To Kill A Mockingbird Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Mr. Finch starts his argument by presenting the facts of the case, trying to logically prove Tom Robinson’s innocence; he does this through the rhetoric and the use of logos. He begins by presenting medical evidence that supports Tom Robinson’s case. Atticus verifies that Tom uses his right hand and that Mayella Ewell’s facial injuries strongly suggest a left-handed assailant. Through the cross-examination of the witnesses, Atticus shows that their jumbled stories bring up serious questions about the crime. To anyone in modern times the proof he presented would’ve won Mr. Robinson freedom, but despite Mr. Finch’s best efforts to supply logical evidence, the jury did not immediately believe Tom Robinson.

The novel “To Kill a Mocking Bird” is based in the fictional small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s. When slavery and the Civil War were still present in the people’s way of living and the civil rights movement of the 1950s and '60s are far from close. The novel focuses on the Finches: Scout, her brother Jem, and their father Atticus, and the trial of Tom Robinson and how it affected them and the town. Witnessing the injustice of Tom Robinson’s trial changed Scout Finch in many ways. Scout learns that there is more than one type of courage, she learns about race and its complexity, and she also changes how she views the people around her by putting herself

Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, is a realistic story that deeply discusses issues involved with the 1930’s that still resonate today. The struggles of life are evident within the believable characters of Maycomb County which is a microcosm, reflective of universal issues. Along with the authentic characters, setting and style also helps to convey Lee’s controversial notions of racial and gender prejudice, and persecution of the innocent, discussing many other ideas within.

Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird tells of a town in Alabama, called Maycomb. In this deeply-rooted racist town, there is a trial against an African American man, accused of raping a white woman. One man, however, Atticus Finch, has the opportunity to help the the man on trial. Although he knows he will lose the trial, he takes the case anyway. Atticus is respected in Maycomb, and known for his wisdom and experience. He is a good-hearted, egalitarian man who is always there and willing to provide guidance to his children and to the town of Maycomb, with his years of practice and experience.

Atticus uses ethos in his argument to persuade the court that they should believe Tom Robinson because he is a decent man. He does this when he calls Tom a “quiet, respectable, humble Negro.” This is a use of ethos because this statement shows the audience that Tom is a good person. Atticus also used ethos by referencing Thomas Jefferson and how he said that all men are created equal. This was a use of ethos because Thomas Jefferson was an experienced and authoritative man. Another example would be how Atticus states “I’m no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and in the jury system - that is no ideal to me, it is a living, working reality.” This is a form of ethos because when Atticus said this he enhanced his figure by making it sound as though he is a realist about the possible findings of Tom Robinson. Atticus also gave the jury a compliment when he said that “it is a living, working reality.”

Prose appeals to ethos in this essay by appealing to the reader as a mother, educator, and student. By writing from the perspective of both a student and educator, Prose shows how both are affected by assigned literature. By discussing her own two sons, she appeals to readers who are mothers by expressing her concern about their education.

There are two examples of Pathos in this statement. Atticus uses a sort of rebuttal here by shortly mentioning Mayella’s unfortunate circumstances. He talks in his speech about her loneliness and hints about how hard it must be for her living with her abusive alcoholic father, which makes the reader feel bad for this woman who does not deserve to have to live in this way. However, he makes it very clear that this gives poor Mayella no excuse to treat Tom Robinson in such a way. After hearing Atticus make this point, the jury and reader should feel some anger towards Mayella and her father for putting this innocent “negro” in this position. Atticus builds on to this feeling later in his statement by asking a rhetorical question. He asks, “What was the evidence of her offense? Tom Robinson, a human being” (Lee 231). The word human being used in this sentence is supposed to be very powerful. The racism in the 1900’s made many African Americans feel as though the Caucasian

There are many instances in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird that show how kindness and generosity are more effective than rudeness and disrespect. One example of this is when Atticus is talking to Scout about understanding other people’s point of view. He tells her, “you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view--until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (Lee 36). This passage illustrates how Atticus is trying to instill good morals and values in his children. He believes that if you try to look at another point of view, you will be more successful in understanding others. Many people are closed-minded and unwilling to accept any perspective except their own. This can lead to a lot of misunderstandings and

Throughout his speech, Atticus introduced the concept of pathos where he sought to arouse the emotional side of the jury. His first evidence of pathos came when he expressed his pity for Mayella Ewell, the young woman for whom the trial took place. He addressed her hopeless condition when he called her the “victim of cruel poverty and ignorance” and defended her case in the situation. Mayella had led a cruel life with virtually no love so she had sought love from a defenseless black man, Tom Robinson. Afterwards, he approaches the basis of the US government with the statement that “all men are created equal.” This statement laid the foundations for the American government and spurred on the American rebels to build a new nation. However, Americans soon forgot this statement and Atticus beseeched the jury to remember their beliefs in freedom. To conclude he made a final emotional appeal to the jury and requested the jury to their duty, both to God and themselves.

“How would it feel to be convicted for a crime that wasn’t committed just because of skin color?” This is what exactly happens in Harper Lee’s book “To Kill A Mockingbird.” Tom Robinson was charged guilty for rape and assault of Mayella Ewell. Atticus Finch went against Mr.Gilmer to defend Tom’s innocence. It was almost impossible to convince a white jury’s opinion towards Tom because of his color. Both Atticus and Mr.Gilmer both used Logos, Ethos and Pathos, rhetorical concepts in their arguments.Even though Mr.Gilmer had won the case, Atticus’s was more effective in terms of strengths and weaknesses shown.

These very powerful statements erupt with ethos as Atticus established that he is a trustworthy, fair, and credible lawyer. He also asserts that all men are supposed to not be discriminated upon the court.

In Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, the author explores the issue of justice using the symbol of the mockingbird. Placed in, the 1930s, a time of great depression and inequality, the book presents injustice acts to the most kind yet blamed citizens of the town Maycomb. The symbolism of the mockingbird and the characters are essential for the message of Harper Lees novel because the kind, but African-American Tom Robinson is unfairly put on trial for the “rape” of Mayella Ewell. Also, Arthur “Boo” Radley is victimized by the rumors the towns people have created about him, forcing him to live alone inside his house with his brother, Nathan Radley. Lastly Atticus Finch, is known by the town for being a good human being and sticking

Imagine a place where the verdict of a rape trial stems from racial prejudice rather than the proper evaluation of proven evidence. This is Maycomb, Alabama, the strange, Southern town where Scout and Jem Finch grow up during the 1930s in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. In short, the novel travels a thin line between a light-hearted narrative of the siblings’ childhood with their single father, a defense attorney named Atticus Finch, and the injustices that arise within their close-knit community. The complexities include extreme racism, a peculiar social hierarchy, and general misunderstandings of certain people within the small town. These are all seen as “Maycomb ways”, almost as if they are considered facts. Through her writing, Lee conveys an important message that an essential part of a child’s education often takes place in a home or community rather than a classroom by utilizing the characters, Atticus Finch and Tom Robinson, a black man accused of rape whom Atticus is defending.

Research shows that children are more susceptible to commit crimes, fail in maintaining long lasting relationships and develop depression as well as other psychological disorders from the effects of bad parenting. In fact, many people grow up treating others the same way their parents have treated them with reference to their parents’ values, behaviours and attitudes. Harper Lee, an American author, expressed her childhood experiences in Alabama through writing the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. In this novel Harper Lee highlights the prevailing racist attitudes that existed in Alabama in the 1930s. Lee does this by having the parenting style of Atticus, and its impact on his children, stand in contrast to these prevailing racist attitudes. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee conveys that Atticus Finch is a great parent because he is not a hypocrite, he has a sense of fairness and he has good morals and values.

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