In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch’s purpose at the current time was to persuade the jury that Tom Robinson was an innocent man, Tom was black field worker that had been accused of beating and raping a young girl, and at the time, 1930s, if a black man was accused of doing anything to white female, they were found guilty, plain and simple. But Atticus uses, pathos ethos and logos during his speech to the jury, which allows him to effectively demonstrate the real aspects of his personality and morals. Since Tom was black, many did not want to represent him in court, due to his race. But Atticus, saw the challenge did not back away from it. He wanted to prove to the jurors that Tom Robinson was an innocent man and that he should…
A theme in “To Kill A Mockingbird,” could be that you should never judge a person by their color. The way people were judge affected Tom Robinson’s trial because all colored people were treated differently than white people back in the day. Reverend Sykes explained to Jem; “I ain't ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man” (Lee 279). Tom was not going to be charged with the crime. This is because everything that was said on his half proved that he was innocent but judges never choose a colored man over a white man. Further, Tom Robinson was not able to win the trial because he is a colored man. The judge got the piece of paper and says “ ‘Guilty… guilty… guilty… guilty…’ “(Lee 282). The color of Tom’s skin changed…
“To Kill a Mockingbird” takes place in 1930’s Alabama, where racism and segregation were accepted as social norms. Lawyer Atticus Finch defended “Negro” Tom Robinson in court, whom Mr. Ewell accused of raping his daughter. People considered defending a black man in court against a white man as a disgrace to the lawyer, his family and community. While Atticus talked to his brother Jack, he mentioned that “The only thing we’ve got is a black man’s word against the Ewells‘. The evidence boils down to you-did—I-didn’t. The jury couldn’t possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson’s word against the Ewells”. (Lee, 116-117) Atticus tells Jack that they don’t have enough data to prove Tom’s innocence in the case. The Ewells were not as respectable people as Tom Robinson, but according to the social hierarchy, dishonorable white people were above…
He is accused of raping a young white woman. As rumor got around that Atticus was defending a black man, many people started to insult Atticus, which caused him to lose strength and confidence. Around his neighborhood, he is characterized by a man who treats everyone as if they were family. When he heard that these people were judging him, he showed signs of doubtfulness. Atticus was hesitant about making the right choice for defending Robinson. Another sign of losing creative energy is when the jury picks the choice of whether or not Tom Robinson is guilty. Even though Atticus clearly showed that the plaintiff was the one who did the crime, conformity influenced the jury of making Tom Robinson guilty only for the reason that he was…
Atticus also comments on this issue when he is conversing with Jem: “There’s something in our world that makes men lose their heads—they couldn’t be fair if they tried. In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins. They’re ugly, but those are the facts of life.” This explains that Tom Robinson’s miserable fate was rather instantaneously sealed the moment he was accused by a member of the white community, and he had no method or means of effectively defending himself, simply because of the enormous extent of racism that exists in the hearts of white Maycomb residents. Tom’s honesty is utterly useless when pitted against the likes of the white ethnic group, and even a white man’s lies and corruption will supersede a black man’s righteousness. Although Tom is defenseless due to his racial group, this is not the only factor that contributes to total vulnerability, as is displayed through the character of Arthur…
Morality is the principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behaviour. Personal morality is a set of beliefs or code that an individual lives and abides by. To Kill a Mockingbird is an exploration of human morality, and presents a constant conversation concerning the goodness or evilness of people and moral education.…
The book’s most obvious example of an innocent in need of protection is Tom Robinson. As an uneducated black man in the south during the 1930’s, he is left vulnerable to racism and prejudice by not just individuals but also within the court system. Tom’s protection comes from Atticus Finch, the town’s most prestigious lawyer, who agrees to defend him against the false charge of raping a white girl and the predictable racist outcome. Some supportive quotes are when Atticus asks the jury to put aside their prejudices, follow the obvious evidence and acquit the innocent Tom Robinson. Atticus says, “But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal – there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court […] our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal.” He sums it up by stating, “I’m no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and in the jury system…
Tom Robinson, an African-American man, is put on trial for the rape of a nineteen year old girl. Since those in the court system look down upon colored people, his trial is not fair from the start. Both the judge and the members of the jury are white, southern males, and these people do not like African Americans because they believe that they do not deserve to be treated like people and have actual human rights.. For example Tom says to Atticus, “Yes, suh. I felt sorry for her…” (164). At this point Tom was basically digging his own…
Tom Robinson was a man who received no justice because of the color of his skin. Justice in and out of the courtroom is a playing theme in To Kill a Mockingbird. We learn that justice is not given to everyone because of the majority belief of prejudice in society. People are discriminated because of the color of their skin, their age, or the things they believe in. Tom, and Scout are all prime examples of this theme.…
It’s simply unusual for a white man, such as Atticus, to defend a negro in Maycomb County, especially in the 1930’s. Yet, once appointed to Tom, Atticus steps to the plate and does a fine job of defending him. Atticus came into the case knowing that there wasn’t much hope for Tom Robinson, being it’s a black man’s word against a white man’s. Even with that knowledge, he continued the case and strived to prove Tom wasn’t guilty…
Black people are victims of injustice, just like Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is a victim of injustice because even though he is innocent, he is found guilty of raping Mayella Ewell. The jury agrees and decides to make the black man guilty of the rape. “I shut my eyes. Judge Taylor was polling the jury: ‘Guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty.’ I peeked at Jem, his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each “guilty” was a separate stab between them” (Lee 214). Atticus does his best to defend Tom, but it was not enough to win the trial. The jury may have chosen the Ewells to win because Tom Robinson was a negro. Tom Robinson was shot and killed in jail, while trying to escape because he should not have been there in the first…
To Kill a Mockingbird is a book that focuses on discrimination. The County of Maycomb believes that white people are superior in everyway. Lee uses the trial to emphasize the severity of the Maycomb viewpoint. She uses it to show the readers instead of just telling them. It is also a way to discreetly show the readers how severe the Maycomb fever is without needing to have Scout, the narrator, comprehend the problem. By carefully choosing what happens and who is involved in the trial Lees proves her point explicitly.…
The only way a person is able to appropriately judge someone, is if they put themselves in their shoes first. Even in the beginning of the book, Harper Lee addresses the judgement that everyone passes to each other. When Scout attends school, she automatically dislikes her teacher when she tells Scout that Atticus can’t read to her anymore. After relaying this to Atticus, he say, “ … if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You will never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (Lee 39). By having Atticus give this advice to Scout, Lee foreshadows coming events that Scout will need to use this information.…
To Kill a Mockingbird is the title of the novel written by Harper Lee and published in 1960. The mockingbird stands out to be one of the most outstanding symbols in the book: from the cover page picture to the title, the symbol is highly useful to pass a message that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Mockingbird, as locals believe, is an innocent creature which is not known to cause harm to other creatures, so Scout and Jem, the main characters in the novel, teach us a lesson that one should not kill such an innocent creature.…
Have you ever encountered a situation that dealt with race? I think everyone has in some way or form. Maybe someone of a different race was treated unfairly just because they're a different color. Or someone could have been given special privileges because of their race and the law is that they're innocent until proven guilty. Well in this case Tom Robinson in being convicted of a crime he did not commit. Mayella Ewell has sent Tom to trial. During the trial, the town people, family members, and friends show prejudice toward Atticus for defending Tom and toward Tom for just being an African-American. Tom Robinson is being misjudged and mistreated only because he's black.…