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Atticus Defense In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Maycomb residents starts to question their beliefs, which was a truly impactful change showing the influence Atticus’ defense has shown, proving the trial to be of worth. The jury took an immense amount of time to return a verdict involving a black man in opposition to the white man. This was a first for Maycomb because of the fact that this has never happened in the past years. As Atticus explains to Scout and Jem, “That jury took a few hours. An inevitable verdict may be, but usually it takes ‘em just a few minutes” (297). As Atticus says, for cases like this one, it was always in favour of the white man. How it only takes a few minutes to decide upon a charge shows how the prejudice emotions highly affect the outcome. The jury taking a vast …show more content…

It permits them to question their beliefs and thoughts on the matter at hand, leading to a delayed outcome. This may not seem like a change that is worth looking back on; however, even if it is just a tiny baby step, it is still a step. Miss Maudie says, “…we’re making a step – it’s just a baby step, but it’s a step” (289). As Miss Maudie mentions, if it was not Atticus who defended Tom, this change would not have occurred. This lets Atticus’ defense to have a significance, which is seen through the postponed verdict than usual. In addition, looking back at how Judge Taylor has specifically appointed Atticus to defend Tom Robinson, if it were not for Atticus’ speech, “But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal” (274). As well as his effort to try his best to prove Tom’s innocence, there will not have been a change. Maxwell Green was the supposed defendant of Tom. If it was Maxwell Green who was defending the accuser, the trial would have had no purpose, making it pointless. However, it is because of Judge Taylor that a change could be made and when the readers look more in depth, Judge Taylor have changed in his own accord as …show more content…

Throughout the trial, it is perceptible that Judge Taylor was frustrated by the fixated perspectives of Maycomb County. Rather than pity the black community from afar, he decides to take action by appointing someone who will work to defend a Negro, which shows how the trial was not pointless. If the trial did not take place, than Judge Taylor would not have had a chance to take action, leading to Atticus not being appointed proving that the trial did bring a change to Judge Taylor. As Miss Maudie says, “Atticus Finch won’t win, he can’t win but he’s the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long in a case like this” (289). Also, Mr. Underwood was no different than the other Maycomb citizens. He despised the Negroes and ostracized to even sit next to one. Despite this fact, after witnessing the court case, his perspective has dissolved. It does not mean it has disappeared completely, but his discrimination towards the black community lost its strong existence in his heart. This is proven in his news article he publishes about the trial, “Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men’s hearts Atticus had no

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For the closing statement of Atticus was moving speech that could not determine the fate of Tom Robinson’s verdict. Atticus used artistic proofs, anaphora, and multiple other persuasive tools to connect with his audience and to prove to the jury that Tom Robinson was innocent. Even with the substantial evidence against the Ewell’s testimony the prejudice and racism that was being shown to the black community in Maycomb overcame the truth. In Atticus’s closing statement he attempted to create people of all races equal in the court

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Court Case Essay 16-21 By: Taylar Stueven Atticus put up a fight during the Tom Robinson case. Giving great arguments and counter arguments to prove that Tom Robinson isn’t guilty, also Atticus had a really well thought out closing argument. If I were Atticus during the trial I would have changed up his closing statement, otherwise everything else I would have kept the same and if I were a juror I wouldn’t have decided that Tom was guilty. Atticus had a really well thought out closing argument. He puts Tom Robinson’s life in their hands and lets them know that you are the one making the decision.

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Ultimately, Atticus had an acceptable course of action based on the evidence shown. Atticus Finch became a part of a very controversial court case, and tried his best to defend Tom Robinson, a black man, even though he knew it would be tough to win. On page 274, Atticus says, “ Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal.” In other words, Atticus believes that for the court system to be fair, it requires all evaluees to remember that all men are created equal no matter what their skin color looks like. During this time period, racism was very strong and sided with the whites.

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The significance of this event is that it emphasises to the reader that the prejudices of Maycomb were essentially a death sentence to Tom, or more figuratively to the black community as a whole, long before the Ewell’s ever screamed rape. In the end, not even Atticus’ stirring defence of Tom is enough for the white community to abandon their prejudices. Scout realises the frivolousness of the trial whilst reading Mr Underwood’s editorial - no matter how astounding of a

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In Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, it is shown that when people view justice through the eyes of society, true justice no longer exists. Despite all of Atticus’ effort to prove Tom’s innocence, he is declared guilty and sent to prison. During his trial, it eventually becomes apparent that Tom is innocent, but the entire trial was never actually about who the real convict was because, to society, it all came down to White v. Black. Atticus recognized this, and sadly found that even hoping for the innocent Tom Robinson to go free was a lost cause. He had known, from the beginning, what side society had chosen: race over true justice.

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Narrator: We are now in the courtroom for Atticus’ closing argument of the Tom Robinson court case. Atticus: “Gentlemen I shall be brief, but I would like to use my remaining time with you to remind you that this case is not a difficult one, it requires no minute of sifting of complicated facts, but it does require you to be sure beyond all reasonable doubt as to the guilt of the defendant . To begin with, this case should never come to trial.

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Therefore, Tom Robinson most likely did not rape nor beat Mayella. This demonstrates Atticus’s high extent of continuing to try and prove Tom Robinson’s innocence, even though he is at a disadvantage. Atticus also created his own definition of the word, justice. While fighting for Tom Robinson’s innocence, Atticus describes his definition: “Our courts have their faults, as do any human institution, but in this country, our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts, all men are created equal” (Lee, 274). During this time period, racism in Maycomb County escalated to severely high levels.

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(100), here, Atticus knows even if everyone knows Tom is innocent and Tom’s opponent is white trash and ignorant, everyone understand that he will suffer racial discrimination and will be labelled guilty no matter the proof. Racial segregation will be the main factor as to why no one will choose a black man’s side over a white’s. No matter how much evidence there is, the mindset on blacks in Maycomb is nearly impossible to discard. “Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men’s hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed” (276), it is no surprise when Tom tries to escape the prison and dies doing so, because everyone knew there was no hope for him once a white accuses him.

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Atticus knows that he will most likely lose this case because the jury is made of white males and they have prejudices against black people. In Maycomb’s Universe of Obligation, the group of people the community respects and protects, no matter the personality blacks are always at the very bottom while whites are always above them. Atticus could of easily rejected the case but he still takes the case because he understands the unfair treatment that Tom Robinson faces. Atticus risks his reputation to help Tom Robinson. Before the case, Atticus receives death threats and the community calls him a n-lover.

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1214 Words | 5 Pages

(Lee 360). Luckily, a man by the name of Arthur Radley that had been isolated from Maycomb finally came out of hiding in his home and saved Scout and Jem. If Atticus had never take the case, this even would had never come, and his children wouldn’t have been in real danger. When Atticus took the case to defend Tom Robinson, he also made most of Maycomb look down upon him, and often he would be called n***** lover and Mrs. Dubose even told Jem and Scout ‘“our father’s no better than the niggers and the trash he works for’” (Lee 135).

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400 Words | 2 Pages

The people of Maycomb were very mad and very unthoughtful of the decision for Atticus to take the case because Tom is black. “He’s nothing but a nigger lover.”(Lee)Pg.110) However if Atticus hadn’t taken the case he wouldn’t be able to face his kids anymore. He wouldn’t have enough dignity anymore. He also wouldn’t be known as a racist.

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1453 Words | 6 Pages

Tom Robinson had all of the evidence in the world to prove his innocence, but he didn’t stand a chance with society stacked against him. Atticus had hoped that by pursuing his dream he would change the society for the better. He put his hope and trust in the very men that caused many of the problems of his Maycomb society. “Now I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence that you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this man to his family. In the name of God, do your duty.”

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431 Words | 2 Pages

The defendant in the court named Atticus Finch, did his absolute best proving to the court that Tom Robinson was indeed not guilty. For instance, he made the witness’s repeat their sayings, but only the key points so that even the simple mind of the citizens could piece it together. A white man in this time would have easily gotten out of court with all of this evidence pointed out. However, Tom Robinson is still named one word: “guilty”. Therefore, an unreasonable punishment is brought upon Tom Ewell, in the form of execution.

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943 Words | 4 Pages

The way both justice systems handled the lawyer situation since blacks could not afford to get their own lawyer also shows just how unfair it was for blacks when it came to the law. There are those who may say, the textual evidence shows how strongly the town believed Tom Robinson was guilty not different justice systems for the races. Nevertheless, the town’s hostility towards the Finch family after Atticus decides to defend Tom is dealing with the law because Atticus is only being treated this way for deciding to do his job as a lawyer regardless of skin color. This type of injustice was something that occurred during most trials. An example would be the Scottsboro boys being declared guilty though it was quite obvious they were innocent just like how Tom Robinson was clearly innocent in the novel.

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Writer, Amy Tan, in her biographical essay, “Mother Tongue”, conveys her message on her and her mother past experiences when she was a child. Also expressing her feelings about the situations and how it opened her eyes now as an adult. In this essay Amy accounts for all the hard times her and her mother endured because of “Broken English”, which is poorly spoken or ill-written English. The purpose of the essay is to make the reader analyze not what someone is saying but the meaning of it. The intended audience is anyone who is trying to make those who discriminate against those who speak in broken English identify with not what is being said but what the thing being said means.

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