To Kill A Mockingbird Rhetorical Analysis

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Bob Ewell made his testimony, and, as usual, he was a disrespectful pig. Excuse my language. He answered with a snarky tone and as if the answers to the questions asked were very obvious. After every question he answered, he would repeat the same words: “I most positively was” or “I am positively sure.” Something about this told me he was not positively sure about what he was testifying.
Mayella Ewell was next. She got up and walked to the witness stand with a bit of fear visible in her face. After three simple questions, Mayella suddenly burst into tears, and sobbed until Judge Taylor said it was enough. I knew exactly what she was doing. She was trying to get everyone feel bad for her so they would go easy on her. I’m sure Atticus saw right through her, but I couldn’t be sure. After her recital, she seemed to have more confidence, and started to repeat her …show more content…
He was asking about her home and social life. I understood this technique. Atticus knows that Tom had not hurt Mayella, and he wanted everyone to see how her father treats her and how he acts. When Mayella was asked if her father is good to her and if he is easy to get along with, Mayella responds saying he is tolerable, but stops short at “except when.” I saw her look at her father before she stopped. It is clear that Bob Ewell is not good to her, and I assumed it was because he frequently got drunk. After all, he doesn’t usually seem to be with the children at home, from what Mayella had said before. Atticus then asked Mayella if she remembers Tom Robinson beating her on the face. She hesitates, and it was clear in her answer that she is making it up. She had been silent for a while, as if coming up with the story, and then said, “No, I don’t recollect if he hit me. I mean yes he hit me.” She says she just doesn’t remember because it happened so fast, but she was positive about other details, and even felt the need to add a “certainly” or
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