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Examples Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Being a lawyer is not the easiest thing to be, trying to prove one’s innocence or even guiltiness in the court of law. In Harper Lees To Kill A Mockingbird, A man by the name of Atticus Finch is a lawyer for the town of Maycomb County trying to prove the innocence of Tom Robinson for the rape of Mayella Ewell. Atticus’s arguments throughout the case make valid strong points to persuade the jurors to see his innocence by trying to prove that Tom never laid a hand on her and that Tom never raped her. During the first part of the trial in chapter 17, Atticus calls up Mr. Bob Ewell, Mayella father, to testify. Atticus asks Mr. Ewell, “Mr. Ewell, can you read and write?” This is a strong point in proving that Tom Robinson is innocent on hurting Mayella because if Tom were to have hit her, her left eye would be black, not her right. “Will you write your name and show us?” He asks again, in which Mr. Ewell stands and writes on the back of envelope; he writes left-handed. This is a strong point that Atticus’s used to persuade the jurors to show Bob Ewell’s left hand would have had to connect with her right eye, not Mr. Robinsons right hand. …show more content…

He starts to question her about the night of the crime and asks her, “When he’s ---riled, has he ever beaten you?” In which Mayella never responded until she peered around and then quickly replied “My paw’s never touched a hair o’ my head in my life.” Obviously with the delayed reaction and the glances about the courtroom, she is lying about the situation. “Do you remember him beating you about the face?” Atticus asked Mayella. She sat silent and still. Atticus repeats the question 2 more times in which then she responds, “No, I don’t recollect if he hit me. I mean yes I do, he hit me.” Her delayed reaction and contradicting statements prove her to be lying about the real occurrences that night of the

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Mayella Ewell, the prosecutor, blamed Tom Robinson, the defendant, of rape on the night of November 21, 1935 at Mayella’s home in Maycomb, Alabama. The trial brought up included Tom Robinson, Mayella and Robert Ewell, Heck Tate, and Atticus Finch. Heck Tate and Robert Ewell were the witnesses for Mayella’s side and Atticus was the lawyer to Tom Robinson. This was such an important trial, whether the event actually happened or not, because Tom is a black man and Mayella is a white woman. The evidence provided shows that Tom most likely did not rape or beat Mayella, but her father was the one who could have beat her.

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954 Words | 4 Pages

He instills fear in Mayella, therefore she feels obligated to lie during the court trial, blaming Tom Robinson for raping and choking her, causing the bruises along her neck and face. Mayella stutters when being interrogated by Atticus, almost revealing a sliver of truth when she says, “No I don’t recollect if he hit me. I mean yes I do, he hit me” (Lee 248). This proves to Atticus and those viewing the trial that Mayella is indeed untruthful and nervous to deliver answers with her father overseeing her. Because she was present for the court trial, Scout Finch learns that Bob Ewell is guilty, especially after Atticus reveals that Bob is left handed.

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678 Words | 3 Pages

In the year of 1935 a man was put on trial for a crime he never could have committed, but a lawyer named Atticus fighter to save his life by using his powers in the courtroom. This case was about the rape of Mayella Ewell by an African American man in a small southern town of Maycomb, Alabama. Atticus Finch, one of the town’s best lawyers has an insurmountable task ahead of him when he takes on the case of defending Tom from an extremely biased jury. In his arguments he uses persuasion techniques such as Ethos, Logos and Pathos to convince the jury of Tom’s apparent innocence.

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208 Words | 1 Pages

Atticus Finch’s closing argument in Tom Robinson’s criminal trial attempted to prove that Tom Robinson was innocent of the crime of raping Mayella Ewell, and thus should be found innocent by the jury. Atticus supports his claim by first reviewing the evidence both for and against Tom Robinson's innocence and attempts to disprove the evidence against him; he then demonstrates that he is sympathetic towards Mayella Ewell's circumstances but still holds her accountable despite his pity for her situation; multiple times in the trial he addresses the men of the jury as “gentlemen” in an attempt to elevate their status above that of the Ewells as well as give them the pressure of the responsibility of doing the right thing. Atticus’s purpose is

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798 Words | 4 Pages

Atticus also said that Mayella thought thought her hiding the evidence of her kissing a man of color on Tom Robinson would be good when he was only helping her. A good pint that Atticus questioned on Mayella was that she had so many injuries that he questioned her about it. He also said that Tom Robinson was injured man that he couldn’t possibly injured her, a lot of options were cut down and it came to the truth in who abuse Mayella. It was Mayella's father Bob

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1719 Words | 7 Pages

But, that was not the end of Atticus. He asked, “What did your father see in the window, the crime of rape or the best defense to it? Why don’t you tell the truth, child, didn’t Bob Ewell beat you up?”(Lee 251). It is very evident now that Atticus is very suspicious of Bob Ewell. Mayella did not respond to the question but she did insult the whole jury.

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427 Words | 2 Pages

Atticus states, in his argument, “two witnesses whose evidence has not only been to a serious question on cross examination, but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant. The defendant is not guilty, but someone in the courtroom is.” Indeed, in this statement Atticus conveys that this case has relied on two witnesses that don’t have valid testimonies or strength in their saying. Furthermore, this proves that the use of logos helps strengthen Atticus’ argument because if the jury uses reason and thought about the fact that no evidence was present and the witnesses’ testimonies were pitiable, proves that the witnesses are hiding something. Clearly, this establishes that both Mayella and Bob Ewell, the witnesses, are hiding the fact that Mayella may have been raped by, her father, Bob Ewell.

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1022 Words | 5 Pages

In contrast with Jessie Jackson and Dr. King’s speeches, Atticus Finch uses a large amount of logos in his closing argument to back his reasoning up with clearly displayed evidence. Atticus Finch utilizes logic because he is a lawyer. Atticus’s wisdom can be exemplified through Atticus’s very own words when he says, “There is circumstantial evidence to indicate that Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left” (Lee 208). To explain, Atticus employs his intuition and experience to determine that Bob Ewell is most likely the assaulter. In addition, Atticus Finch’s word choice makes the situation more dire and believable.

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543 Words | 3 Pages

In addition, Atticus had also proven that Bob Ewell was left-handed. But, the jury concluded that Tom was guilty.

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685 Words | 3 Pages

Guilty Without Surprise In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Tom Robinson, a black man, was wrongly accused and convicted of raping Mayella Ewell. There are clues and evidence that the time in history of when it occurred, racial hatred, and other clues found in the novel predicts the final verdict. In the 1930s racial tension was all around and especially in the southern town of Maycomb, Alabama. Lee sends the reader a message of what was ahead when he describes the jury being made up of all white men from out of town.

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766 Words | 4 Pages

The fear of her father and her nervousness clouded her judgement and, seemingly, she desired the jury’s pity. Mayella addressed Atticus, saying, “Won’t answer a word you say long as you keep on mockin’ me.” At Atticus’ puzzled expression, “Mayella looked from under lowered eyelids at Atticus, but she said to the judge: “Long’s he keeps on callin’ me ma’am and sayin’ Miss Mayella. I don’t hafta take his sass, I ain’t called upon to take it” (207). Bob Ewell’s oldest daughter knew exactly what had happened between herself and Tom Robinson, and essentially, she was completely aware that Atticus might be able to wheedle the truth from her.

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515 Words | 3 Pages

During trial, it is revealed that Mayella is verbally, physically, and sexually abused by her father. Mr. Ewell intimates Mayella by tipping his chair against the railing when she tries to give them an honest answer to what he really does [Doc B]. In addition, according to Tom Robinsons testimony, Mr. Ewell called his daughter a “Whore”, Threatened to kill her, which is clear verbal Abuse , Also Mayella says “What her papa do to her don’t count”, this means the actions she tried to do with Tom Robinson is the same actions Mr. Ewell does on Mayella, intimating sexual abuse[Doc B]. Finally Atticus closing statement says Mayella has been beaten “Savagely”. This means that her father beats her [Doc B].

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631 Words | 3 Pages

The Choice of Power Power is claimed to be a necessity when it comes to having control over a certain situation. In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Mayella Ewell, a poor white girl who lived in the dump, claimed that she was raped by a black man named Tom Robinson. After a while, Tom was finally convicted for rape and sent to prison, while Mayella won the case. After she won the case, many people began thinking she was powerful, but unfortunately, she is not. Power is the ability to have power over yourself and others around you, and Mayella did not have that.

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1166 Words | 5 Pages

Meanwhile, Atticus agrees to defend him. He provides enough evidence to prove that Tom is innocent and that Bob Ewell, Mayella’s father, is responsible for the marks on her face and neck. However, the jury consists of all white people that convicts Tom any way. Even though Atticus’s evidence was pretty powerful and enough to prove that Tom is not guilty, the jury made a decision against Tom. However hard they tried to convince jury that Tom is not guilty, they could not succeed in convincing.

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1604 Words | 7 Pages

In chapters 17-24 in To Kill A Mockingbird, Jem and Scout observe their father in court defending Tom Robinson (a black man) from the accusations of the Bob Ewell (a "low grade ' ' white man). Bob Ewell accuses Tom Robinson of sexually assaulting his daughter; Mayella Ewell. Before the fate of Tom Robinson is given in the possession of the jury, both lawyers have a final attempt at convincing the jury that Tom Robinson should/shouldn 't be prosecuted. Atticus starts off his closing remarks with the fact that he believes that the case should have never come to trial and that the case "”is as simple as black and white."

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