To Kill A Mockingbird Testimonies Analysis

Though people are fond of Atticus himself, his decision to aim for Tom Robinson’s justice causes discomfort, “ ‘Lemme tell you somethin’ now, Billy’ a third said, ‘you know the court appointed him to defend this nigger.’ ‘Yeah, but Atticus aims to defend him. That’s what I don’t like about it” (186). The quote exposes that everyone understand the fact that he is assigned to the case but do not understand as to why he is so intent on proving a black man’s innocence. Since Atticus exceedingly expresses his thought on Tim’s innocence and involves so much of himself in the case with a black person, he obtains negative feedback and gets called a nigger-lover.

Racism is only one of the harsh and cruel injustices of Maycomb that Dill is exposed to during his stay there. The Tom Robinson trial is his epiphany of how cruel and wicked people can be because of one’s skin color. After he witnesses Mr. Gilmer’s obvious mockery and disrespect of Tom Robinson, Dill states “ ‘It was the way he said it made me sick, plain sick... It ain't right, somehow it ain't right to do 'em that way.’" (227) Dill’s innocence to racism quickly fades away after witnessing Mr. Gilmer’s cross examination.

In this novel, there are some parts that show racism. Atticus is the best lawyer in Maycomb. In chapter 9, he started to defends Tom Robinson. All the people in Maycomb disagree about defending Tom, Negro men. However, he believes Tom Robinson and Atticus work hard to defend him.

Characterization of Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses Jean Louise (Scout) Finch as the narrator. Scout is now an adult and reflects on three very crucial summers during her childhood days. When Scout is first described in the novel, she is prone to violence, labels people based on class, denigrates people, uses racist language, and is prejudice (Seidel 1). All of these things show that she is childish at the beginning of the novel.

Almost everyone throughout Maycomb thought Tom was guilty just because of the color of his skin. But, the real question was, did Tom Robinson really abuse and take advantage of Mayella Ewell? Throughout the argument Mr.Gilmer used both Pathos and Ethos extensively

That’s one part I didn’t like about the book. The stereotypes of the black families of Maycomb. As soon as Bob Ewell turned Tom Robinson in for “raping” his daughter the whole white community believed it because he was black. He was a kind, loving father and husband. But no one bothered to get to know the real him or see past the color of his skin to really know that.

After watching her father fight hard for a case he was bound to loose, hearing all the mean names her family and Tom was called and hearing the news of Tom’s death she began to understand the reality of racism. “Just what I said. Grandma says it's bad enough he lets you all run wild, but now he's turned out a nigger-lover we'll never be able to walk the streets of Maycomb agin. He's ruinin' the family, that's what he's doin'.” (Lee, 110)

This past week, without doubt, has been nothing short of a heated one here in Maycomb. As of recent, Thomas Robinson, a twenty-five year-old Negro, was put on trial for the accused rape of nineteen year-old Mayella Ewell. Judge Taylor covered the trial, with Solicitor Mr. Gilmer prosecuting, and Mr. Finch covering defense for Mr. Robinson. The trial begun with Sheriff Heck Tate retelling his account. He details Mr. Ewell reporting the rape of Mayella Ewell on November 21st, her sustained injuries, including a choice of not calling a doctor due to financial issues.

The people in Atticus’s community believe Tom is guilty because he is black. Atticus Finch chooses to defend Tom Robinson, because of his beliefs and he wants to set a good example for his children, despite not having any support from his community,

In Chapter 12 of Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, there are many events and situations in which irony is used to support the theme of the chapter. An example of this is in the very beginning of the chapter, when Scout is concerned about how distant and moody Jem is acting, and asks Atticus, “’Reckon he’s got a tapeworm?’” (Lee 153), to which Atticus replies no, and that Jem is growing. This is dramatic irony because the readers understand that Jem is acting oddly because he’s growing, but Scout doesn’t know this until she asks Atticus about it. This quote supports the theme of Chapter 12 by showing when Jem started to grow distance from Scout, getting aggravated with her and telling her to stop bothering him, and shows how the children

The oppressive feeling of racism has touched all in maycomb. None can ignore it. The effect of it is very obvious, corruption. Atticus’s goal is to stop his children from “catching Maycomb’s disease” (117 need citation) in hopes that Jem and Scout will grow into people with morals that all are equal, you don’t have to follow society's predetermined standards. Atticus sacrifices his reputation, safety and when undertaking the responsibility of defending a black man.

In the passage Jem and Scout walk home during the dark hours,giving Bob Ewell an opportunity to stage an attack. As Bob Ewell attacks them Boo Radley rushes in to rescue Jem and Scout. After this Scout now understands what Atticus meant it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. The killing of a mockingbird is much like killing the innocent. It is beyond a crime and worse than the most heinous atrocities.

(Pg 276) A person that has control on the outcome didn’t even stand up to help the trial of Tom Robinson. This unjust area is completely dependent to the racial thoughts in Maycomb. Not only that but black people aren’t welcomed into this area due to the possible punishment that could happen to them. They could be held accountable for something they didn’t even do.

Why did Atticus defend a black man? Justice and being given the chance of a fair trial. Atticus Finch believed that everyone, black or white should be given the chance, to be proven not guilty. Even though some people thought Atticus was wrong in defending Tom Robinson, Atticus knew it was right to defend Tom because he knew everyone deserved a fair trial.

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.