Testimony Contradictions

The testimonies of Bob and Mayella Ewell contradict each other by having different takes on the incident. Originally, when Bob Ewell was being cross-examined by Mr. Finch, he stated that he ran to the house and saw in the window, Tom Robinson on his daughter. “‘...I run up to th’ window and seen-’ Mr. Ewell’s face grew scarlet. He stood up and pointed his finger at Tom Robinson. ‘-I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin’ on my Mayella!’” This quote clearly states that in Bob Ewell’s testimony, he claims to have seen Tom Robinson attacking his daughter. Mayella’s version of the story to the court contradicts her father’s. She goes on to recount the experience like this: “I don’t remember to good, but the next thing I knew Papa was in the room a’staning over me hollerin’ who done it, who done it?” Here, Mayella says the opposite of what her father said. She tells the court that he did not know who attacked her. Given the quotes listed above, an in-depth reader could identify the changes in Bob and Mayella’s stories of what happened that night.

Zach