To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee tells the story of Tom Robinson. A black man falsely accused of raping a white woman, Mayela Ewell, through the eyes of Atticus’ daughter Scout. Atticus Finch chooses to take his case and defend him. Although the case was lost from the beginning, Atticus masterfully used logos, pathos and ethos in an attempt to win over the jury so they would declare him innocent. Atticus used logos to attempt at logically convincing this racist jury that there was no way Mr. Robinson could have committed the rape.
They also discredited the validity of his previous domestic violence calls and accounts by friends and family of spousal abuse when Nicole and O.J. were married. This was essential to the prosecutions’ attempt to prove motive, or mens rea an essential factor for a criminal trial. The Juror’s later would state in interviews that they did not see the link between his spousal abuse and a motive for murder. They also attacked the credibility of witnesses from the Los Angeles Police Department.
At one point in the trial a man stands up to say something in the defense of Tom Robinson, but is immediately quieted by the Judge and is even asked to leave the court room. It seems like everyone just assumed that Tom Robinson already was guilty before he was even tried. When Mr. Ewell takes the stand, which is Mayella Ewell’s father, he couldn’t just call Tom Robinson by his full name and instead would call him a nigger and other bad terms. Once again as stated before African-Americans were not allowed to be apart off a jury at this point in history, instead leaving a very prejudice jury that seems to still think he is guilty even though the evidence clearly shows he is not. When Tom Robinson has to task the stand Mr. Gilmer starts badgering him by asking him very critical questions and not giving him time to answer which is also not allowed in court.
Ronda Morrison’s murder takes place in Monrcoeville, Alabama, where Harper Lee grew up and wrote To Kill A Mockingbird. People there are crazy about that story. But when Bryan Stevenson tries to get the community to help Walter McMillian, an innocent African-American man, there is only indifference and hostility (Stevenson). Li 2 Li 2 As defendants, Tom Robinson and Walter McMillian are both black and innocent. Tom Robinson is accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell who in fact
Racism and prejudice inside and outside, same races, and schools still happen today. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird there was a lot of racism in and out of the schools. As we both know Tom Robinson was accused of rape from Mayella Ewell. But in the court room when the judge is speaking to Tom, we as an audience realize that he did not rape her. From her story to the scar nothing matches up to what she is saying, but because he had an all white jury, they found him guilty.
In the book To Kill a Mockingbird the rape trail of Tom Robinson vs Mayella Ewell, an African American man accused of raping a white teenage girl was held in a bias court room of Maycomb County. Tom Robinson was proven innocent but the end verdict did not match the proof, because no jury would chose to listen to a black man over a white girl due to the state of prejudice Maycomb was under. Racism this town got to the point where when Atticus Finch, a white lawyer chose to represent Tom in the case he was a disgrace and an outcast to the white community. Not only Atticus but his children all suffered from the judgement they were receiving from the whole community for Atticus representing an innocent man. Since children were exposed to this behavior the racism has been passed down to generation to generation.
Cousin Francis yelled, “He`s nothing` but a nigger-lover!” (Lee pg83). Just because Atticus was doing the right and noble thing, Cousin Francis thought that he loved black people but he did not know Tom. Although, Jem stated that, “Atticus says cheatin` a coloured man is ten times worse than cheatin` a white man.” (Lee pg201) It is worse because it is like killing a mockingbird, which is a sin, coloured men do not really bother anybody. And then Atticus explained that, “...You’ll see white men cheat black men everyday of your life, ...whenever a white man does that to a black man, ... that white man is trash.” (Lee pg220). He explained that white men always win and cheat, so the white men are the victors but the white man is always a bad man.
As the reader begins to see the unfairness of the actions against black people, mostly because of Atticus’ speech, the theme of discrimination is developed through the motive of ‘walking around in their shoes.’ The title, To Kill A Mockingbird is very symbolic and meaningful. The quote which corresponds with the title is also said by Atticus and is, ‘Shoot all the blue jays you want if you can’t hit ‘em, but it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.’ There are two characters in the text which are metaphorical to the mockingbird. One is the obvious one, Tom Robinson, a black man accused of the rape of a white girl, whom Atticus defends, and the other is Boo Radley. Just like a mockingbird, Tom Robinson only did good and in the end was accused of a crime he didn’t commit. He helped Mayella Ewell every time she asked, for free, and for it he was accused of raping her.
The Author gives readers clues and makes them think to figure out questions, she never gives a straight out answer. The author has events that exemplify prejudice really well. One example of prejudice in the story is the trial. Bob Ewell sues an African American man named Tom Robinson for raping his daughter. The court pleads the man guilty without any proof of rape.
Despite Atticus’s powerful arguments for Tom’s innocence, the all-white jury convicts the black man. The verdict adversely affects the Finches, especially Jem. When Tom is killed trying to escape from prison, Jem’s struggle with injustice comes to its culmination. Humiliated by the trial, Bob Ewell, Mayella’s father, continually threatens Atticus,