Preview

Theme Of Guilty In To Kill A Mockingbird

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
159 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Theme Of Guilty In To Kill A Mockingbird
Harper lees, to kill a mockingbird, the theme is that everyone should be treated fairly. Since tom is colored he is automatically thought of being guilty. Judge taylor was polling the jury:”Guilty...guilty...guilty...guilty…” Even though tom was proven innocent he was still convicted as guilty because of the color of his skin. Since everyone thinks tom is guilty they don't want him around. “You know what we want,”another man said. “ Get aside from the door, Mr Finch.” The men know that tom is in the cell and they want him dead even if Mr.Finch gets in the way. Considering that Mr.Finch is defending tom he is also going to get messed with. “Atticus was leaving the post office when Mr. Ewell approached him, cursed him, spat on him, and threatened
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    What Is Atticus Finch's Ethos In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 283 Words
    • 2 Pages

    What Is Atticus Finch's Ethos In To Kill A Mockingbird

    In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch’s purpose at the current time was to persuade the jury that Tom Robinson was an innocent man, Tom was black field worker that had been accused of beating and raping a young girl, and at the time, 1930s, if a black man was accused of doing anything to white female, they were found guilty, plain and simple. But Atticus uses, pathos ethos and logos during his speech to the jury, which allows him to effectively demonstrate the real aspects of his personality and morals. Since Tom was black, many did not want to represent him in court, due to his race. But Atticus, saw the challenge did not back away from it. He wanted to prove to the jurors that Tom Robinson was an innocent man and that he should…

    • 283 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Tom Robinson's Trial
    • 293 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Tom Robinson's Trial

    A theme in “To Kill A Mockingbird,” could be that you should never judge a person by their color. The way people were judge affected Tom Robinson’s trial because all colored people were treated differently than white people back in the day. Reverend Sykes explained to Jem; “I ain't ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man” (Lee 279). Tom was not going to be charged with the crime. This is because everything that was said on his half proved that he was innocent but judges never choose a colored man over a white man. Further, Tom Robinson was not able to win the trial because he is a colored man. The judge got the piece of paper and says “ ‘Guilty… guilty… guilty… guilty…’ “(Lee 282). The color of Tom’s skin changed…

    • 293 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Is Tom Portrayed In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 2615 Words
    • 11 Pages

    How Is Tom Portrayed In To Kill A Mockingbird

    During the 1930s, racism was a major problem which led to the mistreatment of African Americans. Tom and the rest of his race were called names and labeled as ‘Monsters.” Mockingbirds are misjudged and shot because people just assume that the bird is harmful. Tom and his skin tone represent this situation because from the outside Tom supposedly looked dangerous, but on the inside he was innocent. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Tom is “seen” as raping Mr. Ewell’s daughter Mayella. In reality, Mr. Ewell abused Mayella, but he knew if he said Tom hit Mayella that it would be believable because of Tom’s skin color. When Bob Ewell says, “I seen that black nigger younder ruttin’ on my Mayella,” it explains that people knew Tom’s skin color and assumed that he was up to no good and that he was dangerous (Lee 173). Even when Tom tried to explain himself at court, everyone believed Mayella’s false story about Tom hitting her (Marshall). No one took Tom seriously in court; the jury already had their mind made up even before the actual court date. Tom was wrapped up in evil and was misjudged harshly by his skin color and was “shot down” like a mockingbird by racism. Tom’s skin color defined him; Caucasians could not get past the fact that he was supposedly “different” from them. Later in the book, Tom’s race is the major reason he is shot or “killed like a mockingbird” by a police…

    • 2615 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Comparing To Kill A Mockingbird And My Name Is Asher Lev
    • 535 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Comparing To Kill A Mockingbird And My Name Is Asher Lev

    He is accused of raping a young white woman. As rumor got around that Atticus was defending a black man, many people started to insult Atticus, which caused him to lose strength and confidence. Around his neighborhood, he is characterized by a man who treats everyone as if they were family. When he heard that these people were judging him, he showed signs of doubtfulness. Atticus was hesitant about making the right choice for defending Robinson. Another sign of losing creative energy is when the jury picks the choice of whether or not Tom Robinson is guilty. Even though Atticus clearly showed that the plaintiff was the one who did the crime, conformity influenced the jury of making Tom Robinson guilty only for the reason that he was…

    • 535 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Does Atticus Show Courage
    • 470 Words
    • 2 Pages

    How Does Atticus Show Courage

    “To Kill a Mockingbird” takes place in 1930’s Alabama, where racism and segregation were accepted as social norms. Lawyer Atticus Finch defended “Negro” Tom Robinson in court, whom Mr. Ewell accused of raping his daughter. People considered defending a black man in court against a white man as a disgrace to the lawyer, his family and community. While Atticus talked to his brother Jack, he mentioned that “The only thing we’ve got is a black man’s word against the Ewells‘. The evidence boils down to you-did—I-didn’t. The jury couldn’t possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson’s word against the Ewells”. (Lee, 116-117) Atticus tells Jack that they don’t have enough data to prove Tom’s innocence in the case. The Ewells were not as respectable people as Tom Robinson, but according to the social hierarchy, dishonorable white people were above…

    • 470 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Theme Of Morality In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 81 Words
    • 1 Page

    Theme Of Morality In To Kill A Mockingbird

    Morality is the principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behaviour. Personal morality is a set of beliefs or code that an individual lives and abides by. To Kill a Mockingbird is an exploration of human morality, and presents a constant conversation concerning the goodness or evilness of people and moral education.…

    • 81 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Boo Radley Courage
    • 665 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Boo Radley Courage

    It’s simply unusual for a white man, such as Atticus, to defend a negro in Maycomb County, especially in the 1930’s. Yet, once appointed to Tom, Atticus steps to the plate and does a fine job of defending him. Atticus came into the case knowing that there wasn’t much hope for Tom Robinson, being it’s a black man’s word against a white man’s. Even with that knowledge, he continued the case and strived to prove Tom wasn’t guilty…

    • 665 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    How Does Steinbeck Present Social Injustice
    • 1378 Words
    • 6 Pages

    How Does Steinbeck Present Social Injustice

    As seen in To Kill a Mockingbird, Tom Robinson is falsely accused and unfairly discriminated against simply because of his skin color. Like the other African American characters in the novel, he is unable to communicate his feelings due to the complexity of the issue of racism at the time. As soon as the false rape accusation was made against Tom, he was almost certainly done for, since the bigoted view that the town had against African Americans meant that the people were more likely to believe Bob Ewell’s false claim, rather than even bothering to listen to Tom Robinson’s truth. An instance of prejudice is seen during chapter 19 in the trial scene, when it says, “‘You're a mighty good fellow, it seems—did all this for not one penny?’ ‘Yes, suh.…

    • 1378 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    To Kill A Mockingbird Essay on trial
    • 698 Words
    • 3 Pages

    To Kill A Mockingbird Essay on trial

    To Kill a Mockingbird is a book that focuses on discrimination. The County of Maycomb believes that white people are superior in everyway. Lee uses the trial to emphasize the severity of the Maycomb viewpoint. She uses it to show the readers instead of just telling them. It is also a way to discreetly show the readers how severe the Maycomb fever is without needing to have Scout, the narrator, comprehend the problem. By carefully choosing what happens and who is involved in the trial Lees proves her point explicitly.…

    • 698 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Theme Of Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 708 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Theme Of Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird

    Black people are victims of injustice, just like Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is a victim of injustice because even though he is innocent, he is found guilty of raping Mayella Ewell. The jury agrees and decides to make the black man guilty of the rape. “I shut my eyes. Judge Taylor was polling the jury: ‘Guilty, guilty, guilty, guilty.’ I peeked at Jem, his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each “guilty” was a separate stab between them” (Lee 214). Atticus does his best to defend Tom, but it was not enough to win the trial. The jury may have chosen the Ewells to win because Tom Robinson was a negro. Tom Robinson was shot and killed in jail, while trying to escape because he should not have been there in the first…

    • 708 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Theme Of Judgement In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 525 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Theme Of Judgement In To Kill A Mockingbird

    The only way a person is able to appropriately judge someone, is if they put themselves in their shoes first. Even in the beginning of the book, Harper Lee addresses the judgement that everyone passes to each other. When Scout attends school, she automatically dislikes her teacher when she tells Scout that Atticus can’t read to her anymore. After relaying this to Atticus, he say, “ … if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You will 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 39). By having Atticus give this advice to Scout, Lee foreshadows coming events that Scout will need to use this information.…

    • 525 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    What Is The Theme Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 574 Words
    • 3 Pages

    What Is The Theme Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

    To Kill a Mockingbird is the title of the novel written by Harper Lee and published in 1960. The mockingbird stands out to be one of the most outstanding symbols in the book: from the cover page picture to the title, the symbol is highly useful to pass a message that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Mockingbird, as locals believe, is an innocent creature which is not known to cause harm to other creatures, so Scout and Jem, the main characters in the novel, teach us a lesson that one should not kill such an innocent creature.…

    • 574 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Reasons For Banning To Kill A Mockingbird
    • 1536 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Reasons For Banning To Kill A Mockingbird

    Tom isnt just some negro, in the eyes of Atticus, hes another human being just like him. Going into the case, it should have been a one and done, being that a "white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins." (295) Back in those times, such a verdict were the black man’s testimony was even considered was unheard of. The fact that Atticus even took the case and actually presented a great testimony, is probably the bravest thing a man could do. He was able to defy the county norms, and stick up for true justice and equality.…

    • 1536 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    To Kill a Mockingbird Persuasive
    • 381 Words
    • 2 Pages

    To Kill a Mockingbird Persuasive

    Have you ever encountered a situation that dealt with race? I think everyone has in some way or form. Maybe someone of a different race was treated unfairly just because they're a different color. Or someone could have been given special privileges because of their race and the law is that they're innocent until proven guilty. Well in this case Tom Robinson in being convicted of a crime he did not commit. Mayella Ewell has sent Tom to trial. During the trial, the town people, family members, and friends show prejudice toward Atticus for defending Tom and toward Tom for just being an African-American. Tom Robinson is being misjudged and mistreated only because he's black.…

    • 381 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Protection of the Innocence in to Kill a Mockingbird
    • 920 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Protection of the Innocence in to Kill a Mockingbird

    The book’s most obvious example of an innocent in need of protection is Tom Robinson. As an uneducated black man in the south during the 1930’s, he is left vulnerable to racism and prejudice by not just individuals but also within the court system. Tom’s protection comes from Atticus Finch, the town’s most prestigious lawyer, who agrees to defend him against the false charge of raping a white girl and the predictable racist outcome. Some supportive quotes are when Atticus asks the jury to put aside their prejudices, follow the obvious evidence and acquit the innocent Tom Robinson. Atticus says, “But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal – there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court […] our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal.” He sums it up by stating, “I’m no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and in the jury system…

    • 920 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More