While she is on the witness stand, Mayella Ewell relates the incidents of the day of the supposed rape. She states that she called to "Robinson," offering him a nickel if he would "bust up" a chiffarobe for her. Then, she claims that when she turned around, he assaulted her.
'Fore I knew it he was on me. Just run up behind me, he did . . . he chunked me on the floor an' choked me'n took advantage of me."
Mr. Gilmer, the prosecutor, then asks Mayella if she screamed and fought Robinson to establish that he forced himself upon her. Mayella replies, "I reckon I did . . . kicked and hollered loud as I could." Again, Mr. Gilmer asks her if she fought as hard as she could. He then inquires, "You are positive that he took full advantage of you?" Mayella twists her face and appears to be holding back a strong urge to cry. She underscores her previous claim of rape by saying, "he done what he was after."
As Atticus questions Mayella, Mayella reiterates the testimony that she gave to Mr. Gilmer, namely, that Tom Robinson choked her and then released her throat and hit her. Atticus then has Tom stand up so that the jurors and all those in the courtroom can see that Tom only has one arm which he can use. When Mayella realizes that Atticus intends to discredit her testimony by raising doubt in the minds of the jurors as to how Tom could choke her, quickly strike her, throw her down, and rape her when he has only one useful arm, Mayella's face becomes "a mixture of terror and fury."
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