Like her father, Mayella is ignorant, poor, and hostile on the witness stand. Like her father, she lies under oath without hesitation. However, there are some significant differences between them. There is still some softness in Mayella. She cares for the little children at home and tries to bring some beauty to her surroundings. (She planted flowers and watered them every day.) Unlike Bob Ewell, Mayella is not unaware of the squalor in which she lives. She longs for more than she has, unlike her father who is content with his miserable life of drunken laziness.
At Tom's trial, Atticus questions Mayella on the stand, establishing that her story is a lie, tripping her up relentlessly in her false testimony. Finally, Atticus pins her down: "What did your father see in the window, the crime of rape or the best defense to it . . . .[d]idn't Bob Ewell beat you up?" Having to ask the question sickens him; Mayella reacts with terror and fury, lashing out at Atticus and the jury, as well. It is at this point she bursts into tears. The truth that Atticus has revealed to everyone in the courtroom causes Mayella more shame than she can bear.
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