Analyze Mayella's and Scout Finch's characterization in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Mayella
Ewell is Bob Ewell's oldest daughter and one of the antagonists of the story. Mayella is
portrayed as a lonely, ignorant teenager who is in desperate need of affection and fears her
unscrupulous, alcoholic father. Mayella's primary role in the story is falsely accusing Tom
Robinson of assaulting and raping her on the evening of November 21st. During the Tom Robinson
trial,exposes Mayella as a liar during his cross-examination. Mayella continually contradicts
her testimony and eventually becomes so upset and overwhelmed that she refuses to answer any
more of Atticus's questions. In Atticus's closing arguments, he comments on Mayella's motivation
to falsely accuse Tom Robinson of a heinous crime: Mayella knew that she had broken an unwritten
social code by tempting a black man and wanted to preserve her reputation. After Bob mercilessly
beat her, Mayella feared the consequences of not corroborating his story. While the audience can
sympathize with Mayella, they cannot overlook her malicious, selfish decision to falsely accuse
Tom Robinson of a crime he did not commit.

is theand narrator, who tells the
complicated story, in retrospect, of howcame to break his arm. Throughout the story, Scout is
depicted as a naive, curious tomboy growing up in the prejudiced community of Maycomb, Alabama.
Initially, Scout fears her reclusive neighbor, , and struggles to control her temper. As the
story progresses, Scout learns numerous life lessons from her father and neighbors and gradually
matures. Scout experiences conflict when she is forced to defend her father against her racist
family members and neighbors. Scout also loses her childhood innocence after witnessing Tom
Robinson become a victim of racist injustice.

Following the trial, Scout
morally develops into a compassionate, sympathetic individual, enhances her perspective on
Maycomb's community, and begins to recognize hypocrisy. Toward the end of the story, Scout and
Jem are viciously attacked by Bob Ewell. Fortunately, Boo Radley intervenes and saves their
lives. Following the attack, Scout meets Boo for the first time and walks him home. As she
stands on Boo's porch, Scout finally views the neighborhood from his perspective, which
emphasizes her maturation and moral development.