1. Beliefs & Values
1.1. Her family’s integrity and her father’s reputation
1.1.1. She claims that “My paw’s never touched a hair o’ my head in my life,”
1.1.1.1. She values her family’s integrity as that is probably why she lied in court and didn’t sentence her father to jail, she values her father’s reputation as she didn’t want her father to be labelled as a child beater.
2. How Others See Her
2.1. Out of sympathy
2.1.1. “Mr Ewell didn’t seem to help her none, and neither did the chillun.”
2.1.1.1. Tom felt sorry for her because no one helped her to do anything. Other people felt sorry for her as she didn’t fit in with whites or blacks, Scout thought she was like “what Jem called a mixed child”.
3. Textual Issues or Concerns Linked To Her
3.1. It is suggested that her father is a drunk and is beating her up.
3.1.1. “Except when he’s drinking?”
3.1.1.1. This is very concerning for poor Mayella as she can’t do anything about it.
4. Looks Like
4.1. Fragile
4.1.1. 'She seemed somehow fragile looking' - page 195
4.1.1.1. Despite looking quite 'thick' her nerves and worry cause her to look fragaile
4.2. Tries to keeps clean
4.2.1. 'looked as if she tried to keep clean'
4.2.1.1. Despite being the least respectable people in town she still tried to look put together
4.3. 'Thick bodied'
4.3.1. 'a thick bodied girl accustomed to strenuous labour' - page 195
4.3.1.1. She was muscly from doing work around the property
5. Acts Like
5.1. Marked by accusations
5.1.1. “Won’t answer a word you say long as you keep on mockin’ me”
5.1.1.1. In an attempt to make herself seem more innocent tried to make Atticus look bad. She did this by accusing Atticus of doing means things like making fun of her when he clearly wasn’t.
6. Motivated By
6.1. Loneliness
6.1.1. “Mayella Ewell must have been the lonliest person in the world.”
6.1.1.1. Mayella was motivated by her loneliness and feeling neglected to act the way she did towards Tom, she would talk to him all the time as she had no one else to talk to.