In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the town Maycomb has a big role in why a lot of things went the way they did. Maycomb was very prejudiced, the way the town is is immensely segregated. Because of the segregation, Tom Robinson lost the case. Even though all the evidence pointed to the fact that he did not do it, since he was a black male everyone automatically assumed he did it.
To begin with, Tom Robinson is an innocent being that resembles a mockingbird because he is falsely accused of raping Mayella Ewell. He is a black man that believes in equality. '''Yes suh. I felt sorry for her, she seemed to try more'n the rest of 'em-''' (Lee, 209) This honest statement Tom Robinson makes is a big mistake because back in the 1900s, there was a lot of discrimination which meant black people should never feel sorry for white people. It is a sin to kill Tom Robinson because he is a harmless citizen that means no harm to anyone in Maycomb. The death of Tom Robinson was typical to many white citizens in Maycomb because if black people were ever convicte...
In To Kill a Mockingbird, this theme of deluding oneself rather than admitting a painful truth is shown through the town of Maycomb itself, Mayella Ewell’s internal and external struggles in dealing with her feelings for Tom Robinson, and how Jem refuses to believe that the world he grew up in turns out to not be what he had imagined.
This demonstrates to the reader that Maycomb was an area where prejudice against black people could be traced back to their ancestors, and this prejudice had been passed down from generation to generation. At that time, the people of Maycomb disapproved of Atticus attempting to win the case. They had expected him to take it on as a mere formality, not to try and secure Tom's acquittal. Despite their displeasure, the people of Maycomb were, in fact, allowing Atticus to do something that some of them secretly desired but lacked the courage to attempt. As Aunt Alexandra notes, "They're perfectly willing to let him do what they are too afraid to do themselves.
victims of prejudice. To take advantage of these men would be a sin, just as it
Maycomb is a small town with big problems. Maycomb is a town in Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird”. “To Kill A Mockingbird has a slew of character, including Atticus, Jem, Scout, and Tom. Atticus is a lawyer with a son, Jem, and a daughter, Scout. Tom is a black man who is accused of rape, and Atticus has to defend him. It makes sense for Atticus to defend Tome because he has good character; he is selfless and brave.
Racial prejudice is widespread in the county of Maycomb, and a prime example is the Tom Robinson case. Tom, a black man, was accused of raping Mayella, a white woman. Atticus puts forward all evidence from his witnesses that clearly proves Tom was innocent, Jem even says, ?and we?re gonna win Scout. I don?t see how we can?t? (pg 206), but Tom still received a ?Guilty? verdict. Atticus tried removing the prejudiced thoughts of the jurors by saying, ??the assumption - the evil assumption - that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings??. (pg 208). Atticus? saying insinuated the point that all of God?s children were created equal. To the jury, the only important thing was that Tom was black and the accuser was white, he never stood a chance under those conditions. These racial tensions between blacks and whites had made their way into the courtroom, a place where everyone should receive a fair trial no matter what race or colour, but an unjust verdict was reached. The prejudice that was felt towards Tom made him lose all hope of freedom, and as a result, he died upon an escape attempt. Tom was victim of racial prejudice and loss of hope.
often managed to get black people to do jobs for no pay, and the black
Just like in the case of Tom Robinson, this town is just as racist as Maycomb. Over a hundred men stood outside the jail hoping for a good time beating and killing the men, which can be compared to the few who were outside Maycomb’s jail.
Being an African-American and living in a generally prejudiced town like Maycomb, Tom was already licked from the start. Tom was allegedly accused of raping a white person and as Atticus says, “In our courts, when it’s a white man’s word against a black man’s, the white man always wins” (295). During his trial, Tom could have lied about his reasoning for helping Mayella, to keep himself from getting into more trouble, but instead he showed real courage by revealing the real reason behind his actions: “I felt sorry for her, she seemed to try more’n the rest of ‘em” (264). Since Jim Crow laws were active in Maycomb, Tom’s answer was seen as a terrible mistake: “Below us, nobody liked Tom Robinson’s answer” (264). It showed that he, being a black person, thought he was better off than a white person.
In the southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, there were many people, both children and adults, who were affected by racism in the 1930’s. As shown throughout the book To Kill A Mockingbird, racism has affected the way people treat others, leading to false accusations and death. Tom Robinson and Bob Ewell were both victims. It was expected to hear unkind things being said, however, it took more than strength to overcome the damaging words. With Tom being accused of rape, there had to be a trial, however, there was no need, since Tom was African American. On Page 316, Mrs. Maudie says, “The handful of people in this town who say fair play is not marked White Only; the handful of people who say fair trial is for everybody, not just us…” This proves
them and what they do. In this book I have noticed that there are is
To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee's only novel, is a fictional story of racial oppression, set in Maycomb, A.L. in 1925 to 1935, loosely based on the events of the Scottsboro trials. Unlike the story however, the racial discrimination and oppression in the novel very accurately portrays what it was like in the 1920's and 1930's in the south. Tom Robinson, the black man accused of raping a poor low class white girl of 19, never stood a chance of getting a fair trial. This can be supported by giving examples of racially discriminatory and oppressive events that actually took place in the south during the time period in which the novel is based. In addition to actual historical events, events and examples from the book that clearly illustrate the overpoweringly high levels of prejudice that were intertwined in the everyday thinking of the majority of the characters in the book supports the fact that Tom Robinson never stood a chance of getting a fair trial.
The novel takes place during the 1930s in the town of Maycomb, at a time of racial discrimination and inequality. Tom Robinson is a kind hearted African American who is wrongly accused and convicted of raping Mayella Ewell, who is a white woman. His lawyer Atticus Finch, although white, does not back down from representing Tom Robinson in court. He already knows to expect a negative reaction from society.
present times by the state of the actual town. It is very poor and in
A good society is one that is comforting, kind and supportive. Maycomb is one society that fits these attributes. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Maycomb is a community in which the residents are safe and happy. Although they face many problems, the people of Maycomb always help each other out and make sure everyone is happy. Also, in this community there is empathy for anyone in pain and everyone tries to comfort them. Lastly, Maycomb is a place where everyone is always there for each other no matter what. Maycomb is a good place to live because friendship has value, there is compassion for those in distress and people defend each other.