Still ashamed of him?” (Lee 98), Scout replies with a simple “Nome” (Lee 98) strengthening the fact that Atticus is no longer boring, and there is now more to learn about the other people from the town. Later on, the Tom Robinson case comes along, and the jury rules that Tom is guilty.

is a African American man who was wrongly accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell- who happens to be defended by Scout’s father (Atticus Finch). Scout is exposed to the racial discrimination that is obviously deeply rooted in the town, when it is passed down to and displayed by Cecil who says, “My folks said your daddy was a disgrace”. The aim to make Scout feel bad all because her father is defending a man who belongs to a certain race shows how racial discrimination continues to be passed along to Maycomb residents. Not only are the children showing it, but adults as well. Mrs. Dubose goes as far as telling Scout that her “father’s no better than the…

He takes the case solely because of his belief that “...whenever a white man [cheats] a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash”(295). Atticus’s quote highlights his views that all people no matter what race, no matter how wealthy should be treated equally. Atticus’ dealing with Tom Robinson, who Scout seems to think of as less is very important to Scout learning empathy. Atticus shows that if he had thought of Tom as inferior and not worthy of his time, Atticus would have never shaken the racism that the Maycomb community and white men of his time attempt to engrave in him. By seeing Atticus take the case and fighting his “heart out” for Tom, Scout learns that she should never just follow the “crowd” and not be racist. When Atticus first takes the case Scout is curious as to why he would defend a man that the whole town thinks of as inferior. Scout asks: “If you shouldn’t be defendin him, then why are you doin’ it?...The main [reason] is, if I didn’t I couldn't hold my head up in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again(100). Atticus’ quote is a great demonstration of his strong morals and character. Atticus seems to believe that his whole town knows that it was Bob Ewell who raped Mayella Ewell, and that deep, deep down they think that it is the right

Scout realizes that even though her father did everything he could to prove that Tom was a free man, there was still no way that he would’ve gotten out free because of the ignorant morals in Maycomb county. “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.” (323) After the news of his death dies down, Mr. Bob Ewell still isn’t satisfied and tries to kill both of the Finch children in a drunken rage after the town’s Halloween pageant held in the school. He was stopped and killed by the town’s hermit, Mr. Arthur “Boo” Radley, and since the sheriff Mr. Heck Tate knew that if the town found out that Mr. Arthur saved the lives of two children, it would call attention to the one man that wanted to be left alone. Mr. Heck Tate decided that Mr. Ewell “fell on his knife”, and his death was accidental.

1) A running theme through this story is that it's not okay to kill a mockingbird because they never did anything bad to others. They're no pests in anyway. This first quote really aims toward that theme of the novel. Atticus asks scout if she understands why they are going to tell everyone that Bob Ewell fell on his knife. the real reason why is because they don't want the whole neighborhood to be all up in Boo Radley's door step all mad.

“Who beat you up Tom Robinson or your father?” No answer. “What did your father see in the window, the crime of rape or the best defense to it? Why don't you tell the truth, child, didn't Bob Ewell beat you up?” When Atticus turned away from Mayella he looked like his stomach hurt, but Mayella's face was mixture of terror and fury.”

Ewell had cursed at Atticus, spat in his face, and told him he would get Atticus if it took the rest of his life. Lee portrayed Atticus’s bravery through conflict. Atticus was faced with the conflict of Bob Ewell’s presence and threats. Atticus had the courage not to run away but to face Bob Ewell as he cursed at Atticus and spat on him. Even more remarkable was Atticus’s response to the incident which was, “So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and I’d rather it be me than that houseful of children out there.” (211) Atticus had the courage to take a punishment he did not deserve so that Bob Ewell’s children didn’t have to face the wrath of their

Scout continuously has kids at school taunt her because of what Atticus is doing and a mob forms to hurt Tom and Atticus at the jail. One of Maycomb’s most respected men is defending a black man. This either enraged people or pleased them. When Scout and Jem go to church with Calpurnia, Reverend Sykes says to them,“This church has no better friend than your daddy” (Lee 163).

She begins to understand the underlying racism issues in her community. Scout comprehends the severity and injustice around the black community and the trial. Her stances and morals often differ from those in Maycomb. She begins to question the ethnicty of her own family ‘ “ Well how do you know we ain’t negroes” “ Uncle Jack Finch says we really don’t know. He says as far as he can trace back the finches ain’t but for all he knows we mighta come straight out of Ethiopia” ’(216). As Scout grows, she becomes intrigued with learning about the minority in Maycomb. Compartitvely, Scout displays maturity when she increasingly begins to develop and interest in no longer wearing her boyish overalls but preferably, joining her aunt in a more lady-like environment. “ I carefully picked up the tray and watched myself walk to Mrs. Merriweather, with my best company manners, I asked her if she would have some. After all if Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could I” (318). The arrangements that Scout had previously deemed boring, soon became absorbing and engaging. Scout begins to paint an ideal image of a young

Atticus had been questioning Tom Robinson about what happened with Mayella and Scout says, “It occurred to me that in their own way, Tom Robinson’s manners were as good as Atticus’s.” (260) Scout is intelligent enough to recognize that Tom might be a black man, but he is still the same as the rest of the people in Maycomb. Scout's maturity is at its fullest. Atticus finds out what had happened to Bob Ewell and explains it to Scout. Scout then answers Atticus saying “ Yes sir, I understand,” (370) Scout really has matured as she is able to put her feelings aside and think about someone else for a change.

Earlier in the novel, Scout relates that Atticus views the Ewell family as “the disgrace of Maycomb” (33). However, as the Ewells are a white family, they are having a higher social status. During the trial, it is declared that Mayella seduces Tom Robinson, and her father, Bob Ewell, thought that his daughter would shift her warm feelings for a black man. In addition, Bob Ewell’s reaction to his daughter kissing to Tom Robinson displays the fear of miscegenation. Atticus, however, strives for justice. Atticus explains the ugly truth to Jem and Scout: “In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (251-252). Atticus shows disgust with white people taking advantage of a black person’s ignorance” (252). Tom Robinson is facing a trial and the death sentence because he is black. Furthermore, Atticus makes it clear to his children that racism exists and tells Scout and Jem: 'In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always