Ewell Family: Above The Law?

In Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird', the Ewells are a destitute and morally questionable family in Maycomb, led by the reprehensible Bob Ewell. Despite their dishonesty and lack of credibility, the Ewells are given preferential treatment by the court due to their perceived importance in the community. The family is allowed to get away with truancy and out-of-season hunting, as they are considered the lowest stratum of white society in the town and enforcing the law would worsen their condition.

Bob Ewell's children and their education

Bob Ewell's children are depicted as uneducated and unruly in Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird". The Ewells are considered the "lowest stratum of white society" in the town of Maycomb, where the novel is set. Bob Ewell is described as "reprehensible", and his family is labelled as "white trash".

The Ewell children are allowed to get away with breaking the law, such as by being truant from school, because the authorities believe that enforcing the law would worsen their condition. Bob Ewell's children are also permitted to be rude and disruptive without consequence. For example, Burris Ewell, who is introduced in the novel as one of Bob Ewell's children, makes several derogatory remarks to Miss Caroline, his teacher, and announces that he has "done [his] time for this year" on the first day of school.

The Ewell children are also portrayed as being unclean and living in a "dismal, filthy shack and yard". Scout, the narrator of the novel, mentions that Burris is the "filthiest human being" she has ever seen. Mayella Ewell, Bob's oldest daughter, is described as being involved in an incestuous and abusive relationship with her father, and is responsible for raising her seven younger siblings. Mayella is also depicted as being uneducated, as she is unable to attend school due to her responsibilities in taking care of her younger brothers and sisters, especially when her father goes on drinking binges.

The Ewell children's lack of education and their family's low social status contribute to their poor treatment by the town's authorities and their overall destitute condition.

Bob Ewell's hunting

Bob Ewell is a racist, alcoholic, and abusive patriarch of the Ewell family in Harper Lee's 1960 novel, *To Kill a Mockingbird*. The Ewells are considered "white trash" and are the lowest stratum of white society in the town of Maycomb. They are destitute and morally questionable, and Bob is known for his aggressive and drunken behaviour. He is also a neglectful father, and his children are often unkempt and hungry.

Bob Ewell gets away with breaking the law—specifically, hunting out of season—because the authorities know that his family relies on him for food. Ewell spends most of the family's money on alcohol, and his hunting provides food for his children. In addition, the Ewells have no shame and no money, so legal measures against them are ineffective. Placing Bob Ewell in jail, for instance, would accomplish little since he does not work and would lose nothing by being fed by the county. Therefore, the town authorities turn a blind eye to his illegal hunting.

Bob Ewell's character serves a larger purpose in the novel. The Ewells' false accusation against Tom Robinson leads to his trial and highlights the deep-seated racial prejudices in Maycomb. Despite being the antagonist of the story, Bob Ewell and his family are pivotal to the plot.

Alcoholism and government checks

Bob Ewell, the head of the Ewell household in Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird", is a notorious alcoholic. He is unemployed and spends his government relief checks on alcohol, neglecting his family. This behaviour is tolerated by the authorities because they believe that punishing him would worsen his children's condition. Ewell's alcoholism may be due to a combination of genetic predisposition and emotional strain following his wife's death, as well as his isolation and the community's disdain for him.

Ewell's drinking problem is well-established in the novel. During the trial of Tom Robinson, it is revealed that he spends his relief checks on alcohol and drinks alone in the swamp for days. This neglects his entire family, with Mayella, his daughter, left to take care of her siblings by herself. Atticus Finch, the protagonist's father, tells his daughter, Scout, that the authorities allow Ewell to hunt out of season so that his children do not starve, as he spends his money on whiskey.

Ewell's alcoholism is also evident in other parts of the novel. In one scene, Scout mentions that he acquired and lost a job within a matter of days, and that he was fired for laziness. This loss of interest and withdrawal from responsibility is a symptom of addiction, according to the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery. In another scene, Scout discusses how Ewell openly accused Atticus of getting him fired. Playing the blame game is common among alcoholics, who tend to blame anyone and anything but themselves, according to The Recovery Village.

The climax of the novel sees Ewell trying to kill Scout and Jem, presumably influenced by alcohol. When Scout accidentally touches Ewell's face, she notes the smell of stale whiskey, and when the sheriff tells Atticus about Ewell's death, he describes him as having "enough liquor in him to make him brave enough to kill two children." This confirms that Ewell's actions were influenced by his alcoholism, highlighting how addiction can lead to a loss of control and inhibition.

The Ewells' social status

The Ewells are a destitute and morally questionable family in Maycomb, known as "white trash" and considered the lowest stratum of white society in the town. They are led by the reprehensible Bob Ewell, a notorious alcoholic who is physically abusive to his daughter, Mayella. The Ewells have thrived on county welfare money for three generations, and Bob is known to spend the government checks he receives on alcohol. Despite their dishonesty and lack of credibility, the Ewells are given special privileges and preferential treatment by the authorities due to their perceived importance in the community.

The Ewells are allowed certain privileges, such as truancy leniency and permission for Bob to hunt out of season, because enforcing the law would worsen their condition and harm innocent family members. The town authorities recognise that the Ewells are set in their ways and that strict enforcement of the law would be ineffective without causing further harm to the children. For example, the Ewell children are only required to attend the first day of school each year, as their parent does not value education and there is no parental insistence on their attendance. The town officials understand that legal measures against the Ewells would be virtually ineffective, as they have neither shame nor money to pay any fines.

The Ewells are pivotal to the plot of "To Kill a Mockingbird", as their false accusation against Tom Robinson leads to his trial and highlights the deep-seated racial prejudices in Maycomb. Their social status as the poorest of the poor and their reputation for being rude, unruly, and morally debased individuals contribute to the injustices in the trial involving Tom Robinson.

The Ewells' reputation

The Ewells are a destitute and morally questionable family in Maycomb, led by the reprehensible Bob Ewell. They are considered ''white trash," the lowest stratum of white society in the town. The Ewells have been a disgrace for generations, living outside societal norms and refusing to change. They are known for their laziness and refusal to work, with Bob Ewell even losing a job due to his indolence.

Despite their reputation, the Ewells receive special privileges from the town authorities. They are allowed to be truant from school and Bob is permitted to hunt out of season. These concessions are made because enforcing the law would worsen their condition and potentially harm the children. The town officials recognise that the Ewells are set in their ways and that strict enforcement of the law would be ineffective.

The Ewells' false accusation against Tom Robinson highlights the deep-seated racial prejudices in Maycomb and drives the plot of the story. Despite their reputation and dishonesty, the Ewells are given preferential treatment by the court due to their perceived importance in the community. This leads to injustices in the trial involving Tom Robinson.

Frequently asked questions