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Symbols of injustice in to kill a mockingbird
Justice shown in killing a mockingbird
Symbols of injustice in to kill a mockingbird
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Justice is used in the novel when Atticus fights for Tom Robinson’s innocence. Even though Atticus knows the case is going to result in Tom being guilty, he still tries to defend Tom. Earlier in the story, Judge Taylor surprisely but purposely chooses Atticus to be Tom’s attorney. It seems like Judge Taylor may want to bring justice for Tom as well. At the end of the heated trial, it’s revealed that Tom is guilty, and the Ewells have won the case. Tom is put into prison and within a few days, he was shot seventeen times while attempting to escape. The outcome of Tom shows a big example of injustice. While Helen is faced with the injustice of her husband, Link Deas provides her with Tom’s former job. With her new job, Helen constantly gets harassed by the Ewells as she walks by their house. Link Deas came along and sweared to Bob that he will protect Helen from their threats and harassment. These are the varied examples of justice that are represented through Atticus, Judge Taylor, and Link Deas. …show more content…
White supremacy has taken over, and the colored minority groups have hardly any rights to become equal. The colored minorities have to fight for justice to maintain their equality as American citizens. When Atticus argues with his closing statement, he is trying to bring justice to not only for Tom but for all the people of color. A great lawyer like Atticus might have a high probability of winning the case; however, there was no victory due to Tom’s skin color. The case may have not succeeded, but it was a small step to reaching equality for all people of color. For a white man like Atticus to defend the colored people, is was just the beginning of gaining rights. The importance of justice is a big part of the novel because everyone is equal; therefore, everyone should be treated
In this story Atticus defends Tom Robinson with compassion. Atticus is a very respected upper class white. He comes from an old family and works for the state legislature. He was asked to just be the lawyer not to actually defend. When Atticus states, "I'm simply defending a Negro his name's Tom Robinson. (Lee 75) I think that the quote secures the position that Atticus clearly wants to defend him. He wants everyone in the courtroom to know the truth. "That boy may go to the chair, but not till the truth's been told….."(Lee 46) When Atticus says this I begin to see that his courage is amazing. In this time racism is high and Atticus stands up for what is right no matter if his life is endangered. Even though there was evidence proving that Tom Robinson was innocent the lop-sided jury found Tom guilty. Atticus insured Tom that he would make an appeal.
Atticus made several points proving Tom couldn't have done what he was accused of, for example, he has a disabled left arm but Mayella’s face was beaten on the right side. For a person to be hit on the right side of the face, the attacker must be left handed but Tom’s left arm is crippled. Another example of when cruelty is shown is Tom’s skin colour. “There’s something in our world that makes men lose their heads — they couldn't be fair if they tried. In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life.” (Lee 220) Atticus has no chance in winning this case. Black men in Maycomb are said to be liars, immoral, not trusted around women, and cheat everyday. If Tom was white, this whole case would have been handled differently. Tom would have walked out that court freely. But in the end, it does not matter that there was no proof that the crime Tom Robinson is accused of was ever committed, that Bob Ewell beat his daughter, or that Tom Robinson is disable in his left arm. Tom is convicted because he is a black man accused by a white
The reader can then infer that in To Kill a Mockingbird, society believes that white people are a symbol of the superior race, and colored people are a symbol of the inferior race. Neither of which is true because no one person is one-hundred percent honorable or evil. Unfortunately, stereotypes and beliefs of the time lead the people of Maycomb County to be unable to view everyone as equal and instead only focus on race. Tom’s situation is an overall representation showing that when people treat others differently based on color that someone will have to face the consequences of this thought process. In the book, Tom fails to receive a fair trial just because he is black, yet many years earlier in the 19th century, Sir William Garrow coined the term “innocent until proven guilty.” The phrase itself never specifies only being true for white people or any certain group of people, for that matter. Due to personal bias, the people of the time are able to twist that phrase and unfortunately warp it into something closer to “guilty until proven innocent.” The reader can infer based on his actions of distancing himself that Atticus feels misunderstood and even alone. He is fighting a battle
The one place where a man ought to get a square deal is in a courtroom, be he any color of the rainbow, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box”(Lee 220). This is how Atticus described the trial to his son Jem because he could not comprehend how unjust the trial was unfolding on a daily basis. The proceedings were not equitable towards Tom Robinson because everyone should have realized at the trial that he had not done anything wrong. In the end, Atticus lost the trial. Not because the jury and judge thought Tom Robinson had committed the crime, but simply because he was black and they were racist.
Racism and justice are important pieces of To Kill a Mockingbird, and it is illustrated throughout the book, through the use of the character of Atticus, that justice should be strived for regardless of the results. To understand this, you will need to know the following. The story takes place in the 1930s with Atticus as a lawyer that is the only one that will work with African American people in the Alabama town of Maycomb. The racial tension within Maycomb is great due to the racism of the time. Atticus has two children, Scout and Jem, who he tries to teach his morals. Atticus had taken up a case where Tom Robinson (an African American) has been falsely accused of raping a white girl. In the quotes, Atticus discusses the inequality in the
Justice is a translation of the law by an individual’s ideals. Although it can be defined by many, justice is confidently placed in the hands of individuals that understand and interpret the law to the fullest extent, in regards to their integrity and morality. While the law coincides with justice, tension arises when a conflict of ethics comes into play. The subversion of justice is portrayed in, “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee as a result of racism, stereotyping, and preconceived notions (bias).
Atticus shows great compassion and tolerance when he stands up for the Negroes. He stands up and represents Tom Robinson because he believes that everyone should be treated equally in the court of law. He knows that because Tom was a Negro there would be a slim chance of winning. That fact never discouraged him though because he says that the main reason he is representing Tom is because, ' if I didn't I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't represent this county in the legislature'; (75). He recited a speech, which clearly states that Tom Robinson is not guilty. In that speech he says, 'our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal'; (205). He believed that prejudice and stereotyping is wrong and he tries to teach these morals to Scout and Jem.
For example, Tom is put in a court case for a crime he does not commit. Mayella Ewell, a young white women, accuses Tom of sexual assault. This man is unfortunately victimized since his society does not believe he is innocent due to the color of his skin. Being the black man that Tom is, it is clear that “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella opened her mouth and screamed” (241). There is no way that a black man’s word would override the voice of a white person. No testimony, evidence or speech can help Tom prove he is not guilty. Atticus understands that Tom is victimized by racism, so he explains: “When it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (220). It is both corrupt and cruel but that is how the injustice system works. Tom Robinson is powerless. Tom’s word has no power since his society will never believe him. His case is lost even though Mayella was the one to take advantage of his kindness. Plus Tom is never a real harm to the world for he is at a physical disadvantage. With his right arm missing it is almost impossible to cause destruction. As a matter of fact, Tom dies because of his disability. Since he knows he has no power to win his case he loses hope and attempts to escape prism. Tom is then shot multiple times and Atticus explains: “They got him just as he went over the fence…if he’d had two good arms
In the novel, ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee some characters suffer in the hands of justice and fairness more than others. Many characters in the novel are discriminated against such as Calpurnia, Dolphus Raymond, Helen Robinson, Burris Ewell and more. However I will be focusing on the discrimination against Tom Robinson for his race, Walter Cunningham for his low socioeconomic status and Boo Radley for the rumors and supposed mental instability he holds. I chose those three because they are the most prominent and I will discuss how the discrimination against the characters therefore leads to their injustice or unfairness.
Through Atticus’s nature, to have justice in any situation, it helps to develop his quality to love tenderly. This feature of Atticus is shown many times throughout this novel. Near the beginning of the novel Atticus shows love to one of the Finches’ neighbours and a client to Atticus, Mr. Walter Cunningham. As he was leaving his meeting with Atticus about his entailment, Mr. Cunningham asks,
Atticus Finch is an man American of the 1930’s. A father and lawyer going through times of hardship along with the rest of his nation in the deep south. When he takes Tom Robinson, a black man, case he is torn. He does not want to take the case because he knows he will lose and he and his family will be put at risk for defending a black man. He takes the case and defends Tom to the best of his abilities for one simple reason: He knows Tom is innocent and believes in justice. He sees past Tom’s skin color and tries his hardest but is shot down, as the verdict of the case was guilty. Here, he pleads to the jury to see like him and look past the color of Tom’s skin and look at the
“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest” Ellie Wiesel. Readers may find the amount of injustice in Harper lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird a little shocking. This could be why it’s such a popular book. People like the suspense of knowing someone’s right, but still being found guilty for something they did not do. There are many times throughout the book when people are powerless to prevent injustice but they still protest it. This shows that even when people unjustly punish there should always be someone to protest it. The theme of injustice is a common one in harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, whether it be through racism, misinformation, or Arrogance.
“My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it .” - Clarence Kelland To Kill A Mockingbird is one of the most prized and critically acclaimed books in the western world and is most likely read by every school in america, it deals with the racial politics in the 1930s and shows how people back then were changing from the gentlemen like generation to the generation we have today. Another lesson is of parenting, it tries to portray the good and bad of ways of parenting by showing other kids and how they and their fathers act or the good ways through Atticus, one of the major characters and father of jem and scout, in this essay i will cover the three major topics of Atticus, his fairness; the way he teaches and his honesty. His fairness shows by the way he acts to the kids in the book, he treats them with a neutral attitude trying his best to make them both happy or at least feel somewhat fine by making compromises and addressing them in different ways.
Nearly the whole last half of the book is about racism. The attitude of the whole town is that Tom Robinson, because he is black and,"…all Negroes lie,…all Negroes are basically immoral beings,…all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women…"(Lee 207), will be found guilty regardless of how good a case Atticus makes for him. There was substantial amount of evidence that suggests his innocence. Even the prosecution's two witnesses' stories contradicted each other. The jury did not give a guilty verdict it gave a racist verdict. Not a verdict based on fact, but a verdict based on the color of a man's skin. This is important because the author was not making this racism up; it was what it was like in those times. She is trying to show how ignorant and blind people can be just because of differences between them, as well as how society treats racial minorities.
In To Kill a Mockingbird there is lots of injustice and prejudice going on. Atticus Finch, Jean Lousie Finch, and Tom Robinson experience injustice in To Kill a Mockingbird. Particularly, Scout; witnesses injustices in To Kill a Mockingbird because she is so young. The first incident in which Scout (or Jean Lousie Finch) receives injustice is when Miss Caroline tells her that she is not to be taught to read any more. " Miss Caroline told [Scout] to tell [Atticus] not to teach her to read any more ..."