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Racial and ethnic inequality in the legal system
Racial injustice in the judicial system
Inportance of judiciary
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The voice in my head says that just thing to do, the other part of me would agree with the rest of the town. It is the day before the trial and I am still contemplating my stance on it. The air is warm and quiet but my house has a certain chill to it. I slowly rise out of my old and worn bed to visit Maudie a couple houses down. Whenever I brush out my short curly hair I tend to think more and more about Tom, poor thing. As I walk up to meet with Maudie I see her tending to the aromatic carnations growing in her vivid, organized lawn. We sit on her porch and sip overly-sweetened tea and gossip about whatever new event is occurring in our small town. The porch was quiet for a moment, then I brought up something eating away at my thoughts, the trial. Being a friend of Atticus, Maudie naturally believes that it is the right thing to defend an innocent man. I believe the same thing, though being the southern women I am, I can’t wrap my brain around taking a black man’s word over a white man’s. Maudie begins striking up gossipy conversation once more. I thank her for the sweet tea and make …show more content…
All the while I can only imagine what Tom must be thinking. It is an awful situation, yet Mayella is white and he is black, and there is nothing anyone can do about that. More people start to flood into the courthouse, trying to snatch up the best seats as if they were fighting over one hundred dollars. After a half hour passes, I spot Tom and Atticus making their way to his table. This has been the most anticipated moment and day in Maycomb ever since Atticus decided to take the case. When I saw Tom it sent chills down my stiff spine. I need to be here, I have to be here for the town, for the sake of me knowing what happened. For a second, I caught a meaningful glimpse of Tom’s sorrowful eyes and saw that he wasn't a monster and that those were the eyes of an innocent
When Jem and Scout found out that their father would be defending a black person, they knew immediately that there would be much controversy, humiliation from the people of Maycomb and great difficulty keeping Tom alive for the trial. It was not long when Atticus had to leave the house very late to go to jail, where Tom was kept because many white people wanted to kill him. Worrying about their father, Jem and Scout sneak out of the house to find him. A self-appointed lynch mob has gathered on the jail to take justice into their own hands. Scout decides to talk to Walter Cunningham, one of the members of the mob.
Upon feeling humiliated after her failed attempt to seduce Tom, Mayella acts out by accusing him of rape. This is cruel of her, as she knows that sending a black man to trial is a death sentence. Even though he is innocent, Mayella knows that Tom will have very little chance in winning the case. Heck Tate, the sheriff of the county, arrests Tom even though there is no evidence of Mayella’s claim. This may appear as unfair, however, upon realising how worked up the town is about the case, and out of fear for Tom’s safety, Heck Tate decides that holding Tom may be the right thing to do. This suggests that he i...
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee argues that because Jem is able to act with integrity despite potential risks, he should be seen as a courageous young man. In the middle of the night, Jem decides he wants to sneak into the Radley’s backyard to retrieve the pants he had left. Prior to this decision, Mr. Nathan Radley states that he has a gun, and threatens to shoot the next person he sees in his yard. While trying to explain his reasonings to Scout, Jem says, “‘Maybe so, but-I just wanna keep it that way, Scout. We shouldn'a done that tonight, Scout.’” Jem uses the phrase “shouldn’a.” Not only does this phrase show regret, but in thim s instance it shows knowledge and maturity. Throughout this novel, Harper Lee depicts the respect
When Tom says he feels bad for Mayella, the courtroom goes silent and the “damage was done”. This shows how terrible it is for a black man to sympathize with a white woman. In reality, Tom genuinely pities Mayella and all he wants to do is help her. The stereotypes and assumptions of blacks cause the jury to see Tom as a monster instead of a kind and compassionate person. The white jury cannot understand why on earth a black man would feel bad for a white woman so they assume the worst about him. The people of Maycomb are unable to see the reality of Tom’s intentions due to prejudice within the
In the story of Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, the world of racial prejudice is revealed in a series of events through the eyes of a young child. Through this episodic nature, the story foreshadows the events to follow in part two. Atticus, whose name derives from the Greek word Attica - a central region in Ancient Greece with many literate people- , always taught Jem and Scout that in order to understand a man, you must see things in his point of view. This relates to later in the story when the white community doesn’t stand in Tom’s shoes before persecuting him. Later, Scout introduces characters who offer clues towards their parent’s behaviour
I remember having to spend one of my nights leading up to the trial, inside the jail. I couldn't really understand why, but quite honestly, I was quite scared about what could happen to me while I was in there all alone. My fears were mostly put to rest when Mr Finch came to sit with me the entire night. Mr finch is a very good man and I really appreciate everything he is doing for me. Mr. finch just sat there and read his book. I felt very safe with Mr. Finch sitting there. I even started to calm down and begin to sleep. This was until I saw a large group of men come to the jail I knew this I knew this would not end well. One of the men threatened Mr Finch. I knew the men wanted to kill me and I wasn't
The town was separated by blacks and whites and had several rules regarding the segregation of the two. In spite of the discrimination against him, Tom Robinson was a kind and sympathetic man. Mayella Ewell took advantage of his kindness and lured him into her house for what Tom thought was to assist her, but we discover it was for other reasons. Tom Robinson is accused of raping Mayella, a charge that would not have occurred if their colours were reversed. Even though all evidence is clear that Tom was the one to be taken advantage of, Tom was found guilty by a biased all white jury. If the racial judgement hadn’t have existed, Tom would have his freedom. He was judged by something as petty as his appearance, and the town was willing to allow injustice happen due to a mere colour. “When it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins.” Says Atticus in chapter 23, stating how ineluctable the verdict was. A moment in the courtroom that represents great prejudice against Tom Robinson is when he shows sympathy for Mayella Ewell. "You felt sorry for her, you felt sorry for her?" Mr Gilmer couldn’t believe it. They couldn’t comprehend why a black man could possibly perceive that he was better off than a white person, as being black was considered the undermost position. Tom Robinson’s life revolved around the colour of his skin, and it even
These injustices have begun long before Tom’s trial, but it is his trial which epitomizes the problems with our society. The first witness was simply just a misguided fellow named Heck Tate who it seems didn’t have much to offer to the case. Next, Atticus Finch called Bob Ewell to the stand. When I saw Ewell take the stand such a fierce hatred rose within me that I began to shake and tremble. Ewell wrongfully accused Tom of raping his daughter Mayella, however, with the grace of God, Atticus Finch had shown that it was very possible that it was Bob Ewell who because he was a lefty could have beat Mayella. If it were not for great men like Atticus Finch I would have lost all hope for this world. As I watched Mayella take the stand I wondered how such a kind looking person could be someone of such poor character. Her words seemed to paint a picture of a sad life; one where a father neglects her and she has fallen under hard times. Atticus, after pointing out it was probably Bob who beat her, asked Mayella who it really was that beat her. Mayella made it clear it was Tom Robinson, upon which Atticus asked Tom to stand. To the astonishment of the court Tom was handicapped! Tom was then called to the stand where he laid open for all to see the truth, explaining that it was Mayella who came on to him (that treacherous woman!). Soon enough the trial ended and every one awaited the verdict of the jury. The next few hours were the most nerve wracking of my life.
He, as a lawyer, feels that the we should not judge others based on preconception. However, the case of Tom Robinson revealed the town of Maycomb’s racist way of thinking. Due to the setting of the book taking place in the 1930’s south, Black people were still seen as inferior. The color of his skin was used to decide his fate despite the evidence showing that he was innocent rather than the evidence of the case. Although Atticus tries to sway the jury by addressing the institutional racism in the town and how it should not determine Tom’s innocence, he is still found guilty. Regardless of the facts of the case, Tom wasn’t seen as a person, but rather a black man who dared to harm a white woman. The prejudice in the courtroom ultimately led to the death of Tom Robinson. Afterwards, the town said that Tom’s death was bound to happen, and used their preconceptions about black people to justify his
Secondly, the biggest instance of injustice in the story is the case of Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson was accused of raping Mayella Ewell, but there was no evidence to support this claim. There was, however, plenty of evidence which pointed towards Bob Ewell as the offender. Despite it being clear that Tom Robinson was innocent, he was still convicted by the jury due to it being a black man's word against a white man's word. It was unimaginable for the people of Maycomb to see a black man above a white man, no matter the circumstance. Lastly, the story displayed the possibility of change for the better. Although it was inevitable that the Jury announced a guilty verdict, it took the Jury an extraordinarily long amount of time to come to the decision. This shows that the Jury was having a difficult time coming to a decision which would normally be made in an instance. Miss Maudie states that "...we're making a step-it's just a baby step, but it's a step". It is also pointed out that there are many people who already are against discrimination, such as Atticus and Judge
Atticus is a good man, a just man. He upholds his morals, and judges by his conscience. He is shaken but not moved by the town of Maycomb in their gossip and hypocritical ways. When offered Tom's case, Atticus knows he will take it on. He won't just stand there with no proper defense for Tom, but he will let the truth be known, and prove that Tom is innocent. "...that boy might go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told."
"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,'" Atticus solemnly explains this to his brother. First of all, Atticus demonstrates courage when he undertakes the task of defending Tom Robinson, a black man wrongly accused of rape. Atticus knows he won't win the case and like Mrs. Dubose in her battle against morphine, he is "licked" before he begins. Nevertheless, Atticus knows that Tom is innocent and that he must fight for him, since no one else will. Atticus's strong sense of morality and justice motivates him to defend Tom with vigor and determination, giving it all he's got with one mission in mind. He wants the people of Maycomb town, whether they believe it or not, to hear the truth about Tom, "That boy might go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told"
Maycomb is a petite, sleepy town, however, the political side is vicious. Atticus selflessly decides to defend Tom, an African American, in court who was being wrongly prosecuted for rape. Despite Maycomb’s arsenal of verbal chastisement on himself and his children, continued to defend Tom. Because Tom was African-American, his rights were subconsciously removed due to racial bias. "It was just him I couldn't stand," Dill said…"That old Mr. Gilmer doin' him thataway, talking so hateful to him… It was the way he said it made me sick, plain sick… The way that man called him 'boy' all the time an' sneered at him, an' looked around at the jury every time he answered… It ain't right, somehow it ain't right to do 'em that way. Hasn't anybody got any business talkin' like that—it just makes me sick." (Lee 155-165). Although the treatment was harsh, Atticus continued to defend Tom because Atticus’s virtues abide by protecting the innocent. The overwhelming negativity crowding the court case that Atticus disrupts for Tom Robinson supports Atticus’s altruism in defending the
Atticus is fully aware beforehand that a trial such Tom Robinson is not going to be won in his current time by saying, “courage is… when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what” (Lee 115). In addition to the time period, the jury and the judge are all composed of white man which makes the whole case biased. Because of this injustice, it fuels Atticus to defend Tom Robinson in order to make the trial as fair as possible. Atticus knows that in order to break the racial barrier in Maycomb, people must accepted the injustices in the Tom Robinson case. Atticus does this by exposing the flaws in the Ewells case. Although at end Tom Robinson was found guilty, that day progress was made since the jury took longer than usual to make a decision considering it was for a black man. It became more evident that day progress was made when a Cunningham man did not vote Tom Robinson guilty. Atticus knew that this could potentially cause a domino effect, since one of jury members did not vote guilty. During this type period in the south and Maycomb, a court case that took longer than usual represented a step forward for
In the heart of Alabama, it's rare to find a white man willing and proud to defend a colored man to the best to his ability, especially a man conscious of the social repercussions of doing so. Yet in our home of Maycomb a man fitting these characteristics reside and I have never had more respect for a man than I have for Mr. Atticus Finch. The case of Tom Robinson was a losing one from the second Mayella Ewell began crying in the courtroom, however, Atticus never stopped fighting for Tom and for that I admire him.