To Kill A Mockingbird Trial Analysis

Lee has invited the reader to interpret the dominant reading of racial prejudice. It is obvious to the reader that racial prejudice is incorrect and the treatment of ‘African-Americans' is cruel and unjust. Racial prejudice is also a major

Lee implies that people learn lessons through life experiences that school can ever teach. Throughout this novel, Atticus taught his kids many lessons that was hard for them to hear at times, but it later on helped them in the story. Or it helped them grow up and mature. On page 40 of To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus was explaining to Scout that Miss.Caroline was new and didn’t know anyone, and she especially didn’t know the Cunningham’s story, Atticus states, “Atticus said… but if Walter and I had put ourselves in her shoes we’d have seen it was an honest mistake on her part” (40). This quote by Atticus is meant to explain to Scout that Miss. Caroline just made an honest human mistake. He tried to get Scout to realize that if he put herself in Miss.Caroline’s shoes then she might better understand the confusion. Obviously you can’t really be in her shoes, but he said it figuratively to show her why it was important to give her another chance, or at least try to be nice and listen. Atticus taught this to Scout at home later on that night. At her school after that she tried to just get by in her class. Lee also shows mainly throughout that the school system doesn’t help when it comes to teaching children life lessons. As shown in the earlier quote Atticus, had told Scout to jump in Walter’s shoes, and walk around in it. This other quote shows how Scout actually takes into consideration of Atticus’ words, and chooses to not bother Jem because she tried to imagine what it had

Lee develops the theme of prejudice throughout To Kill a Mockingbird. Some forms of prejudice are not recognized by the young narrator, but the people of Maycomb are the source of racist and classist prejudice. The most obvious form of prejudice is racism. This close-minded view of certain ethnic groups is displayed when the jury declares Tom Robinson guilty when clear evidence had been presented proving his innocence. The stark outcome of injustice shows the readers that

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is a complex literary work exploring several aspects of the human condition. Lee’s story is one based in the 1930’s, shortly before the Civil Rights Movement. Her novel ventures into the societal issues, such as racism and gender stereotyping, in their fictional town, Maycomb. One recurring theme throughout the narrative is the social adjustment of the citizens of Maycomb and the human race as a whole. Lee showcases the progress in social justice matters by using symbolism and motifs.

The ambition of oneself to pursue justice and righteousness may result in prosecution. In the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, and movie "A Time to Kill" by Joel Schumacher, each demonstrate one’s open-mindedness and forward thinking leads to penalization through protagonists Atticus Finch and Jake Brigance. Both egalitarians take the position as an attorney for an African American and are prosecuted in the process.

Furthermore, defending Tom Robinson shows how being prejudice can hurt someone. The jury is all Caucasian men who do not agree with Atticus’s decision in defending an African American. Even though the actual truth about the case came out, the jury found Tom Robinson guilty and sent him to prison based on prejudice.

To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee's only novel, is a fictional story of racial oppression, set in Maycomb, A.L. in 1925 to 1935, loosely based on the events of the Scottsboro trials. Unlike the story however, the racial discrimination and oppression in the novel very accurately portrays what it was like in the 1920's and 1930's in the south. Tom Robinson, the black man accused of raping a poor low class white girl of 19, never stood a chance of getting a fair trial. This can be supported by giving examples of racially discriminatory and

There were pretty significant moments in this novel about the trial. People that took part in the trial had different testimonies such as Tom Robinson, Mayella Ewell, Bob Ewell, and Heck Tate. Heck claimed that after being contacted by Bob Ewell,he went to visit the Ewell home to find Mayella on the floor beaten. He said that he saw the right side of her face badly beaten with bruises near her neck. Bob claimed that he heard Mayella screaming within the Ewell house, and when he came inside, he saw Tom run away after seeing Bob. During Atticus' cross examination, furthermore, Bob consent with a request for Tom to write his name, which he did with his left hand. Mayella claimed that she offered Tom Robinson a nickel to ”bust up the chiffarobe,”

In the story To Kill a Mockingbird the trial is one of the parts in the story where the author Harper Lee uses various strategies to embed meaning and opinions on the situation. The attorneys used rhetorical appeals and devices to try and persuade the jury to taking their side regarding Mayella Ewell's rape. Atticus is trying to prove Tom Robinson's innocence while Mr. Gilmer is trying to prove him as guilty. The use of rhetorical appeals during the trial have an effect on the jury and on their final verdict regarding Tom Robinson's involvement in Mayella Ewell's rape. The trial gives Harper Lee the opportunity to present themes like prejudice, or justice, and it also shows the relationship of the town's society and people with racism.

Harper lee has presented racism in the novel ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by describing how blacks live and are treated harshly. The court case of Tom Robinson, which is the main part of the story is a metaphor that Harper Lee has created of the situation in the 1960 's. Things were not stable at the time and Tom 's case is just one example of the racial discrimination the blacks were facing during this time.

Tom Robinson is by no means proven to be guilty beyond a shadow of a doubt, but regardless of Atticus’ best attempts Tom is convicted. Later he is violently killed, shot 17 times by a white officer for attempting to escape the jail at which he was held, and thus ends the arduous battle for his life. In the fictional world of Maycomb, all returns to normal for the Finch family, but there are messages in this story that mirror the words of Martin Luther. The author Harper Lee saw these injustices in her own lifetime, and used her writing to convey this through the jury in the Tom Robinson case. Her writing still applies, and To Kill a Mockingbird’s jury box holds a message for society. This book has a judicial system tainted by the jurors involved, and its parallels to a courtroom of today represent a drastic need for change in the modern one. It may seem dubious for a fabricated story to comment on our societal workings 50 years later, but it shows how outdated the current arrangement truly

Harper Lee’s Novel To Kill a Mockingbird details the life of young Scout Finch and brother Jem Finch, who is growing up in a time of racial uniqueness. Jem and Scout Finch are what most would call a typical family growing up in the small Alabama town of Maycomb. They encounter many different obstacles during their childhood missions with many characters making the novel an interesting read. Throughout the book, Lee is showing Jem and Scout grow up and become mature young adults. This novel, written by Harper Lee, demonstrates the themes of growing up, Innocence and most importantly, racism.

Courts are the “one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and an ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court.”(205) it is expected that the judge or jury evaluate both sides without bias. Unfortunately this is not always the case; there has always been bias against one side which affects the ruling, whether it be racism, class divisions, or of religion. This problem is illustrated in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird during the court hearing of Tom Robinson, a black man, in Maycomb Alabama. Atticus Finch, the lawyer of Mr. Robinson attempts to shed light on the ridiculous separation between those who are different. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates conformity and the consequences it has on society.

In both the text “To Kill a Mockingbird” written by Harper Lee and the film “A Time to Kill” directed by Joel Schumacher, similar ideas are presented using language devices and stylistic features in differing ways to appeal to their target audience. Each have very similar storylines in which a white lawyer defends a an African-American in a prejudiced court case. Racism is a key idea presented strongly in each due to the eras they are set in. The era and country set in each story provide a strong base for the prominent issue. With the unpleasant happenings in each text and through the racist acts the idea of compassion shines through. As well as compassion being a significant idea, forgiveness is also presented through the racists acts.

The story, in the eyes of two innocent children Scout and her brother Jem, of the discrimination and hypocrisy throughout the town. Maycomb County, Alabama, faces an African American’s injustice while the children learn valuable lessons from their father, Atticus and their housemaid Calpurnia, during the Great Depression. All the while, we are learning from it. To Kill a Mockingbird teaches us the lessons of morale, justice and equality.