...Mockingbird by Harper Lee, a man named Tom Robinson is convicted of raping a 19-year-old girl that is part of the Ewells family. As a black man in the 1930s, it was hard not to be guilty of a crime against white people like the Ewells. Siding with Tom Robinson as a white man is also looked down upon. This can be proven by the reaction of a lady named Mrs. Dubose when she hears one of the main characters named Atticus was defending a man when she said: “your father’s no better than the N-words…” (To Kill A Mockingbird, 102) The quote shows Mrs. Dubose’s hatred and discrimination to black people. The quote also shows how defending a black man is hated by the people. Mrs. Dubose’s act gives...
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...who is a mockingbird is innocent. Harper Lee uses Tom Robinson, Atticus Finch, and Boo Radley as mockingbirds in her novel. First Lee uses Tom Robinson as a mockingbird. Tom Robinson is an African American male who was accused of raping a white female by the name of Mayella Ewell. Tom Robinson ran away and wanted to escape the inevitable. Tom Robinson knew that he was going to be found guilty in court because the government is not bias. “ they shot him seventeen times in the chest. They didn’t...
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...theme, having to be faced with the harsh reality of the world which ruins your innocence. Atticus Finch stays strong and practical during the trial, defending Tom Robinson with his life. Atticus’s effort during the trial shows his courage because, despite it being tricky to get the judge and people of the racist South to side with Tom Robinson, compared to Mayella, who claims to be the victim. Atticus does not give up and continues to fight for Tom Robinson’s justice. Atticus shows courage through logical...
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...As the article above states, the Tom Robinson and Mayella Ewell Trial has concluded in sentencing the black, guilty man to death. He was dispatched to the county jail, just to later attempt to escape. The guilty man was shot dead while escaping. I, being a qualified editorial writer, think that it was incredibly ignorant and egocentric act. He was proven guilty, and sentenced to time in jail. I, and many others, believe that he should have paid the price for his expensive and abusive crime. The fact that he was denying his extremely inappropriate actions towards Mayella, which were later proven accurate actions, just shows the immaturity level of the grown man who should know better. When committing a crime, there is always a probability of...
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...In the 1930s bigotry was more accepted than in today’s current society. Since Tom Robinson’s time, the legal system has been taken apart. It is interesting to see how conformity has changed from the 1930s to the 21st century. In the years 2009-2010, a University of Vermont professor looked at a statistics to see how many more times people of color are to be pulled over in a car than white people. The statistics show: “An analysis of traffic stop data from four police departments in Chittenden County shows that blacks are more often stopped by law enforcement than their white and Asian counterparts. Blacks are two times more likely to be to pull over than whites in Burlington and South Burlington.” The forces of conformity are more cultural than legal these days. People of color or who are “different” are covering from racists and prejudice people. A similar instance happened with Tom Robinson, Atticus, Calpurnia, and Mr. Dolphus Raymond being outcasts from society. Since they were outcasts, they were treated with less respect and privilege. Harper Lee wants the reader to take away from this; Take a moment before judging another person or racially profiling someone and, possibly, try walking in their...
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...accuser and Tom Robinson as the defendant. Atticus takes the stand as the lawyer to defend Tom, and proves a valid point to anyone that it is as clear as day that Tom is not guilty. Why was he proven guilty then? Personal, I don't see that he should be guilty. I want people to realize the truth, and see why he isn’t guilty. Physical evidence of Mayella’s bruises clearly shows that her left side was bruised. Attius states, ”...there is circumstantial evidence to indicate that Mayella was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively left … Mr.Ewell … no doubt signing it with his left hand, and Tom Robison..having taken oath with the only good hand he possess- his right hand.” This clearly contrast both...
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...the novel To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee Tom Robinson (a black man) was accused of raping Mayella (a white girl) in Maycomb County Alabama during the Great Depression. Atticus ( a white lawyer) was chosen to defend this black man in court. Many people supported this decision and many were against it due to the time period where Whites believed that they were better than the Blacks. The benefits of Atticus taking a stand did outweigh the consequences. One reason why it was worth it for Atticus to defend Tom Robinson is to set a good example for his children. It is ideal that Atticus...
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...jury of Tom Robinson’s innocence. Atticus uses big picture obvious statements to convince the jury of Tom Robinson’s innocence. He states things that everybody in the room knows to emphasize it. For example, in his speech where Atticus says “This case is not a difficult one, it requires no minute sifting of complicated facts, but it does require you to be sure beyond all reasonable doubt as to the guilt of the defendant. To begin with, this case should never have come to trial. This case is as simple as black and white” (Lee 271.) This quote excellently summarizes the trial and how simple it was. The judge, the...
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...Option 2 Instead of “We find Tom Robinson guilty…” the true meaning of what the jury said was “We find Tom Robinson guilty because he’s black”. Racism in the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” affects the events in the novel by many means. In the beginning of the book can see subtle hints of it while Scout and Jem are trying to see Boo Radley and experience different things. However, it becomes prominent in the middle with the events leading up to and the actual trial. In the end of the book with the aftermath of the trial aside from a few instances it goes back to more of the kids growing up and learning important lessons about life. To evaluate my point I will now show and explain three different points of racism in the story. As said in a study guide online “Despite the challenge of overcoming the town’s deeply ingrained racism…” many people in Maycomb County are racist. Some are so racist that they will take it to the degree of forming a lynch mob for Tom Robinson. The only thing stopping them from killing Tom was the intervention of a young girl lucky to change their minds to not hurt Robinson. However, that does not mean they changed their minds and suddenly like blacks. It’s this generations old hatred based on race...
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...they are doing. Innocence is the important characteristic that leads to the building of the characters of Mayella Ewell, Tom Robinson, and Boo Radley. “I wonder if anybody had ever called her ma’am or “Miss Mayella” in her life, probably not as she took offense to routine courtesy what on earth was her life like?” (page.244) this was said by Scout as she realized the innocence of Mayella. Even though she was doing wrong in the story, by lying about Tom Robinson and accusing him of rape, being mistreated and disrespected her whole life has made her unable to see what she is doing is wrong. As Scout realizes Mayella didn’t know any better she starts to have empathy for Mayelle no...
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...On 1935 November 21st, Tom Robinson was accused of raping Mayella Ewell in Maycomb, Alabama. Tom Robinson is a hard working African American he was always doing the right thing. He has never got in trouble except for one time when he got in a fight with a man. During the trial Tom Robinson seemed scared he wasn't comfortable. Today we will interview Tom Robinson about how he felt during the trial. ¨So Tom how did you feel when you were being questioned¨. ¨I Didn't feel good I knew Atticus was a good lawyer and he would try his best but the case wasn't really fair because I am an African American that is going against a white women so I knew my chances of winning were very slim¨. ¨ Why did you feel bad for Mayella Ewell?¨. ¨Mayella was a nice...
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...to the guilty trial of Tom Robinson. As Scout ages she looks back on her time in Maycomb and apprehends what was going on during those times because of that she realises the causes and effects of prejudice and intolerance through the trial of Tom Robinson. As Scout matures, her innocence is lost through the trial and sees the causes and effects of prejudice and intolerance through it. Scouts interaction with the black population brings the sense of innocence among her ideals. She interacts with the lack of knowledge of the word prejudice. Her thoughts and actions...
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...In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, judging was shown in many different situations. In society today, people can based on their judgement automatically assuming that person’s personality and character in that certain way on how they think that person is. In the novel Scout Finch, her brother Jem Finch,...
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...After school, she tells Jem about what had happened and inquires, ‘“Jem, how can you hate Hitler so bad an’ then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home-’”(Lee,283) Scout is young and innocent, despite that she knows how racism is because it already takes a very big part of her community. She is more intelligent than she seems according to Atticus. But that doesn't mean that she fully understands how racist her community is or perhaps how racist she is. Scout and her family are different, as her father believes he is doing the right thing helping Tom. Scout also becomes more defensive of her father and the trial takes a larger role of her daily life. She asks Atticus and Jem questions that are especially sensitive to Jem. Her questions aggravates Jem. When her questions aren't answered, she becomes annoyed and confused. Because of the trial, Scout becomes more mature. She then acknowledges the racism and bigotry that takes part in her community. She especially notices this bigotry during the trial, she too is convinced that Tom is innocent mostly because of her father. She knows that the jury was unfair to Tom and only chose guilty because of Bob Ewell, and not because Tom was guilty beyond a reasonable...
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...Imagine being back in the Great Depression and being accused of something that did not happen and being found guilty. This is what happened to Tom Robinson in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. In the novel, Harper Lee used real life stories as a guide to help her write her novel correctly and accurately. The novel is tied to a few stories such as, Jim Crow laws, mob mentality, and the issues of racism in that time period. One of the first connections to America’s history of racism in To Kill a Mockingbird is the Jim Crow laws. To begin, Jim Crow was a racist system that promoted inequality between the races. A bountiful number of people believed the laws were necessary to keep black people in their place. In addition, they used the Jim Crow...
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