How Does Atticus Use Ethos In To Kill A Mockingbird

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In the book, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” a lawyer named Atticus Finch attempts to convince a jury that a Negro should be found innocent in a case of lies and prejudice. The Negro, Tom Robinson, was sent to court because a man, Robert Ewell, accused Tom of raping his daughter, when in fact, he beat his own daughter for trying to kiss Tom. Atticus strives to change the stereotypical minds of the jury by looking past race. Atticus uses ethos, connotation, and a simile to challenge the jury’s pre-existing minds about race.
Atticus uses ethos to challenge the jury’s pre-existing minds about race. Atticus declares, “I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty.” Atticus attempts to make one last plea to the jury to find Tom Robinson innocent of the crime. Atticus is trying to tell the jury that this case is no longer just about freeing his client, but to stand up for truth and humanity. Atticus is emotionally attached to the case …show more content…

Atticus criticizes, “...-the evil assumption-that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negroes are not to be trusted around our women, an assumption that one associates with minds of their calibre.” Atticus denounces all those that associate evilness with being a Negro. Atticus is proving that a majority of the people in the courtroom associate Negroes with lies or cruel deeds, and they are under an evil assumption. Atticus evokes this feeling from the jury in order to demonstrate that anyone can lie, be immortal, or untrustworthy, not just Negroes. Atticus wants the jury to understand that we should not identify a Negro as being bad simply because of their shade of their skin. Atticus is challenging everyone, the jury in particular, to analyze individuals by their actions rather than by

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