The role of the Tom Robinson and C. Mayella in the social structure of the novel.

The Ewells are at the bottom of the social hierarchy in Maycomb. There are the Negros but even among the white population, the Ewells are considered, in their hearts, the lowest of class. Mayella's father is Bob Ewell. They pretty much live on a garbage dump. Bob is a drunk and lives off the charity of the town. It is also implicit that Bob has raped his daughter. Tom Robinson, on the other hand, is a hardworking man with a young family. His social status among the whites is a bit of a paradox. The whites in town can see that Tom is an upstanding citizen but at the same time their bigotry prevents them from treating him with the respect that he deserves. Among the black community, there are no illusions about either of these people. Sadly, despite overwhelming evidence, the white jury turns a blind eye to true social standing and side with their hate.