Mr. Ewell 's Letter

Tom Robinson enters To Kill a Mockingbird accused of raping Mayella Ewell but leaves To Kill a Mockingbird dead. Atticus Finch the defendant in Tom Robinson’s case and the father of Jem and Scout, did not fail Robinson, Robinson’s family or his own because he tried his best to prove that Tom was not guilty. For example , Miss Ewell explained that the attacker in her testimony, Tom Robinson had force himself on her, began to hold to her by the neck and hit her repeatedly after she asked him to bust up a chiffarobe for her. Heck Tate, the sheriff and witness of the trial had said Mayella only had bruises on both the neck and right side of her face, this now raised a red flag for Atticus. For Robinson to beat Miss Ewell repeatedly on the right side of her face he would have to use his left arm which got caught in a cotton gin years before. The disability that Tom Robinson had created great evidence for Atticus’s defense but didn’t work because of the unjust community they both live in. Maybe it would have worked if the trial was held in a courtroom that is built on justice for all, not just for the white.

I heard news about the trial that is being held against Tom Robinson for raping Mayella Ewell. From what I am hearing I think the Ewells are lying. They’re just trying to kill an innocent man for no good reason other than color discrimination. The trial continued but one day I looked through my window and I think I saw Aunt Alexandra move into Atticus’s house. Scout becoming older and is looking more like a lady than she did before. Later that day I found out the outcome of the trial and I was depressed Tom was found guilty. I don’t know what exactly happened but it does hurt me to see a innocent man go to jail and serve a death penalty. Soon it will be Halloween and I can see Scout and Jem are really excited to go to this pageant at their school. I really wish I could go watch but maybe I’ll sneak out this one time, maybe. I’m getting scared just thinking about it. I’ll just wait and see what happens.

Atticus is appointed to defend a black man named Tom Robinson who has been accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman. She is a member of the Ewell family, who is looked down upon by Maycomb society and referred to as "white trash." Atticus knows that Tom has almost no chance because he is black and will be tried by an all white jury. Nevertheless, he wants to help him reveal the truth.

If the jury understands what really happened then there is a better chance they will make the right choice. “We don’t know, but there is circumstantial evidence to indicate that Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left.” Atticus says this in hopes of making the jury comprehend that there is no way Tom would have been able to beat Mayella with his left hand because he is crippled and Bob Ewell is left handed. This implies that Bob Ewell, Mayella’s father, was the man who beat her. Atticus speaks about how it is evil to think that all negroes are immoral beings and he states “Which, Gentlemen, we know is in itself a lie as black as Tom Robinson’s skin, a lie I do not have to point out to you.” The jury for Tom’s trial is incredibly biased and racist and Atticus points out that skin color does not mean anything about a person’s personality or

Mayella Ewell is living in a racist southern community in the 1930’s. During this time no one was treated the same because of their skin color or if they were intelligent. Mayella has one thing that makes her powerful, her race. Laws back then was harsh. Between white and Negroes, both were wrong and mean to each other. Whites had more power than the Negroes because of the history it has behind them. They were not considered to be equal citizens. Atticus even knows the trial should not be happening, he knew the jury was going to side on with Mayella because she’s white. As Atticus is closing his argument he says, “[The Ewells]....have presented themselves to you, gentlemen, to this court….confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption-the evil assumption- that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women…”as said in chapter twenty. Mayella only goes through all of this because of her father.

Atticus decides to take on a highly controversial case in Maycomb, where Mayella Ewell, a 19 year old white female, accuses Tom Robinson, a black man in his thirties, of rapeing her. During the trial, Mayella, Bob, and the sheriff state that Robinson hit her on the right side of her face; however, Atticus contradicts the Ewell’s story by showing the jury that Tom Robinson only has one useful hand. Jem then whispers, ‘We’ve got him’” (Lee 202). Although, Maycomb’s society would never allow for Tom Robinson to win the trail, Jem’s innocent perspective enables him to believe that race does not come before the facts. Shortly after the trial, Jem says, “‘Doesn’t make it right. You can’t just convict a man on evidence like that-—you can’t’” (Lee 252). Jem displays an understanding of the racism and divisions in society within Maycomb in this quote. He knows that the conviction of Tom Robinson is bias and that the treatment of all blacks is unfair. Jem shows moral growth in this quote and has a more mature mindset about equality than most of the folks in Maycomb.

Lawyer Atticus Finch, in his closing argument from the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee states in Tom Robinson’s case that racial prejudice has blinded the county into deciding the misguided decision. Finch’s purpose is to convince the jury one’s race is irrelevant to justice. He adopts a moralistic tone in order to persuade the jury of Tom Robinson’s innocence. Finch furthers his purpose by effectively employing rhetorical devices to inform the jury to discard their differences and make the choice that can set an innocent man free.

In order to prove a point to the jury, Atticus Finch from Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, uses many rhetorical devices in order to show Tom Robinson’s innocence. Even though his speech was heavy on the ethos, Atticus also uses pathos and logos many times. Sadly, everybody knows that Tom Robinson is innocent and did not commit the crime, but because his skin color is black, Tom is simply used as a scapegoat to hide somebody else’s crime. Mayella Ewell, being both physically and emotionally abused, was forced to lie in her testimony by her drunken father, Bob Ewell. Mayella needed to lie in order to hide her sin: kissing a negro.

In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch, a well respected lawyer in the town of Maycomb delivers an emotional and persuasive closing speech at Tom Robinson's rape trial. Atticus wants to persuade the jury to find Tom, a black man, not guilty. This proves to be a very difficult task in the South during the 1930s due to the discrimination. Through Tom Robinson’s trial Atticus conveys his point, which would be that Tom is not guilty, by using diction, syntax, and rhetoric. Using techniques from diction, such as polysyllabic, monosyllabic, colloquial writing style, help Atticus convey his point across to the jury adequately.

Through Atticus, she expresses how the color of their skin should not at all affect the verdict, that they are just as human and deserving of a fair trial as any other person. That societal views and prejudices need to be put aside in the courtroom, that Tom Robinson needs to be looked at from a perspective where racism is not involved. Atticus even says, “It has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination, but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant. The defendant is not guilty, but someone in this courtroom is,” (Lee 231). Atticus is explaining to the jury and the spectators strictly facts, facts that should remain in their mind as they make their decision. A factor like skin color, although it always will, should not matter, that hard evidence is the only way to come to a verdict. Otherwise, the jury is focusing solely on their biases, what they think, not what is actually there. When Atticus mentions someone being guilty, he indirectly references Mayella Ewell. Mayella has done something unspeakable. Lied about everything, trying to cover up the tracks of her faults, a strict code she broke with the care of a child. A code that is unacceptable to break during this time period. The Ewells have already been outcast by Maycomb, they Ewells only a step above the people of color. But conversing with people of color puts them over the line, makes

Today in Maycomb County, there was a trail against a local African American man named “Tom Robinson.” He was accused for raping and beating up a white girl named “Mayella.” His lawyer is “Atticus Finch” is facing off against “Mr. Gilmer” the district attorney. Judge Taylor, appears to be sleeping through out the trial, yet pays attention and tends to chew his cigar. The supposed crime occurred in Mayella’s home, when Tom Robinson went to fix something and then he raped her.

People will have different opinions before reading this, but after reading this character analysis on Tom Robinson, it will change what you think of Tom Robinson. He is the one who is willing to help others when they need it. Tom is also the one who went into court for a crime, but with the odds against him. Most importantly he is the one who brought out Boo Radley to life from the shadows. Tom Robinson is a foil, a kind person, and also someone who went into a trial.

Atticus displays acts of personal courage in his willingness to keep others safe and his response to racism based threats. Many of the citizens of Maycomb County and its surrounding area were upset about Atticus, a lawyer, taking the defense case of Tom Robinson, a black man who was accused of raping a white woman. Mr. Link Deas and Mr. Heck Tate, along with some other men in Maycomb, come to tell Atticus about the Old Sarum lynch mob coming to kill Tom. The next night, Atticus goes down to the county jail and tells the mob to go home and leave Tom alone (Lee 194 and 202). The lynch mob comes to kill Tom, so they could potentially hurt Atticus, too. The amount of courage Atticus has to display to defend Tom outside of the courthouse and stand up to a dangerous mob of men is extremely high, considering the risks he takes. Atticus comes home from work one day, after the trial is over, and is approached by Mr. Bob Ewell, the victim's father: "According to Miss Stephanie Crawford, however, Atticus was leaving the post office when Mr. Ewell approached him, cursed him, spat on him, and threatened to kill him... Atticus's peaceful reaction probably prompted him to inquire,'Too proud to fight, you [Negro-lover]?' Miss Stephanie said Atticus said, 'No, too old', put his hands in his pockets, and strolled on"(291). Mr. Ewell is upset that Atticus had tried to prove that Tom was innocent and that Mr. Ewell had hurt his own daughter. He also believes that

No one would ever believe a black man over a white man word. Even if Atticus succeeded to prove me innocent in the eyes of the town, they still would stop until they kill me. You know all those stereotypes about lawyers being nasty, money-grubbing people? Atticus Finch is one of the good lawyers, he is one of the "to good to be true" lawyer. Atticus is a fair, kind, and smart man. When he agreed to defend me, a black man charged with raping a white woman, it made me believe that Atticus is truly a good and wise man. Atticus said is chapter 3, You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view. This wisdom of Atticus made me believe that he does not look at me as a black man charged with raping a white woman but just another client, doesn't matter either guilty or not. Sheriff Heck Tate moved me to the county jail night before the court hearing. I was in the car, on my way to the county jail, when the car stopped at the traffic light. I heard a few men, part of the lynching mob I guessed, they were saying “That bastard is moving to the county jail tonight, I say we go tonight and finish him off forever.” Hearing this, I knew that who they were talking about was me, I knew this from before. My colour is my fault, a white man's word is never favoured over a black man’s word, no matter who is correct. Towards the night, I lay there on the bed in the jail thinking about my wife, my family. Suddenly I heard a noise, I looked out the window and I

Atticus continues to remain calm and collected as the town continues to harass him for defending Tom Robinson. Once Tom returns to town for his trial Atticus decides to stand guard at his house knowing that trouble will arise. Low and behold, a crowd of angry racist men show up with rifles to kill Tom. Scout, Jem, and Dill arrive just as the trouble does. Atticus tries to send the children away but they refuse to leave. Scout recognizes Mr. Cunningham and goes up to him. Mr. Cunningham then calls off the mob. The next morning after the incident, marks the first day of the trial. The kids attend the trial. As the trial unfolds Mayella provides a very inconsistent recount of what happened the day she was allegedly raped. Atticus wittingly proves she is lying based on the fact that Tom cannot use his left hand due to a cotton gin incident, but coincidently her father is left handed. Tom recounts that he did help Mayella with her chifferobe, but that he helped her many times because he felt bad for her and always refused payment. Until one day she grabbed him and tried to get him to kiss her which Bob saw and threatened to kill her for it. The prosecutor questions him about how he could possibly feel bad for a white woman and gets him to admit that he is indeed strong enough to cause great harm. As the lawyers give closing remarks, Atticus shares that there is a gross lack of evidence to prove that Tom committed this crime. He does