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To Kill a Mockingbird

by Harper Lee

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Burris Ewell's Character and Family in To Kill a Mockingbird

Summary:

Burris Ewell, introduced early in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, represents the deplorable nature of the Ewell family, known as the "disgrace of Maycomb." On Scout's first school day, Burris is depicted as filthy and disrespectful, with lice in his hair, and only attends the first day annually to avoid truancy issues. His father, Bob Ewell, neglects the children and is notorious for alcoholism and law-breaking. Burris's behavior foreshadows the family's significant negative role in the story.

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What do we learn about Burris and the Ewell family in chapter 3 of To Kill a Mockingbird?

In Chapter 3, the reader is introduced to Burris Ewell and given insight into the most despicable family in Maycomb. On Scout's first day of school, a cootie falls out of Burris Ewell's hair, and he proceeds to display his rude, disrespectful personality by insulting Miss Caroline. Scout mentions that Burris is the filthiest person she has ever seen, and another member of the class explains to Miss Caroline that the Ewells only attend the first day of school every year. Therefore, Burris is much older than most of the students in Scout's class, and his father does not care if his children attend school. The student also tells Miss Caroline that Burris has no mother and his "paw's right contentious." Burris then displays his offensive personality by cursing at Miss Caroline as he leaves the class.

Later that night, Scout tells Atticus about her first day of...

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school. Atticus gives additional insight into the lives of the Ewells by telling his daughter that the Ewells have been the disgrace of Maycomb for many generations. Atticus says that they lived like animals and were given special privileges because of their unconventional ways. The reader learns that the community gives Bob Ewell permission to hunt out of season because he is an alcoholic who spends most of his money on green whiskey instead of feeding his children. Overall, the reader learns that Burris is the product of a disgraceful family who live like animals and are viewed with contempt throughout Maycomb.

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Who is Burris Ewell in To Kill a Mockingbird?

In Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbirg, Burris Ewell is the son Bob Ewell and, like the rest of his family, is somewhat lacking in the finer points of personal hygiene.  He is first introduced to the reader in Chapter Three, when his and Scout's teacher, Miss Caroline, suggests he go home and clean up.  Scout, the novel's narrator, describes Burris, and the scene in the classroom, as follows:

The boy stood up. He was the filthiest human I had ever seen. His neck was dark gray, the backs of his hands were rusty, and his fingernails were black deep into the quick. He peered at Miss Caroline from a fist-sized clean space on his face. No one had noticed him, probably, because Miss Caroline and I had entertained the class most of the morning.
“And Burris,” said Miss Caroline, “please bathe yourself before you come back
tomorrow.”
The boy laughed rudely. “You ain’t sendin‘ me home, missus. I was on the verge of leavin’—I done done my time for this year.”
Miss Caroline looked puzzled. “What do you mean by that?”
The boy did not answer. He gave a short contemptuous snort.

Burris is not only representative of his family in terms of hygiene, but also in terms of disregard for authority and primitiveness in his world outlook.  His father, of course, is the town's leading racist and slob.

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Describe Burris Ewell in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Poor Burris Ewell.  He is definitely a product of his environment.  He lives next door to the dump, has an abusive father, and there is very little hope for a bright future.  He has taken on the qualities of his father; he is mean, abusive, and ignorant.  Like his father, he has a nasty reputation with his peers and intentionally makes Miss Caroline cry on the first day of school.  He comes to school on the first day only because the law requires it. He is dirty and has a head full of lice.  He has probably been abused like his other seven brothers and sisters, and Burris must scavenge for basic necessities in the town dump.  Burris’ mother’s whereabouts is unknown; she is either dead or has run off from her abusive situation.  He has been raised by his sister, Mayella, and has probably not experienced much love or affection.

In the novel, Burris Ewell and his family are symbols of southern white poverty where the need to survive causes them to do desperate things for respect and power. This is also shown through Bob Ewell's attack on Scout and Jem, through his beating of Mayella, and through accusing Tom Robinson of rape.  Burris is just following in his father's footsteps.

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Burris makes only one appearance in the novel, in chapter 3, but it is enough to establish his character as a smaller version of his father Bob, who appears later in the book as the chief villain of the piece. His depiction is both humorous and grim. The humour comes from the fact of a louse crawling out of his hair that terrifies the teacher Miss Caroline, although her students are quite blase about it. Also he only comes to school on the first day in order to satisfy the absolute minimum of requirements for school attendance.

However, although Burris is grimy and unkempt, the real negative aspect to his presentation is an element of viciousness that clearly comes through. He takes delight in genuinely upsetting his teacher. He isn't just impertinent, he wants to actually hurt her; it is said that 'he waited until he was sure she was crying' before slouching out the door. This foreshadows the active malevolence of his father later in the book. It is left to Miss Caroline's other students to try and comfort her, which they do rather well, as they are a genuinely kind-hearted bunch. Burris Ewell seems to be the only real bad apple.

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Burris is Scout's dirty, foul-mouthed first grade classmate in Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Burris only appears in one scene, but we can see clearly that, unfortunately, the son of Bob Ewell is a chip off the ol' block.

He was the filthiest human I had ever seen. His neck was dark gray, the backs of his hands were rusty, and his fingernails were black deep into the quick.

The new teacher, Miss Caroline, nearly fainted when she saw a "cootie" traversing through the boy's unwashed hair. When Miss Caroline suggested that he bathe before coming back to school the next day, he "laughed rudely" at her and then threatened her. The gallant Little Chuck Little reached for his knife to protect his teacher, but Burris didn't stay around much longer. He called Miss Caroline a " 'snot-nosed slut' " before heading home for good.

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Who is Burris Ewell and how does he scare Miss Caroline in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Burris Ewell is a member of the Ewell family. He is the son of Bob Ewell and the younger brother of Mayella Ewell. Scout describes Burris as

"the filthiest human [she] had ever seen. His neck was dark gray, the backs of his hands were rusty, and his fingernails were black deep into the quick" (To Kill a Mockingbird, chapter 3).

On the first day of school, Burris Ewell announces his intention to leave and go home. He tells Miss Caroline that this is his third time attending only the first day of the first grade.

Miss Caroline spots lice in Burris' hair. She is greatly disturbed. She is afraid that if he does not leave and treat his head lice, the other students in the class may also get it. She tells Burris to wash his hair with lye soap and then treat his scalp with kerosene. Burris is defiant and insults Miss Caroline. He leaves the classroom only after he makes his teacher cry.

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How does Burris Ewell contrast with the other children in To Kill A Mockingbird?

Although many of Scout's classmates come from poor families and are repeating first grade, Burris Ewell is described as being the filthiest human she has ever seen. Unlike the majority of Scout's classmates, Burris Ewell is a rude, disrespectful child who insults Miss Caroline after she threatens to call the principal. Burris also refuses to attend school for the remainder of the year after the first day. Scout's other classmates behave admirably and assist Miss Caroline after Burris Ewell makes her cry. The other children throughout the novel are relatively well-behaved individuals who were raised to treat authority figures with respect. Harper Lee introduces Burris in order to characterize and provide background information for the despicable Ewell family. The central conflict throughout the novel involves an innocent African American man who is accused of assaulting and raping Burris's sister, Mayella Ewell. Burris's offensive behavior illustrates his negative upbringing and sheds light on the disgraceful ways of the Ewell family.

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The description of Burris as crude and unclean foreshadows the later events of the novel when Tom Robinson is accused of raping Mayella Ewell. By introducing Burris, the Ewell family's history is also introduced, so we aren't shocked by what happens in the trial. Knowing this background allows us to feel some pity for Mayella when she later testifies, but we feel nothing but disgust toward Bob Ewell, knowing that he allows his children to live in such a way. This early information makes it even more sickening that Tom Robinson is found guilty.

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Describe Burris Ewell's situation in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Burris Ewell arrives in the story as the newest thorn in Miss Caroline's side. She sees lice on Burris and becomes hysterical. She attempts to give him directions on how to get rid of the vermin, but he doesn't understand. Little Chuck Little tries to smooth things out, but when Miss Caroline asks Burris to sit down, he becomes angry. She tries to talk to him, but Little Chuck Little tells her to “Let him go ma’am. . . . He’s a mean one. . . . and there’s some little folks here.”  Scout describes how Little Chuck Little threatens Burris with “I’d soon’s kill you as look at you. Now go home.” Burris does leave, but not before letting Miss Caroline know that she has no control over him, & calling her a slut.

Burris is a member of Ewell family who will play so prominently later in the novel. His personality foreshadows what the family will experience with his father during the trial.He only shows up on the first day of school, & the truant officer does nothing to get him or any other Ewell to come back. The society of the town also overlooks the Ewell's hunting out of season; Atticus asks Scout if it would be better for the Ewell children to go hungry by enforcing the laws. In the same way, the town turns a blind eye to the education issue. The Ewells are left entirely to their own devices on the outskirts of town. Atticus uses this situation as a teaching moment for Scout, encouraging her to walk around in someone else's skin, to understand something from someone else's point of view.

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What makes Burris Ewell unusual in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Burris Ewell is unusual for being extraordinarily filthy and for having lice in his hair; he also speaks to the teacher with much disrespect. Each year he only comes to school on the first day. Perhaps his most inappropriate behavior is his aggression toward Miss Caroline.

When one of the students points out that Burris has "cooties," Miss Caroline notices Burris for the first time. She advises Burris on how to remove lice from his hair; he asks her "What fer, missus?" Then, Miss Caroline tells Burris to bathe before he returns to school, then:

The boy laughed rudely. "You ain't sendin' me home, missus, I was on the verge of leavin'—I done done my time for this year."

Miss Caroline is perplexed by Burris's claim that he only comes one day each year. An older member of the class informs his teacher that the Ewells are always truant. They only attend the first day because the truancy officer "threatens 'em with the sheriff." However, she has despaired of keeping them in school during the year. As Burris continues to be insulting, Miss Caroline tells him to sit down. "You try and make me, missus," Burris retorts. Little Chuck Little suggests that his teacher let him go. "He's a mean one, a hard-down mean one. He's liable to start somethin', and there's some little folks here." Burris does leave, but before he goes, he insults Miss Caroline upon departing.

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