what does Lee illustrate with Scouts pity for Mayella? What is the significance of Tom admitting that he felt sorry for Mayella?

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The significance of Tom admitting his pity for Mayella can be found in the reaction of those present. This would have been ungeard of; blacks did not ever voice pity for whites, and it would have been considered a great insult. None-the-less, it mattered not that the Ewells were higher on the social ladder; he told the truth.