A woman passed gas silently. I said "it stinks", and she said "I apologize. Excuse me". Why did she say both of those things?

What is the narrators main conflict in this passage

Which line from the story of my life by helen keller is an example of a simile? during the whole trip i did not have one fit of temper, there were so many things to keep my mind and fingers busy. i was like that ship before my education began, only i was without compass or sounding-line, and had no way of knowing how near the harbour was. one day, while i was playing with my new doll, miss sullivan put my big rag doll into my lap also, spelled "d-o-l-l" and tried to make me understand that "d-o-l-l" applied to both. child as i was, i at once felt the tenderness and sympathy which endeared dr. bell to so many hearts, as his wonderful achievements enlist their admiration.

What does atticus do that makes mayella ewell think that he's making fun of her? what does this show us about mayella's life?