To Kill A Mockingbird Justice Essay
A just society should have a system of laws and regulations that offer fair solutions. However, justice cannot occur when biased with racism. Harper Lee defines the fictional town of Maycomb as a rigid society in the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird (TKAM). The justice system of Maycomb is extremely flawed as it persecutes the most vulnerable: Tom Robinson; Mayella Ewell and; Arthur Radley. Tom Robinson is convicted of a crime that he has not committed, simply because of his race ; Mayella Ewell faces ordeal due to the failure of the institution of justice and ; Boo Radley is excluded from outside world. In comparison to these characters Tom Robinson is dominated the most by injustice. To Kill A Mockingbird best portrays the perpetual struggles
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of a black person during the 1930’s through Tom Robinson’s court case where he is accused of a crime that he has not committed. Tom’s kind ways attract Mayella Ewell but she turns her back when he refuses her advances and Tom is accused of sexually assaulting her. Readers think of Tom’s case similar to shooting a gun without bullets because of all the hopes of just, fades away when the jury presents itself as a group of white men (Lee 222). This is an ultimate loss for Tom due to the deep - rooted prejudice among the white men in Maycomb, who are blind by their racist ideologies towards the black community. The failure of the system of justice seems to play a vital role as it results in Tom being convicted guilty despite all the evidence proving him innocent. Not only is he convicted of a crime that he has not committed but is also murdered. When Tom tries to flee the injustice of the Maycomb’s jury, he is shot seventeen times. Although he could have been easily been killed with one shot, the white citizens prove themselves inhumane by shooting seventeen bullets at him. The cruelty towards Tom is not questioned, though, everyone is well aware of the false allegation made upon him. Their actions illustrate the difference of power in the races and the freedom of white to dictate one’s life without being challenged by the institution of justice which again emphasizes the unsuccessful legal institution of Maycomb. Although Mayella can also be seen as one of the culprits for Tom’s death, some readers identify her as a mockingbird figure due to the similarities of societal treatment between her and Tom.
Mayella Ewell is a poor white teenager who gains no support or justice for being burdened with responsibilities of her siblings and living with an abusive father. From the beginning of her life as the oldest sibling, she takes care of them, due to the lack of attention of a guardian but, not one soul stands up for Mayella and her sibling’s right to education,right to health or right to safety. This describes the failure of the justice system to serve Mayella her rights and establishes the flaws by burdening a teenager with responsibilities, initially of her drunk father. In addition, Mayella is also sexually abused by her father. When Mayella is making her move on Tom, she says, “ [I] never kissed a grown man before an’ [I] might as well kiss a nigger...what [my] papa do to [me] doesn’t count” (Lee 260). Her statement manifest the real culprit of Mayella’s rape is none other than her own father and despite this realization, the legal system ignores her plight. In fact, Mayella is stuck with her violent, disparaging father who forces her and commits the crime of incest due to the neglection of the system of justice which no one challenges. Similar to Mayella, Arthur Radley can also be identified as the third victim of injustice who can represent the symbol of mockingbird but, Lee makes him the most interesting one by revealing his character completely only at the end.
Arthur Radley, also known as Boo is caged in his own house for groundless reasons.
Boo is locked up in his house at such a young age where he is isolated from the rest of Maycomb society. This punishment for Boo creates rumor among the people of Maycomb about him being frightening and dangerous. This fact highlights the negligence of the legal institute to serve a minor at the time. These actions towards Boo stress on the missing of the righteousness of the judiciary system, due to the violation of his human rights; right to freedom and right to equality, for which no one advocates . Boo is treated as a criminal throughout the novel but when he actually commits a crime towards the end, he is protected by Mr.Heck Tate. In the process of saving Jem and Scout, Boo murders Bob Ewell and despite this knowledge, he gets protected by Atticus and Mr. Heck Tate. Some readers believe this is to be justice for Mayella but this can’t deny the fact that Boo is a criminal and that the solemn duty of justice system is to punish a felon, which it fails again. Although Boo kills Bob Ewell, he is not punished due to Mr. Heck Tate but many readers also believe this to be an optimistic ending as Bob Ewell who is the culprit of both Mayella and Tom gets paid for his
deeds.
In conclusion, Lee invites the readers to interpret the dominant ideology of any kind, in the institution of justice through the innocent characters; Tom Robinson; Mayella Ewell and; Boo Radley. She shows juxtaposition using these figures to explain that the justice system fails Mayella and Boo despite their race. Nevertheless, Tom’s story is the most relevant to today's society as discrimination against the black people still occurs by the people representing the justice system in America. The movement ‘Black Lives Matter’ is the evidence of the existence of racial prejudice till today but the readers of this novel must understand that these crucial topics cannot just be the talk of the town for a day or two.
of a black person during the 1930’s through Tom Robinson’s court case where he is accused of a crime that he has not committed. Tom’s kind ways attract Mayella Ewell but she turns her back when he refuses her advances and Tom is accused of sexually assaulting her. Readers think of Tom’s case similar to shooting a gun without bullets because of all the hopes of just, fades away when the jury presents itself as a group of white men (Lee 222). This is an ultimate loss for Tom due to the deep - rooted prejudice among the white men in Maycomb, who are blind by their racist ideologies towards the black community. The failure of the system of justice seems to play a vital role as it results in Tom being convicted guilty despite all the evidence proving him innocent. Not only is he convicted of a crime that he has not committed but is also murdered. When Tom tries to flee the injustice of the Maycomb’s jury, he is shot seventeen times. Although he could have been easily been killed with one shot, the white citizens prove themselves inhumane by shooting seventeen bullets at him. The cruelty towards Tom is not questioned, though, everyone is well aware of the false allegation made upon him. Their actions illustrate the difference of power in the races and the freedom of white to dictate one’s life without being challenged by the institution of justice which again emphasizes the unsuccessful legal institution of Maycomb. Although Mayella can also be seen as one of the culprits for Tom’s death, some readers identify her as a mockingbird figure due to the similarities of societal treatment between her and Tom.
Mayella Ewell is a poor white teenager who gains no support or justice for being burdened with responsibilities of her siblings and living with an abusive father. From the beginning of her life as the oldest sibling, she takes care of them, due to the lack of attention of a guardian but, not one soul stands up for Mayella and her sibling’s right to education,right to health or right to safety. This describes the failure of the justice system to serve Mayella her rights and establishes the flaws by burdening a teenager with responsibilities, initially of her drunk father. In addition, Mayella is also sexually abused by her father. When Mayella is making her move on Tom, she says, “ [I] never kissed a grown man before an’ [I] might as well kiss a nigger...what [my] papa do to [me] doesn’t count” (Lee 260). Her statement manifest the real culprit of Mayella’s rape is none other than her own father and despite this realization, the legal system ignores her plight. In fact, Mayella is stuck with her violent, disparaging father who forces her and commits the crime of incest due to the neglection of the system of justice which no one challenges. Similar to Mayella, Arthur Radley can also be identified as the third victim of injustice who can represent the symbol of mockingbird but, Lee makes him the most interesting one by revealing his character completely only at the end.
Arthur Radley, also known as Boo is caged in his own house for groundless reasons.
Boo is locked up in his house at such a young age where he is isolated from the rest of Maycomb society. This punishment for Boo creates rumor among the people of Maycomb about him being frightening and dangerous. This fact highlights the negligence of the legal institute to serve a minor at the time. These actions towards Boo stress on the missing of the righteousness of the judiciary system, due to the violation of his human rights; right to freedom and right to equality, for which no one advocates . Boo is treated as a criminal throughout the novel but when he actually commits a crime towards the end, he is protected by Mr.Heck Tate. In the process of saving Jem and Scout, Boo murders Bob Ewell and despite this knowledge, he gets protected by Atticus and Mr. Heck Tate. Some readers believe this is to be justice for Mayella but this can’t deny the fact that Boo is a criminal and that the solemn duty of justice system is to punish a felon, which it fails again. Although Boo kills Bob Ewell, he is not punished due to Mr. Heck Tate but many readers also believe this to be an optimistic ending as Bob Ewell who is the culprit of both Mayella and Tom gets paid for his
deeds.
In conclusion, Lee invites the readers to interpret the dominant ideology of any kind, in the institution of justice through the innocent characters; Tom Robinson; Mayella Ewell and; Boo Radley. She shows juxtaposition using these figures to explain that the justice system fails Mayella and Boo despite their race. Nevertheless, Tom’s story is the most relevant to today's society as discrimination against the black people still occurs by the people representing the justice system in America. The movement ‘Black Lives Matter’ is the evidence of the existence of racial prejudice till today but the readers of this novel must understand that these crucial topics cannot just be the talk of the town for a day or two.