TKAMChapter+18

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 * __Chapter 18__**
 * Plot Summary:** As the trial still continues, the chapter begins with Mayella's testimony. According to the Ewell's, Mayella is a sensibly pure nineteen-year-old that is frightened by her own father, Bob Ewell. Mayella explains in her testimony that one day she called Tom Robinson inside the fence and offered him a nickel in exchange that he split the dresser for her. But once he got inside her house, he started choking her and cussing at her. She fought and howled but he strangled her neck and he hit her over and over again. He chunked her on the floor, choked her, then took advantage of her. But she could not remember what happened subsequently. What she could remember was that when she woke up from fainting, her father was on top of her asking who did it and the next thing she knew Mr. Tate was pulling her to the water bucket. After Mayella is finished identifying her testimony, Atticus then examines her testimony and asks why she didn’t put up a better fight, why her screams didn’t bring the other children running, and, most important, how Tom Robinson managed the crime: how he bruised the right side of her face with his useless left hand, which was torn apart by a cotton gin when he was a boy. Atticus pleads with Mayella to admit that there was no rape, that her father beat her. She shouts at him and yells that the courtroom would have to be a bunch of cowards not to convict Tom Robinson; she then bursts into tears, refusing to answer any more questions. In the recess that follows, Mr. Underwood notices the children up in the balcony, but Jem tells Scout that the newspaper editor won’t tell Atticus about their being there—although he might include it in the social section of the newspaper. The prosecution rests, and Atticus calls only one witnes, Tom Robinson.


 * Setting:** The setting of the chapter takes place in the courtroom. People are coming from all over the county both white and black men and women and even babies. The courtroom is packed with people. And as Miss Maudie describes it, it is like a Roman carnival, I think people see it as entertainment for them. "T's morbid, watching a poor devil on trial for his life," as Miss Maudie describes.

Mollified- assuaging the anger or anxiety of someone Chiffarobe- a closet-like piece of furniture that combines a long space for hanging clothes Defendant- an individual, company, or institution sued or accused in a court of law Crippled- a person who is disabled in a specific way Immaterial- irrelevant Lavations- to wash Geraniums- a herbaceous plant or small shrub of a genus Contorted- twist or bend out of it's normal shape Prejudice- preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience Spittoon- a metal or earthenware pot typically having a funnel-shape top used for spitting into Perpetual- continuing or continued without intermission or interruption Chronic- very high-quality weed, generally with red hairs on it Arid- being without moisture; extremely dry; parched Exodus- a journey by a large group to escape from a hostile environment
 * Vocabulary:**

Mayella is the character focused on in this chapter. She is the Bob Ewell's eldest child out of seven other younger siblings. Mayella is often abused by her drunken father, and she is often unhappy and lonely. She never really was raped. She was being manipulative. She liked the Tom Robinson and wanted to kiss him, but when he wouldn't, she just said that she was raped, to get her way, and have him put away because she didn't get what she wanted. The Ewells are rascals that don't care for anyone else but themselves. She was not really frightened. If the Ewells won the case they would get money, which she and her dad wanted. She may have been afraid of her dad, because her dad was behind it a lot, but she certainly wasn't raped. That was an act. She might have been doing some of it on her own - like the level of acting, but a lot of it was probably her dad too, seeing as he was greedy, and the way he acted in court. They were just being greedy people who wanted their way.
 * Character Profile:**


 * Photo Bank:**

County Courthouse- 1930s

Chiffarobe

a raped lady

a depressed, lonely, and abused girl (describing Meyella)

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