Chapters 18,19,20 and 21

Mayella and Bob Ewell in the Courtroom

 Throughout the whole trial, I learned that the girl who accusing Tom of rape, is the oldest of many kids in her family and is very lonely. She does most the work in the house out of all of the kids. They all live together with their father, Bob Ewell, who is a drunk, behind the town dump. According to her and Mr. Ewell, Tom walked by her house and was asked ny her to help with something inside. Then supposedly, Mayella screamed for help, and Tom was caught raping her by Mr. Ewell. That is when he ran from the house. But Tom's story was different, he said he never touched her and that she hugged him around the waist and asked him to kiss her. Then her father appeared in the window and threatened her, that's when Tom ran away.

Atticus and Tom Robinson in the Courtroom

I found myself believing Tom's story more believable towards the end of the trial when Atticus made the point that they have no real evidence. They never called a doctor to check out Mayella, so they can't prove that she was raped, and all the bruising on her face suggest that it couldn't of been Tom. Plus they don't even have any eye witnesses other then Mayella and her father. All the jury has against Tom is a story from a white man. Jem was so sure that Atticus was successful and that Tom would be not guilty, but as soon as the Jury came out, I knew that Jem was wrong. Atticus told me that a jury never looks a convicted man in the eye, and they didn't. Tom was announced guilty. Jem was very upset.