The Evil Assumption In To Kill A Mockingbird

As Atticus decides to defend Tom Robinson, who is a black man. Many citizens of Maycomb don't understand his choices for doing so. Atticus is questioned by Scout, she asks him “If you shouldn’t be defendin’ him, then why are you doing it?” Scout says that to Atticus because people from Scouts school have been telling her that defending a black man is a negative thing to do. By asking Atticus this, it shows that others see black people as lower class compared to others. As the majority of Maycomb see them that way, they don't understand why Atticus should and would defend them. Atticus sees the whole situation as him just “Simply defending a Negro,” because he sees everyone nas an equal which everyone else should too. As the citizens of Maycomb don't understand why Atticus is defending Tom, some finally start to see the trial just like Atticus. In chapter 15, a mob is called upon Atticus for defending Tom. It is led by Mr. Cunningham, who has a son named Walter, which Scout goes to school with. While the mob is after Atticus because of him defending Tom, Scout is able to stop the mob. She stops the mob by telling Mr. Cunningham about his son and how Atticus has helped their family, which then calms him down to see the mob isn't right. As Scout’s kindness towards Mr. Cunningham helps him decide to call off the mobs, it also helps him to see Atticus is a good person for defending and helping Tom Robinson because Atticus did the same towards him. Atticus’ choice to defend and help black people is hard to understand for many, butin the end it is important to realise why he choses to defend

During Tom Robinson’s trial, Scout starts to understand the entirety of racial injustice. We see this when Scout meets the lynch mob outside Tom’s cell before the trial, and she stopped them by talking to and embarrassing Mr. Cunningham. It was not until after that night

Scout in the book showed in a child’s point of view of the hatred in Maycomb such as, when scout was watching the trial of Mr. Tom Robinson. She noticed during the trial that there was an all-white jury and all were men. She thought that this was just the way and that was that but discrimination is wrong and Scout knew it. Scout asked Atticus why the court did that and Atticus said that black man wasn’t considered the same as a white man. During the trial Scout noticed that Mr. Ewell and Mayella Ewell talked in a tone that just seemed evil and she could see pure hatred in their eyes, especially when they talked

Another character that helps Scout to become accepting is Tom Robinson. He teaches Scout how pervasive racism is and the importance of fighting it. When Tom Robinson gets shot by trying to escape, Scout begins to experience for the first time, how strong racism and prejudice is between whites and blacks. After reading Mr. Underwood’s article, she realizes that Tom Robinson is a “dead man” once Mayella Ewell “open[s] her mouth and scream[s]” (Lee 241). Society is so unjust; Tom is stuck in a situation, where it is impossible for him to win the case, since a black man’s word will never be more respected than a white woman’s. After the trial, Scout is more aware of the need to treat all races equally. One day after Scout and Jem visits Calpurnia’s church, Scout asks if she can “‘come see [Calpurnia] sometime’” (Lee

In the book “To Kill a Mockingbird” Scout Finch is the narrator (DBQ Project, p.7). She tells about the different things that happened in the town of Maycomb, Alabama during the 1930s (DBQ Project, p.7). She also talked about the people in the town. Scout talked about a specific trial that completely rocked the town. The case involved a white girl named Mayella Ewell and an African American man named Tom Robinson (DBQ Project, p.7). Mayella Ewell had no friends, she was poor, and because of her gender was not looked at as superior, although under those circumstances she was able to have influence within the case based on her class, gender, and race (DBQ Document A, p.13).

Before she witnesses the court system through her own eyes, Scout strongly believes that the system is fair in the town of Maycomb. As time goes on, she begins to realize how the court system is actually biased. From racist juries, judges, and witnesses, the African Americans were greatly discriminated against in the court. As Atticus says, “In our courts, when it’s a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins” (Lee 295). This quote from the story showed Scout, Jem, and the reader how the court system truly was not equitable in Maycomb at the time. Had there been a fair court system, Tom Robinson would have never been ruled guilty. Atticus acknowledges in his speech at the end of Tom Robinson’s case, “Gentlemen, a court is no better than each man of you sitting before me on this jury” (274). This, being another well-said quote from Atticus, shows again the discriminatory court system. Through the large case told about in the story, Scout learns that it is an illusion that court systems are just. Realistically, the system was unfair and intolerant. Through the court system, one can see how racist people were back then towards the African American people and how the white people believed humans of the opposite color are terrible people. This leads to another illusion that Scout eventually learns the truth

This goes to prove how the only thing that matters in Maycomb county is the social class and the color of your skin. Even if they are not innocent, the whites will always be ahead and always be right. This looks back on the idea of how Scout didn’t believe in justice being served in the

The lack of justice between black and white people and the mistreatment of Atticus’s family were the first few moments in which Scout and Jem’s were introduced to an evil Maycomb. The realization that Tom Robinson has been accused of raping a white girl with no real evidence and only because he is black, completely shocked Scout and Jem, especially when in reality, Bob Ewell was hurting his own daughter and made her purposely accuse Tom. Although Scout was sure that Atticus is a great lawyer and that Tom will be set free, she is dumbfounded and filled with hatred when the verdict was that Tom is guilty. When Scout asked Atticus explain everything and why happened, he said, “I don’t know but they did it. They’ve done it before and they did it tonight and they’ll do it again and when they do it—seems only the children weep,” (Lee, 213), meaning that the only one’s that actually care about how Tom was found guilty is children like Scout, Jem, and Dill and not the other people of Maycomb. After seeing Tom Robinson wrongly convicted, Jem and Scout discover that their nation is completely prejudiced and cruel, making them lose their

While Mayella was being questioned not only by Atticus but the judge , Scout asked herself various questions trying to understand Mayella. “ I wonder if anybody had ever called her ‘ma’am,’ or ‘Miss Mayella’ in her life;as she took offense to routine courtesy,” (Lee 244). At the trial Scout begins to realize a lot about Mayella during the trial and really how lonely a person she is. “I discovered that I had been sitting on the edge of the long bench, and I was somewhat numb,” (Lee).“As Tom Robinson gave his testimony, it came to me that Mayella Ewell must have been the loneliest person in the world. She was even lonelier than Boo Radley, who had not been out of the house in twenty-five years. When Atticus asked had she any friends, she seemed not to know what he meant, then she thought he was making fun of her. She was as sad, I thought, as what Jem called a mixed child: white people wouldn’t have anything to do with her because she lived among pigs; Negroes wouldn’t have anything to do with her because she was white. She couldn’t live like Mr. Dolphus Raymond, who preferred the company of Negroes, because she didn’t own a riverbank and she wasn’t from a fine old family,” (Lee). Everyone see’s the Ewell’s just as a lazy family who sit’s in their own filth and are beyond dumb, but never really took into consideration what their inside lives were like. Here Scout get’s too see Mayella’s life and see feel’s her

He takes the case solely because of his belief that “...whenever a white man [cheats] 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”(295). Atticus’s quote highlights his views that all people no matter what race, no matter how wealthy should be treated equally. Atticus’ dealing with Tom Robinson, who Scout seems to think of as less is very important to Scout learning empathy. Atticus shows that if he had thought of Tom as inferior and not worthy of his time, Atticus would have never shaken the racism that the Maycomb community and white men of his time attempt to engrave in him. By seeing Atticus take the case and fighting his “heart out” for Tom, Scout learns that she should never just follow the “crowd” and not be racist. When Atticus first takes the case Scout is curious as to why he would defend a man that the whole town thinks of as inferior. Scout asks: “If you shouldn’t be defendin him, then why are you doin’ it?...The main [reason] is, if I didn’t I couldn't hold my head up in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again(100). Atticus’ quote is a great demonstration of his strong morals and character. Atticus seems to believe that his whole town knows that it was Bob Ewell who raped Mayella Ewell, and that deep, deep down they think that it is the right

It is seen that now how racism cloud the judgment in Maycomb people toward Tom’s death. Despise how good a citizen he is, it is all useless to prove Tom is innocent with all the crazy idea that acting horrible is black people instinct. Additionally, as Scout realization, “Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men’s hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.” (Page 245).

Scout is told by her father to treat people equally and that no one should be picked on or left out. Many people in the town of Maycomb are very racists so Scout sees and hears them talk down about African-American people. Zacary Crockett states, “Society, at large, has its own conceptions: she is told that African-Americans represent a dark side of Maycomb by some, while others try to relate to her that good and evil should be colorblind”. Scout learns many things about how people judge other so harshly throughout this novel.

Harper Lee's ‘To kill a Mockingbird’ explores the prejudicial issues which plague over the town Maycomb. Harper Lee uses the trial of Tom Robinson a black man accused of rape on a young white girl, Mayella as a central theme to portray the prominence of racial discrimination in Maycomb. The racial prejudice is also widely shown through the characterisation of Atticus. Having Scout as the narrator allows Harper Lee to highlight the gender inequity through a youthful unbiased perspective. The chauvinistic attitudes and prejudiced views of most of the town’s folk leaves Maycombs social hierarchy in an unfair order, victimising many of the town’s people due to their socially non-conforming habits some ‘socially unaccepted people’ including Boo

This clearly indicates that Scout is heavily influenced by the racial pressures developing in the town of Maycomb. The level of maturity that Scout starts to possess throughout the novel, truly indicates how much Scout has grown. And Tom’s trial was one key event. To Kill a Mockingbird depicts racial issues without straightforwardly including Scout. While comprehension of such issues is significant to Scout's development, later on it helps her realize that race defines who you are in Maycomb to a high extent.

Earlier in the novel, Scout relates that Atticus views the Ewell family as “the disgrace of Maycomb” (33). However, as the Ewells are a white family, they are having a higher social status. During the trial, it is declared that Mayella seduces Tom Robinson, and her father, Bob Ewell, thought that his daughter would shift her warm feelings for a black man. In addition, Bob Ewell’s reaction to his daughter kissing to Tom Robinson displays the fear of miscegenation. Atticus, however, strives for justice. Atticus explains the ugly truth to Jem and Scout: “In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (251-252). Atticus shows disgust with white people taking advantage of a black person’s ignorance” (252). Tom Robinson is facing a trial and the death sentence because he is black. Furthermore, Atticus makes it clear to his children that racism exists and tells Scout and Jem: 'In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always