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To Kill a Mockingbird

by Harper Lee

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How does Bob Ewell cause problems for Helen Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird?

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Bob Ewell causes problems for Helen Robinson by stalking and harassing her. He and his children spit at her when she walks by, and Bob follows her to work, uttering obscenities. Helen's employer, Link Deas, intervenes by threatening Ewell with assault charges if he continues. Ewell ceases his harassment after Deas's threats, allowing Helen to work without fear.

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Atticus has proven that Tom is innocent, but the jury convicts him anyway. After Tom is killed, his widow, Helen, needs to find a way to support herself and her children. Rev. Sykes tries to help and guide her. Link Deas, who was Tom's employer, gives her a job, so she can support herself. She is very grateful for the chance and feels like she can provide for her family. 

Bob Ewell is a nasty man, who is not happy with anything. He still sees Atticus and Helen as obstacles in his life. He starts to follow Helen on her way to and from work. His family mistreats her if they get the chance. He has enlisted them to held in his plan. He frightens Helen so much, that she finally tells Link Deas what is going on. Mr. Deas walks her home so she won't be alone and the...

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subject to more torment. Mr. Deas finally has enough of Bob and threatens to call the police and have him arrested if he doesn't stop. This scares Bob off, so he focuses his attention to getting back at Atticus.

Bob Ewell is the kind of man that doesn't care about anything. He is mean and hateful and always has been. Helen has done nothing to hurt anybody. Her husband was innocent but sent to prison and then killed. She is trying to take care of her family, and Bob doesn't want her to be able to do that, but in the end Bob gets what is coming to him and Helen is able to take care of herself and her family.

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In To Kill a Mockingbird, what does Bob Ewell do to Helen Robinson?

In Chapter 27, Calpurnia tells Scout that things were tough on Helen Robinson after Tom died. She tells Scout that Helen was forced to walk nearly a mile out of her way to work in order to avoid Bob Ewell. Helen had told Calpurnia that Bob "chunked at her" the first time she used the public road. Helen's boss, Link Deas, noticed that Helen was coming to work from the wrong direction every morning and asked Helen why. Helen told Link Deas what Bob had done, and Link decided to walk Helen home that night. Link stopped in front of Bob's home and threatened to call the police on him the next time he heard Helen complain about him.

The next day, Helen walked down the main road and nobody "chunked at her." However, when she walked a short distance beyond Bob's yard, she turned around and saw Bob following her. Bob followed her the entire way to Link Deas' house muttering foul words. Helen was so scared that she called Link Deas who was at his store. When Link Deas arrived at his home, he saw Bob Ewell leaning on his fence. Link told him to get off his property and threatened to have Bob arrested for assault. Bob responded by saying, "I ain't touch her, Link Deas, and ain't about to go with no nigger!" (Lee 334). Link Deas then told Bob that he didn't have to touch Helen for it to be considered assault and that he'd get Bob arrested for violating the Ladies' Law.

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