In chapter 20 of To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus explains how he feels about Mayella Ewell in his closing arguments as follows:
"I have nothing but pity in my heart for the chief witness for the state, but my pity does not extend so far as to her putting a man's life at stake, which she has done in an effort to get rid of her own guilt" (203).
Atticus feels sorry for Mayella....
In chapter 20 of To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus explains how he feels about Mayella Ewell in his closing arguments as follows:
"I have nothing but pity in my heart for the chief witness for the state, but my pity does not extend so far as to her putting a man's life at stake, which she has done in an effort to get rid of her own guilt" (203).
Atticus feels sorry for Mayella. He understands that she is uneducated and controlled by her abusive father, but his job is to defend Tom Robinson to the best of his ability. He also can't condone the fact that Mayella chooses to lie about what happened between her and Tom Robinson because it will most likely result in Tom's death.
Later, in chapter 23, Atticus shows that he continues to feel compassion towards Mayella even after the trial of Tom Robinson. For example, Mayella's father tries to provoke Atticus into a physical fight by spitting and cussing at him. Atticus tells his children the following:
"The man had to have some kind of comeback, his kind always does. So if spitting in my face and threatening me saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that's something I'll gladly take. He had to take it out on somebody and I'd rather it be me than that houseful of children out there" (218).
Atticus feels pity and compassion for Mayella Ewell, but that doesn't mean he doesn't do his best to defend his client, Tom Robinson, against her false accusations. At the end of the day, Atticus knows what Mayella Ewell suffers from poverty and abuse; therefore, he doesn't treat her disrespectfully in court or in public.
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