Forgive me, it’s been a while since I read TKAM.
When we studied the novel, when we were 13/14 mind you, Mayella was potrayed to the ultimate villian of the story. I could see this looking back in notes our teacher gave us at the time.
However I find this interesting, thinking back, Mayella was a much more hated character than her father, Bob. He who forced her to stand in court and lie, he who raped her, abused her and blamed someone else.
Boo Radley and Tom Robinson are seemingly the mockingbirds of the story, the ultimate victim of unfair circumstances. However, objectively, should it not be taught that Mayella too was a victim?
(P.S this is not defending Mayella or her actions)
by Dense_Concentrate783
2 Comments
I don’t know what was happening in your class, but she was definitely a victim of her father. Kind of too abused and simple to be a villain.
I also got the impression in class that Mayella was being blamed more than her father. She isn’t blameless, but there should have been more focus on Bob as the main villain in a class of preteens.