how does mayella ewell tell us about life and society in maycomb

Mayella Ewell is representative of a very particular underclass in Maycomb. Really, when we read beneath the lines Mayella is abused in the worst way. She is left alone with a gaggle of kids (that may be her own) living on a garbage dump. She has no friends or anyone to confide in; she just has an abusive father who rapes her. So, it is no surprise that when Atticus treats her with respect in court, Mayella can't handle it. Mayella is representative of a woman who, as Scout says, "must be the loneliest person in the world."