Dilemma In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Imagine you have to decide between a moral decision; a decision that will either ruin your life or will build up your reputation. Which would you choose? A character in To Kill a Mockingbird named Atticus Finch faces this dilemma. After Bob Ewell, another character in the novel, beats up Mayella, his daughter, he accuses a black man named Tom Robinson. Tom is then put in jail because of this and is almost attacked by a lynch mob. Now the question is: who is innocent, and who is guilty? The trial will take place in the hot summer of the 1930’s in an old courtroom. Atticus must now choose whether or not to defend Tom. Everyone agrees Atticus has been chosen to defend Tom Robinson. Some people believe Atticus should have tried his hardest to …show more content…

Jem and Scout will be bullied at school and others might look down on them. Even though Atticus is like a rock and is hardly moved by anything people do or say behind his back, Jem and Scout are still children and have not developed that shell. He also is putting his family in danger because lynch mobs may come and attack the Finch’s for being kind to Tom and defending him. These reasons are inadequate because even though Jem and Scout will be bullied, they can suck it up and it will help the get through life as adults and get through hardships. Also, some people are secretly on Atticus’s side and will not let them get hurt. For example, when a lynch mob came to the jail cell, they almost killed Atticus until Jem and Scout intervened. However, if they had not, Atticus would have been fine because,“‘From a different direction, another voice cut crisply through the night: “You’re damn tootin‘ they won’t. Had you covered all the time, Atticus.” Mr. Underwood and a double-barreled shotgun were leaning out his window above The Maycomb Tribune office.”’(206-207). In other words, Mr. Underwood had covered Atticus with a shotgun the whole time they were there. This shows that even though it might seem like nobody is on Atticus’s side, in reality they are many people willing to help him. These people may not want to tell the whole town they are on his side, they show

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