Character Traits Of Tom Robinson

To begin, Tom Robinson is a man who rattled Maycomb. He was taken to court for allegedly raping Mayella Ewell. This seems like a fantasy when one considers the tranquil characteristics Tom displays. First, Tom is a humble man. He does not accept or demand pay for the small services he frequently provides to Mayella Ewell and others. Whenever Mayella requests his help, he is gratified to do so. This signifies that Tom is willing to assist others from the good of his soul. Therefore, he does not need a reward to motivate him into doing a favor for another person. Indeed, it may be that Tom feels obliged to aid a white woman since he is black. In the time of the novel, blacks are expected to serve whites unconditionally. Even so, one cannot …show more content…
This toughness coherently came from years of verbal abuse by prejudice people in the community. These instances of discrimination educated him to simply grit his teeth and progress with his life. If he let his fury seep through, it would only cause greater problems for him. Similarly, aside from being humble, Tom Robinson is a respectful man. This is another standout quality of his that makes him a benign person. One example of this is trait is showcased when Mayella invited Tom into her house to supposedly fix a door. Mayella used the door as an excuse to get Tom to enter the Ewell house, as blacks would be heavily punished if they entered a house belonging to a white person without permission. Once both were in the house, Mayella kissed Tom, coaxing him to return the act. Out of respect for Mayella and her family, Tom refused to do so. This may be due to the fact that he knew kissing Mayella would effectively lower his stature in the community even further, as mixed couples are looked down upon in Maycomb. Mr. Dolphus Raymond is an instance of such a man. The whole town treats Mr. Raymond as a castaway, since he has a black wife and mixed race …show more content…
Tom’s probability to outlast the jury would become wiry, with or without Atticus. Mr. Ewell’s testimony, assuming he states the same one, would further enforce the jury’s decision. Accordingly, the foundations of Tom’s life and family would crumble. Anyhow, Tom chose the righteous path, and thus did not kiss Mayella. In the same fashion, Tom is respectful to all because he knows his place in the community. Blacks are at the lowest extremity of the caste pyramid, and hence are compelled to treat all other citizens with utmost respect. If these standards are not met, there are dire consequences that follow. Tom Robinson did not have to deal with such issues until Bob Ewell suspected him of rape. This is because he is courteous to each individual he encounters. He has the knowledge of how to act when in the company of whites. This is one of the reasons why Atticus chose to defend Tom in court. It was not because he thought he could win, but it was the product of many years of respect Tom Robinson gave to the town. The respect involuntarily triggered in Atticus’ mind the circumstance that Tom could not have committed such a grave