Lawyer Atticus Finch, in his closing argument from the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee stated in the Tom Robinson case discusses racial prejudice. Finch’s purpose is to convince the jury, race has nothing to do with Tom Robinson’s innocence. He adopts a moralistic tone in order to persuade the jury Tom Robinson is innocent. Finch furthers his purpose by effectively employing rhetorical devices to inform the jury to put aside their differences and make the choice in which can set an innocent man free.…
Atticus also defends racial justice in Tom Robinson’s case, even though the people of the town antagonize him for being the defense attorney for a black man. When the jury announces that they’ve found Tom guilty without any evidence, this is an example of how Atticus cares for humanity no matter what color skin color they are. The jury made their decision the day they found out Tom Robinson was a black man, but this didn’t stop Atticus from fighting for Tom. Atticus still had tried his best to prove that the Ewells were lying, and that Tom was an innocent…
Wouldn’t you think that compassion is always a good thing? Generally we associate this with good. However, in the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates how the theme of compassion, though can be good, also could be dangerous.…
In the book “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, it teaches the readers to do the right thing even when the crowd might not follow. Atticus the father of Jem Finch and Jean Louise 'Scout' Finch. He is older then a lot of parents. His kids describe him as a lazy and lame but what they don’t know about him is that what they said is not accurate.…
Eighty-five years ago, times were different. People in Maycomb County, Alabama seldom had cars, there were no phones, and in that town, everyone knew everyone’s name. Harper Lee’s classic southern novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, uses a racially charged trial from the nineteen-thirties to depict the theme of loss of innocence through the experiences of Scout and Jem Finch. Throughout the book, both young Finches come to realize the harsh realities of racism, injustice, and changes in judgement, which ultimately leads to Scout and Jem losing their naivety and innocence.…
In the novel, characters try to do the right thing but are unsuccessful in their search for justice, which shows the only way to fight a predetermined outcome is to follow one’s own morality. Atticus knows that he does not have a good chance to win the trial because he is defending Tom Robinson, who is a black man, but this does not stop Atticus from following what he believes is right. Atticus is not in an ideal situation because the people of Maycomb have never given equal rights to people of color. Atticus announces, “I’m no idealist to believe firmly of our courts and in the jury system-- that is no ideal to me, it is a living, working reality.…
Standing up to a bully, trying something new, putting one’s life in danger to save another, standing up against prejudice, and facing a fear of public speaking. There are grand acts of courage, and then there are smaller courageous acts that can sometimes go unseen. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird explores different examples of courage through its characters. Mrs. Dubose, Atticus Finch, and Arthur Radley were all presented with opportunities to show courage.…
“Simply because we were licked a hundred before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.” (101) says Atticus Finch, the main character in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Atticus defends Tom Robinson, a black man, accused of attacking a white woman. Set in Jim Crow Alabama, Atticus is making a decision many people in Maycomb do not understand- taking a stand for a black man. Even though Atticus knows he does not have a chance at winning Tom’s case, because of his character, it makes sense for him to defend Tom Robinson because, Atticus does what is right, he lives by the “Golden Rule”, and he wants to set a good example to Jem and Scout.…
Atticus is known for his strong character and his commitment to honesty and Justice. Judge Taylor wanted Tom Robinson to have a fair trial and he knew to accomplish that only someone with esteem integrity can do so. Atticus shows integrity because he does not like to keep secrets, he does not judge his opinion of someone based on their skin color and because he does not take advantage of people. Atticus believes in Tom's innocence, and while any reasonable person could look at the evidence in the case and realize that Tom didn't commit the crime, the racial prejudices prevent most whites from doing so. It is a case he cannot hope to win.…
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is based in a small town called Maycomb Alabama during the Depression. Atticus, the town lawyer, decides to take on this case dealing with a kind and humble black man, Tom Robinson, accused of raping a young girl names Mayella Ewell. Was justice served when Tom Robinson was found guilty of rape? Mayella, of the famous Ewell family known as the city’s “trash” claimed Tom raped her.…
Courage can present itself in varying degrees of intensity; what might take a great deal of bravery for some might not be an issue for others, depending on the individual. When faced with certain fears, different people may respond in their own unique way, while ultimately achieving the same goal. Such a concept is commonly demonstrated within the realm of literature. A key literary masterpiece to note is To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, in which many of the characters must face the resurfaced truth of the racial inequality in their society and analyze their societal beliefs. The novel follows a young girl, Scout, as she struggles to understand the world around her and the dynamics of the society that she grows up in during the…
In addition, Tom Robinson was known as a humble well-respected negro, and the fact that he helped Mayella even when he was busy and tired, showed that he respects women and that he is a good man. Secondly, Even though Atticus and Tom knew that they were going to lose the case, Atticus wanted to prove something, he wanted to show the citizens of the county proof the racism and stereotypes are wrong. It was obvious that Atticus and Tom won, but the jury would never let a black man win over a white man because The jury would never want out from the norm, Society taught people certain rules and guidelines that they had to follow. Atticus took the case to prove to the county that colored people and whites are the same, they're both being accountable for what they…
To begin with, when Tom felt bad for Mayella the whole courtroom was shocked. To explain this in more detail, when Tom says, ““Yes suh, I felt right sorry for her”” (264), and then Scout thinks, “Below us nobody liked Tom Robinsons answer” (264). This means that although Tom Robinson might have more money, works harder, and is more respected in the black society, he’s still black, and that’s below any white person, and since the society thinks you can’t pity anyone higher than you, they got offended. In fact, when the court session was over, the jury and the audience knew Tom wasn’t guilty, but voted that he was. To prove this statement, during Atticus’ final statement he says, ““This case is as simple as black and white.””…
"Yeah, but Atticus aims to defend him. That 's what I don 't like about it." This exemplifies how the town resented Atticus for simply doing what he believe to be the right thing to do; which is why even though Atticus had no intention of influencing the town’s idea of justice for Tom Robinson, he influenced the white community, who just so happen to have been the ones to decide Tom’s fate. This once again proves that while unintentional a single individual how the power to alter or change what another person perceives as…
Racism had made Robinson’s fate of dead inevitable. “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed”. In the particular place and time, it was simply because Tom was black and Mayella was white. In the era of 1930s, the whites had overwhelming power over the blacks who were seldom protected by law. Although Atticus did a brilliant job to expose Bob Ewell and his daughter’s lies and convinced most people that Tom Robinson was closer to innocence than sin, and it took extra effort and time for the jury to make a verdict, the sentence was still guilty, due to the predominance of racist opinion at that time.…