In Chapter 18, it is revealed that Tom Robinson has a crippled left arm. When Mayella Ewell is on the witness stand accusing Tom of beating her, Atticus asks Tom Robinson to stand up so Mayella could get a closer look at him. When Tom Robinson stands, the entire courtroom sees that his left arm is twelve inches shorter than his other arm, and it hangs "dead" at the side of his body. Scout also...
In Chapter 18, it is revealed that Tom Robinson has a crippled left arm. When Mayella Ewell is on the witness stand accusing Tom of beating her, Atticus asks Tom Robinson to stand up so Mayella could get a closer look at him. When Tom Robinson stands, the entire courtroom sees that his left arm is twelve inches shorter than his other arm, and it hangs "dead" at the side of his body. Scout also mentions that the end of his left arm is shriveled. Reverend Sykes leans over and tells Jem that Tom caught his arm in a cotton gin when he was a child, and it tore Tom's muscles from his bone.
This is a crucial detail in the case against Tom Robinson because the fact that his left arm is unusable means that he could not have been responsible for Mayella's injuries. Mayella's right side of her face was badly beaten, and her neck had bruises the entire way around it. Whoever beat Mayella, must have been left-handed and had strong enough hands to choke her. Tom Robinson's left hand was useless, but it was revealed that Bob Ewell was, in fact, left-handed. Later on in the trial, Atticus explains Bob's motivation to assault his daughter and blame Tom Robinson for her injuries. Unfortunately, Tom is convicted of raping and beating Mayella despite the overwhelming evidence that suggests otherwise.
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