Tom's testimony has the effect of making Scout feel sympathetic towards both Tom and Mayella. Explain why she is sympathetic towards each of them.

Scout is sympathetic towards Tom because he was facing racial bias by the jury, whereas, Mayella was caught up in events and has to testify against Tom even when she does not like it. The jury was only interested in hearing that a black men has assaulted a white women. This scenario has made this trial offensive and unbiased for both of them.

Explanation:

Scout realizes that both Tom and Mayella are in awkward condition. Tom was vulnerable to racial discrimination and his defense was not taken seriously by the jury. On the other hand, Mayella was scared and had a hard life. She also do not intend to harm Tom Robinson. When Scout put herself in Mayella's shoes, she started noticing her fragility towards this trial, and how she suffers from her call of moral conscience within.