Question

What distinction does Atticus make in his speech about the written and unwritten laws of Maycomb? Which does he claim that Mayella ewell has violated? How does this help explain why she has falsely accused tom Robinson ?

Answer 1

1. Both the written and the unwritten laws keep the community and the society together. The written ones that are laws and the unwritten ones that are customs and traditions. To see if the written laws have been broken is what the courts need to establish, and not the unwritten ones.

2. Atticus then claims that no written laws were broken by neither Mayella nor Tom Robinson when they kissed. Mayella, in fact, is the one who broke the unwritten laws and codes and customs of Maycomb when she decided and kissed Tom Robinson. She kissed a black person, and that was her transgression according to society.

3. Because she kissed a black person she felt guilty. Her father would not have such "shame" befall their family and Atticus clearly states that it was her father who has beaten her because she broke the "code". Because of her guilt she decides to hide the fact that she wanted to and did kiss Tom she accused him of r.ape.