When it comes to the Ewell family in Harper Lee’s novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” poverty is a recurring theme. The Ewells, led by Bob Ewell, are known for their destitute living conditions and lack of resources. In this article, we have compiled a list of quotes about the Ewells being poor, showcasing the impact poverty has on their lives and the society they inhabit.
Throughout the novel, Harper Lee emphasizes the Ewells’ poverty as a contributing factor to their behavior and reputation. These quotes shed light on the harsh realities faced by the Ewells and the consequences it has on their interactions within the community.
Read on to explore these quotes that provide insight into the Ewells’ impoverished circumstances and the effect it has on their lives.
Read these quotes about the Ewells being poor
“The Ewells lived behind the town garbage dump in what was once a Negro cabin.”
“The cabin’s plank walls were supplemented with sheets of corrugated iron, its roof shingled with tin cans hammered flat.”
“The Ewells were the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations.”
“Nobody knew what form of intimidation Mr. Ewell employed to keep Boo out of sight, but Jem figured that Mr. Ewell kept him chained to the bed most of the time.”
“The Ewells had been the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations.”
“Bob Ewell’s face was as red as his neck. I wondered if the judge really thought his tactics would keep the jury out so long. Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men’s hearts, Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.”
“They were people, but they lived like animals.”
“Bob Ewell was permitted to holler, howl, and contradict.”
“The jury, thinking themselves under close scrutiny, paid attention to Miss Mayella as if she were a lady.”
“Mr. Ewell was sitting smugly in the witness chair, surveying his handiwork.”
“The witnesses for the state, with the exception of the sheriff of Maycomb County, have presented themselves to you gentlemen, to this court, in the cynical confidence that their testimony would not be doubted, confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption — the evil assumption — that all Negroes lie, all Negroes are basically immoral beings, all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber.”
“It came to me that Mayella Ewell must have been the loneliest person in the world.”
“Mayella looked as if she tried to keep clean, and I was reminded of the row of red geraniums in the Ewells’ yard.”
“When I went by, Miss Stephanie Crawford was watching from her front yard. She appeared to be expecting me.”
“Nobody was quite sure how many children were on the place. Some people said six, others said nine; there were always several dirty-faced ones at the windows when anyone passed by.”
“Mayella looked from under lowered eyelids at Atticus, but she said to the judge: “Long’s’s he keeps on callin’ me ma’am an sayin’ Miss Mayella. I don’t hafta take his sass, I ain’t called upon to take it.”
“I said, ‘In Mayella’s mind, that is.'”
“The defense seemed to have something more, but that was Tom Robinson’s story. It was a good one, but it gave the white audience a sense of superiority over him. They were able to forget that Tom Robinson’s physical disability made his crime impossible. They were simply committing an act of racial injustice, regardless of the facts presented before them.”
“It was as if she had said, ‘Yes, I’ll marry you after the trial.'”
These quotes exemplify the Ewells’ poverty, the prejudice they face, and the impact it has on the town of Maycomb. Through these powerful words, Harper Lee effectively portrays the struggles and hardships endured by the Ewells due to their impoverished circumstances.
Understanding the role of poverty in “To Kill a Mockingbird” provides valuable insights into the novel’s themes of injustice, prejudice, and the societal divisions that exist within Maycomb.
Whether you sympathize with the Ewells or condemn their actions, these quotes provide a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics at play in Harper Lee’s masterpiece.
