I absolutely love both of these novels, but I had never
considered any similarities until I read your
post.
Actually, I think you may be able to compare and
contrast some of the events regarding Mariam and her relationships with adults (her
mother and her husband, particularly) with those of Mayella and the adults who affect
her (father Bob and, possibly Tom Robinson).
Like Mariam,
Mayella is born into a world where her immediate family is already well-defined: Mayella
is a Ewell, the "disgrace of Maycomb," whose father is the most despised man in
town. Mariam is a bastard, whose mother fathered her out of wedlock and then was outcast
from the house in which she worked. Neither family will ever be able to rise above its
extremely low status, and neither Mariam nor Mayella will find a decent companion
willing to forgive their past or their family roots.
Both
women lose their parent(s), leaving them to deal with a hostile outside world on their
own. Neither have ever known happiness (other than Mariam's visits from her father), and
their male relationships are disastrous (Mariam with her husband; Mayella with her
father and with Tom).
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