The author uses characters to help show how the people of Maycomb believe that black people are far below them in social hierarchy. “Atticus sa[ys] the Ewells ha[ve] been the disgrace of Maycomb for three generations. None of [the Ewells] ha[ve] done an honest day’s work in [the Ewells] recollection.” (30). Lee choses the most disrespected and disgraced family to be the prosecutors in the trial. By doing this she is showing that any white family is better than a black man. The author also carefully uses characters to represent the defense. She choses a respected black man who has been in an accident because it helps show that with discrimination there is no mercy. Also by putting Atticus as the lawyer representing Tom Robinson, the black man, it helps keep the story close to the narrator. The reader gets some background to why Tom will lose. “Simply because [the defense] w[as] licked a hundred years before [the defense] started is no reason for [the defense] to try not to win.” Atticus says. (76). By having Atticus as the lawyer we get some insight that we may not get if it was a random character who was the defense. Character choice is crucial, especially for Lee trying to develop an extreme idea.
No concrete evidence is shown in this trial. The only thing considered is what people say. By using a “he said verses she said” trial Lee