Summary Of David Malouf's Ransom

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird we learn that Atticus is defending a black man named Tom Robinson in court. Tom Later reveals during the trial that he helped Mayella Ewell, the girl that is accusing him for raping and beating her, with a couple of household chores and states that he "felt sorry for her" (Lee 264) because "she seemed to try more'n the rest of 'em" (Lee 264) This showing of empathy from Tom Robinson brought his ultimate downfall when he was convicted by a full jury of whites even though she was made a liar when she was questioned by Atticus. The jury stubbornly believed that her word was better than Tom's because she was

Maycomb's unjust beliefs on race determined the outcome of Tom Robinson's trail. Atticus´s defence was more than enough to set Tom free, but Maycomb's ignorance and narrow-minded view on African Americans set an innocent man to jail. Atticus told Jem "If you had been on that jury, son, and eleven other boys like you, Tom would be a free man" (Lee 295). The jury members had been affected by the ignorance of society. They convicted Tom because when they grow up they learned racists beliefs and they do not know any other way. In Maycomb, racism is a normal part of everyday life. When kids at Scouts school call Atticus a n***** lover. Atticus explains to Scout what it means, "Scout," said Atticus, "n*****-lover is just one of those terms that don't mean anything—like snot-nose. It's hard to explain—ignorant, trashy people use it when they think somebody's favoring Negroes over and above themselves.¨ (144). The racists views and attitudes determined the guilty verdict of Tom. In Atticus closing argument, he says "She was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man¨(272). Society has a set of rules which are not written but known, these rules tend to be ignorant and impartial. When it comes to race and the misguided beliefs about race, there is a profusion of ignorance. The expectations on race set by society affect the actions and events of life.

After Tom Robinson was charged with raping 19 year old Mayella Ewell, he was taken to court and Atticus had to defend his case. On page 212 of the novel Tom Robinson states that he ran away from Mayella when she had kissed him because he was scared, Atticus asked him why and he said “ Mr Finch, is you were a nigger like me, you’d be scared, too.“ Tom said this because of the society that they lived in where all “Black” people were not to be trusted. Atticus did his best to prove to the jury that Tom Robinson was not guilty for the crime that he was charged for

The hero trope is used in many different genres in many different ways, but the genre in which this trope and the ‘hero’s quest’ appear in their traditional form is that of narrative heroic poetry. One such example being the eight century poem Beowulf. Which when tied and compared to a much more modern take on the traditional hero genre in the form of David Malouf’s “ransom” showcase the different ways in which the hero trope can be explored. Throughout both these texts, the author directs and challenges the reader's ideas of heroism. Within Beowulf especially where the traditional ideals of being a hero are challenged and reformed, to create depth and interesting new ideas thus come into play that co-exist with traditional hero tropes and the unique genre to become a new thing. Also within David Malouf’s ‘Ransom’ the genre is challenged by modernising a familiar traditional hero tale and inter-textualising it. Creating a whole new form of telling the heroes quest, without relying heavily on the original tale for details and instead brings forth more attention to characters that are in the background or barely mentioned in the original text.

The whole town of Maycomb is racist, which makes Atticus’s job harder trying to defend Tom Robinson against the word of a white man.Tom Robinson’s case is unjust since he is black and the majority of Maycomb revert to the stereotype that all blacks are immoral and criminals. “Quote” shows that it is a situation where little is possible to do when defending a black man because the town of Maycomb is deeply affected by racism they tend to only make decisions based on the race and so immediately think Tom Robinson is guilty, that he did indeed raped Mayella when there was so much evidence to prove otherwise. This is challenging for Atticus, since he has to persuade everyone to pretend there is no stereotype about blacks and that they are human

Throughout some parts of TKAM, it has had some racist remarks or, events.To compare, Atticus was teaching a lesson about how, “Atticus was trying to show, it seemed to me, that Mr.Ewell could have beaten up Mayella, That much I could follow..it would tend to show that a left handed person did it” (Lee 202).Tom did not rape nor beat up Mayella, it turns out that she was the one who actually tried to seduce Tom but when her father saw her doing he took action and beat her up. But instead of blaming her dad, and clarifying that she was in fact not rapped, she blamed it on Tom. It was as if she’d rather have a person who didn’t do anything get charged instead of her dad. The jury had been believing her story till Atticus asked some questions that revealed what actually happened. And how it was physically impossible for Tom to beat up Mayella with his left hand since his left hand is crippled. The jury most likely believed her confusing story just because she was white. And automatically labeled Tom as the predator and “bad guy”

First of all, Tom Robinson’s family has been greatly affected by the case. After being convicted, in addition to being sent away to jail, his wife Helen also faces discrimination. Jem asks Calpurnia, “I know Tom Robinson’s in jail an’ he’s done somethin’ awful, but why won’t folks hire Helen?” She responds with “It’s because of what folks say Tom’s done,[...]Folks aren’t anxious to—to have anything to do with any of his family”(chap.12). Racism being the reason that Tom goes to jail, and also the reason that no one will hire Helen anymore, proving how despair to the community through racism. Because of this prejudice, an innocent family becomes social outcasts within the town, which would be detrimental because in a small town like Maycomb, people need to stick together to be able to live a good life. Another way in which racism victimizes someone, when Bob Ewell spits on Atticus. He was leaving the post office: “Mr. Ewell approached him, cursed him, spat

During the trial, Mr. Gilmer begins to question Tom and his actions. Mr.Gilmer does so by asking, “Were you... scared of arrest, scared you have to face up to what you did? No, suh, scared I have to say something I didn't do,” (Doc D). Privileges are only given to those who are born into them. In most cases, it would be white people. White people will always be given priority because they are seen as innocent human beings. Preconceived notions have caused white people to devalue the lives of blacks and allow them to formulate assumptions that are not necessarily precise. This affected Tom because he had no power to get himself out of the lies that the Ewell has thrown upon him. Tom comprehends that in a dark, corrupted society there is little to no chance to achieve justice. This trial was self-contradictory because racism was utilized to cloud their judgment. Mayella’s filthy white skin has poisoned the eyes of justice. In addition to that, Tom Robinson was yet again demeaned and belittled. Mr. Gilmer emphasizes, “You felt sorry for her, you felt sorry for her? ”(Document E). Tom’s sympathy for Mayella leads him into more trouble. Blacks and whites are not socially equal. Therefore, they should not assimilate accordingly. White people have blind spots that cause them to misinterpret Tom’s actions. Thus, Tom’s acts of innocence were taken as

Tom Robinson’s role in this book shows a lot of prejudice. He is a black man convicted of raping a white women. This book is set in the 1930s, during this time period the Jim Crow Laws were still in place and racism was big. ‘You felt sorry for her, you felt sorry for her?’ Mr. Gilmer seemed ready to rise to the ceiling” (Lee, pg 197). Tom Robinson is talking about how he felt sorry for Miss Mayella, who is white. Mr Gilmer gets very upset stating that a nigger should not feel sorry for a white woman. "There's something in our world that makes men lose their heads -- they couldn't be fair if they tried. 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 fact of life.” (Lee, pg.220) Atticus is talking to the kids about how Tom Robinson will get the death sentence because of the color of his skin and how the jury looks at him. He talks about there is no court in Alabama that would’ve gave him something less. Basically it was Tom against a town full of white folks. Tom is a big symbol of prejudice in the book.

As it was mentioned earlier, Atticus has a very demanding career. Tom Robinson, the young man Atticus defends, pays for the ignorant and hurtful stereotypes that are made in Maycomb every day. There is the fear of black male sexuality, brought about by stories of white women being raped and beaten by black men. "As you grow older, you'll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don't you forget it- whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash" (220). When the Ewell's charge Tom with rape, his decisions come not from facts of life, but the general classification and stereotypes of Maycomb. "The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box" (220). Others don't take the time to understand Tom, instead fearing and distrusting him. Tom isn't the only race in Maycomb that is victimized, however.

Firstly, Tom Robinson is just one character that is prejudged in the novel. He is accused of raping a white girl named Mayella and it is a problem to the jury that a black man is trying to defend himself in court. Atticus realizes how Tom is being treated unfairly and that it is uncommon for African Americans and white people to associate with each other. During Atticus’s speech, Mayella is accused of lying in her testimony when “she kissed a black man [which is] something that in our society is unspeakable” (Lee 272). The black man who Atticus refers to is Tom. He is ridiculed and judged by several people in the book and he gets all this

The town of Maycomb was the standard for treatment of Negros in the 1930s. An example of discrimination Negros faced in To Kill a Mockingbird, was when Mr. Radley made the assumption a black person was sneaking around in this yard. Miss Stephanie said that, “Shot in the air. Scared him pale, though. Says if anybody sees a white nigger around, that’s the one” (Lee, P.54). This shows how Mr. Radley assumed only a Negro would sneak into his yard. Maycomb also shows prejudice towards Atticus when he defends Tom Robbinson. Even Atticus’s family displays prejudice towards Atticus, “I guess it ain’t your fault if uncle Atticus is a nigger-lover besides, but I’m here to tell you it certainly does mortify the family” (Lee, P.83). This is Francis regurgitating what his family has told him. Prejudice goes beyond Maycomb’s habits and extends right into the court of law with tom’s trial. Tom was wrongly accused as a result of a prejudice jury. Even a knowledgeable man, Atticus, knows that Tom would not be proven innocent

Grief can play with one’s mind twisting and manipulating one to not be the same person they used to be, while grief can also change one for the better. In the book, Ransom, by David Malouf, Hector kills Achilles’ friend, Patroclus, so Achilles kills Hector. Priam wants to see his son one last time so he makes a plan to get to him. Somax takes Priam on a carriage to go find his son Hector. They have some troubles along the way, but they eventually get to Priam’s son. Priam brings Hector back to Troy and Hector is buried. In Ransom by David Malouf, the author teaches the reader the power of grief through the experiences of Priam and Achilles. Grief can be a controlling force, it can cause and individual to change as a person, and grief can strongly influence one’s actions.

Homer’s epic poem, the Iliad, first started as an oral storytelling tradition dating from about 1100 BC, after the Trojan war.

Mayella Ewell claimed Tom Robinson beat and raped her. Both of Bob’s and Mayella’s testimonies have many loose holes and have multiple things that don't add up. For example,Tom not being able to use his right arm, but Mayella claimed he got on to her, beat and choked her. “And so, a quiet, humble, respectable negro, who has had the unmitigated TEMERITY to feel sorry for a white woman, has had to put his word against two white peoples. The defendant is not guilty. But somebody in this courtroom is...now, gentlemen, in this country our courts are the great levelers. In our courts, all men are created equal. I'm no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and of our jury system. That's no ideal to me. That is a living, working reality!...” (Lee 273). This paragraph reveals the theme of racism in the city of Maycomb because Atticus has to re-explain why Tom is innocent. He has to keep telling them that the evidence from the Ewells don't add up, there was no positive medical kit, and Tom's story doesn't add up with the Ewells. It shows racism because it shows how far the people of Maycomb will go to make a black person suffer. It shows how much hate is filled with the whites of Maycomb. Tom Robinson is eventually shot 17 times by a police officer, and leaves behind his wife and three children. The outcome of Tom Robinson is horrible. But it shows how little the