Question

In To Kill a Mockingbird, what is the testimony of Heck Tate, Bob Ewell, Mayella Ewell, and Tom Robinson, and what is Atticus's summary?

Accepted Answer

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Heck Tate testifies that he visited the Ewell house to find Mayella on the floor, the right side of her face badly beaten. Bob Ewell testifies that he heard Mayella's screams and ran inside to find Tom raping her. Mayella Ewell testifies that she offered Tom a nickel to break down a wardrobe for her. Atticus summarizes that, since Tom has an incapacitated left hand, the jury should blame Bob Ewell for this tragedy.

Answer

The key segment of Heck Tate's testimony comes during Atticus's cross-examination. In describing the injuries that he found on Mayella Ewell, he recalls that she was beaten on the right side of her face and that she had finger marks all the way around her throat.
Bob Ewell, a crude man who insults nearly everyone in the courtroom during his testimony, testifies that on the night in question, he heard Mayella screaming violently. He claims that he ran to the house and found Tom Robinson raping Mayella. He testifies that Tom ran out of the house before could be captured, and he also acknowledges that he didn't think Mayella should have been seen by a doctor for her injuries. He also demonstrates that he is left-handed, which means that he could have inflicted the injuries on Mayella himself.
Mayella Ewell proves skeptical of everyone in court, particularly Atticus. She finds his polite mannerisms insulting, as she has clearly never been treated with an iota of respect and cannot process his intentions. She testifies that she had invited Tom Robinson to "bust up [a] chiffarobe" for her and that he had run up behind her, grabbed her around the neck, and had begun beating her. When Atticus asks Mayella to point to the man who had committed these crimes against her, she points to Tom Robinson. Tom stands, and it is clear that his left hand, a shriveled appendage, could not have inflicted the injuries that Mayella claims.
Tom Robinson takes the stand and testifies that he had done odd jobs for Mayella on several occasions after she had asked him to do so; he realized that no one else would help her. On this day, she had invited him in and had then tried to kiss him. Tom had tried to escape, but Mayella blocked his path, and Tom didn't want to hurt her. Around this time, Bob Ewell had returned home and had threatened to kill Mayella. Tom ran.
In his closing arguments, Atticus reminds the jury of the promises guaranteed in the Declaration of Independence and that all men are created equal. He acknowledges that "all men are not created equal in the sense some people would have us believe." But he insists that in the courts of the United States, people should be treated equally. He urges the men to do the right thing and release Tom to go home to his family based on the evidence they have heard.

Answer

Heck Tate is the first to testify and states that when he arrived on the scene, Mayella Ewell was severely beaten on the right side of her face. He also mentions that there were marks around Mayella's throat, which indicated that she had been choked.
 Bob Ewell states that when he came home, he saw Tom Robinson "ruttin’ on my Mayella!" through the window. Bob Ewell then testifies that he immediately ran for Sheriff Tate instead of calling a doctor. Bob then testifies that he agrees with Sheriff Tate's testimony regarding the location and extent of Mayella's injuries. Atticus then makes him write his signature to prove that he is left-handed.
Mayella Ewell gives a conflicting testimony, which proves that she is lying. Mayella testifies that she asked Tom to bust up an old chiffarobe for a nickel, and he attacked her once he got inside the home. She states that Tom grabbed her neck from behind, threw her to the ground, and proceeded to rape her. She also mentions that she screamed for her life and remembers seeing her father and Sheriff Tate when she regained consciousness. During Atticus's cross-examination, Mayella gives a conflicting testimony regarding the sequence of events and the exact details of Tom's assault. She cannot recall him beating her in the face and says,

No, I don’t recollect if he hit me. I mean yes I do, he hit me . . . Huh? Yes, he hit—I just don’t remember, I just don’t remember . . . it all happened so quick.

After testifying that Tom was her attacker, Mayella continues to fabricate her story by saying that Tom's punches glanced across her face and she could not run away.
Tom Robinson testifies that Mayella asked him to help her put a door back on its hinges inside the house. He then testifies that there were no children in the home and when he stood on a step to retrieve a box on top of a chiffarobe, Mayella hugged him around his legs and kissed him. Tom then saw and heard Bob Ewell outside and ran out of the house as fast as he could.
Atticus sums up the case by commenting on the lack of medical evidence, reminding the jury to consider Mayella and Bob's conflicting testimonies, and mentioning Bob Ewell's motivation to beat his daughter. Atticus then encourages the jury to look past their prejudice and judge the case fairly.

Answer

what chapter???????????????

Answer

HECK TATE.  Heck testifies that after being contacted by Bob Ewell, he visits the Ewell house to find a beaten Mayella on the floor. He says that he found the right side of her face badly beaten with bruises around her neck.

Answer

HECK TATE.  Heck testifies that after being contacted by Bob Ewell, he visits the Ewell house to find a beaten Mayella on the floor. He says that he found the right side of her face badly beaten with bruises around her neck.
BOB EWELL.  Bob claims to have heard Mayella screaming from within the Ewell house, and when he came inside, he saw " ' that black nigger yonder ruttin' on my Mayella! ' " Tom ran away after seeing Bob. During Atticus' cross examination, however, Bob complied with the request to write his name, which he did--with his left hand.
MAYELLA EWELL.  Mayella claims that she offered Tom a nickel to" 'bust up this chiffarobe,' " and when he came inside,

" 'fore I knew it he was on me. Just run up behind me, he did. He got me round the neck, cussin' me and sayin' dirt... He hit me agin an; agin."

During Atticus' cross examination, however, her story became less specific, and she recanted her earlier statement.

"No, I don't recollect if he hit me. I mean yes I do, he hit me... Yes, he hit--I just don't remember, I just don't remember... it all happened so quick."

TOM ROBINSON.  Tom claims that he came inside the Ewell's house at Mayella's request, and she suddenly kissed him and grabbed him around the waist while he stood on a chair. He immediately ran from the house out of fear, and as he did, Bob Ewell appeared at the window. " ' You goddam whore, I'll kill ya, ' " Bob yelled at Mayella. Tom denied ever raping or harming Mayella in any way.
JUDGE TAYLOR.  The judge had little to say, other than keeping order in the courtroom on several occasions. He made no summation or statement to the jury that was recorded by Scout (as narrator).
ATTICUS FINCH'S SUMMARY.  Atticus's heartfelt summation requests the jury to overlook Tom's color and consider that Bob may have initiated Mayella's beating. He asks the jury to do its duty and, " ' In the name of God, believe him (Tom). ' "

Answer

ok here goes no guarantees here haha
 
Heck Tate:  Bob Ewell fetched him, saying some one had raped Mayella, he went over, she was pretty bruised up.  Mayella identified Tom Robinson as the culprit and he was taken into custody. 
Bob Ewell:  He looked in the window, saw Tom Robinson raping Mayella, and ran him off, and ran for the sheriff. 
Mayella Ewell:  She asked Tom Robinson to "bust up a chiffarobe" for her, she went inside to get him a nickel and he came up behind her, beat her up, and raped her. 
Tom Robinson: He came inside because Mayella had asked him to fix a doorhinge or something, she took advantage of him and he couldn't fight back because that would be striking a white woman.  He ran off when Mr. Ewell came because it would have looked like something it wasn't, like it did. 
I hope i could help, try reading chapters 17-22

To Kill a Mockingbird

In To Kill a Mockingbird, what is the testimony of Heck Tate, Bob Ewell, Mayella Ewell, and Tom Robinson, and what is Atticus's summary?

Expert Answers

Unlock This Answer Now

Related Questions

What is Jem's opinion on Mayella, Bob Ewell, Heck Tate, and Tom Robinson?

Summarize the testimonies of the four main witnesses at the trial in To Kill a Mockingbird: Sheriff Heck Tate, Bob Ewell, Mayella Ewell, and Tom Robinson. How are they similar and how do they differ?

What are the differences between Tom Robinson's and Mayella Ewell's testimonies in To Kill A Mockingbird?

Discuss Heck Tate's testimony in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

What was Heck Tate's Testimony in To Kill a Mockingbird chapter 17?