In the classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Tom Robinson, a sympathetic, considerate African American field worker, is accused of the rape of an abused 19 year old white girl, Mayella Ewell. As the consequent trial unfolds, the reader glimpses Tom’s understanding personality despite the harsh 1930s stereotypes that cloud the trial. First, early into his testimony, Tom reveals that Mayella regularly invited him into the Ewell yard to do a few minor chores, which was usually chopping wood or toting water. Then, when Atticus, his defense attorney, asks if Tom was paid for his services, Tom replies, “No suh, not after she offered me a nickel the first time. I was glad to do it, Mr. Ewell didn't seem to help ner none, and neither did the chillun, and I knowed she didn't have no nickels to spare" (Lee 218). Containing four detailed reasons which all justify his favors, his response displays his thoughtful nature because provide a genuine explanation of his actions. If he had been counterfeiting these reasons, they would not have been nearly as numerous or detailed. …show more content…
At the time, Mr. Ewell saw this from a window and ran around to the front door. As a result, Atticus wants to know what Mr. Ewell yelled during his sprint to the front of the house. At first, Tom Robinson resists quoting him due to the profanity Mr. Ewell used. He claims that it’s “not fittin‘ for these folks’n chillun to hear” (Lee 221). Here, he is displaying consideration for the adults with small children in the courtroom by avoiding the curses, fearing they may adopt the unhealthy vocabulary. Furthermore, Tom is showing regard for Judge Taylor’s preferences. Specifically, he prefers witnesses to keep their accounts “within the confines of Christian English” (Lee 198), which discludes
The Trial of Tom Robinson In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, racism is explored, and you are able to consider every factor in Tom Robinson’s trial. Tom Robinson, a black male, was accused of raping a white woman in the small county of Maycomb, Alabama. The woman was he was accused of raping is named Mayella Ewell.
Titus Smith Mrs. Lawson English 10 11 January 2023 Who is to blame? Mayella Ewell had no evidence to prove Tom was guilty, but on Tom's side, there was specific evidence that proves he is innocent. The story of, ¨To Kill a Mocking Bird¨ by Harper Lee, is about a little girl living through the experiences of a court case between a local family daughter Mayella Ewell, and a black man Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson was accused by Mayella of rape when he came to the Ewell house to help her. Mayella invited Tom inside to help her and considering Tom Robinson was a black man, the community already did not treat him well.
Tom Robinson is caught kissing a white woman from Maycomb named Mayella Ewell. To prevent being frowned upon by the local citizens, she instead said that Tom Robinson raped her even though that was far from the truth. He’s taken into trial with the help of Atticus, and the case is unarguably one of the factors that help further the theme of innocence in Scout’s view. Atticus is determined to help Tom, even if it means that the citizens will turn against his own family because “killing a mockingbird is a sin.” As events progress, Scout is taught that discrimination solely because someone is “different” is
When Scout asks him why he is doing this, he explains that “… if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again.” (75). Tom Robinson, a black man, is accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman & one of the children in the (poor) Ewell family. When Atticus is visited one night, he is asked to represent Tom in the case, and Atticus accepts. Representing a black man is a serious thing to do.
The book To Kill a Mockingbird is narrated by a young girl named Jean Louise Finch, also known as Scout. Throughout the story, Scout faces many problems and confusions in the world she lives in. The world she knows is split in two. People who hate and fear, and others, such as Atticus Finch, who have sympathy and an understanding for those who are different and less fortunate than others. Atticus, father to Jem and Scout, defends Tom Robinson in court against the Ewell family.
In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, the author, Harper Lee, uses the character of Tom Robinson to give her insight on the recent crime of Emmett Till. The trial was a very controversial case in the 1950s, involving the brutal murder of a young black boy, in racist Mississippi. In the real-life case, there is a woman named Carolyn Bryant who accuses Till of cat-calling and using vulgar language. However, Till was innocent, yet received punishment. Lee also recreated the persona of Carolyn into Mayella Ewell, who is the women that accuses Tom Robinson of raping her.
During this time, blacks were considered uneducated and so were the Ewell’s. They could be afraid of being compared to the blacks, and somebody saying that they are just like the blacks. If people say they are just like the blacks they will feel like they do not have an advantage over them. That is all the Ewell’s want, they want to feel like they are higher than somebody.
The Ewells try to prove that Tom is guilty by using racial profiling so they can look good in Maycomb and can still be accepted towards society. “To Kill a Mocking” by Harper Lee, uses negative connotative language, and symbolism to persuade her meaning. Lee also uses distinctive characters in order to persuade her meaning. She explains that Aunt Alexandra’s judgment affect the Cunningham’s and The Ewells judgement made Tom guilty.
In the novel: To Kill A Mockingbird, Mayella Ewell, a poor white woman, accused Tom Robinson, an African American, of rape. The Ewell’s are very indigent and her father, Bob Ewell, gets drunk and abuses Mayella. Since Mayella is very poor, this makes her not so powerful. In Maycomb, Alabama, A poor white woman named Mayella Ewell who lives behind the town garbage dump, accuses Tom Robinson, an African American, of rape.
The Importance of Action John Ruskin was a famous artist and critic who composed multiple works including The Crown of Wild Olive in which the quote, “What we think, or what we know, or what we believe is, in the end of little consequence. The only consequence is what we do,” is found. Ruskin is saying that thoughts, knowledge, or beliefs do not have very much significance and only action can lead to tangible results. The ideas in this statement have been shown to be correct throughout literature and history in To Kill a Mockingbird, “The Gettysburg Address,” and “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”
Tom was accused of raping a white woman who was Mayella Ewell, Mayella said he raped her while he was helping her with chores. She later on tells the readers that it was false allegations. The reason why she didn 't tell the truth at her first trial was because, Mayella was afraid of being embarrassed because she kissed a black male. She rather have an innocent man get charged with a crime than that. “However, Robinson was transferred from the state prison to Maycomb 's county jail on Saturday, two days before he stood trial on Monday, and Atticus had to defend him against a lynch mob”.
Tom Robinson is a young African-American who's been accused of raping and abusing Mayella Ewell, a young and closeted white woman. Racial discrimination is hinted throughout Tom’s trial as Atticus Finch explains to Jem that a white man’s word will always win over that of a black man’s - "... 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" (220). Atticus explains to Jem that in the courts of Maycomb, a black man’s state of innocence or guilt is truly determined by a white man’s testimony.
Essay In the novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee, there are many important messages shown throughout the book. However the primary focus was set on racial prejudice that existed in the 1930s-1940’s in the fictional town of Maycomb County. The racism in the novel was very much a reality in 1930s-1940s America. A very good example of the racial prejudice that existed was in the courtroom during Tom Robinson’s trial, an innocent Negro man held against his will for a crime he did not commit.
When discovered she covers her guilt and shame by accusing him of rape. In this era and in this community, Mayella’s accusation is seen as reasonable and unfortunately believable, which leaves Tom beaten before he enters the trial. However, Atticus expresses a powerful message in his closing argument to create a move for change in his society. The argument is expressed subliminally, by communicating that in the 1930’s society disregarded that all were equal, and categorised men and women based on the colour of their skin.
Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird is about a man named Atticus and his two kids Jem and Scout. Atticus was appointed to defend an African American, named Tom Robinson. Tom was accused by Bob Ewell for raping and beating his daughter, Mayellea Ewell. During the trial scene, everyone in that courtroom finds outs the truth that Tom is innocent against the accusations from Bob. The truth is that Mayella kissed Tom and Bob saw what she did.