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Atticus final argument
To kill a Mockingbird closing argument analysis
To kill a Mockingbird closing argument analysis
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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.
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.
The officer says Mayella Ewell had marks on her throat and was laying in a feeble position. The defendant says she tempted him, and he has done no fault. The jury felt otherwise and Tom Robinson was convicted. Tom’s lawyer, Atticus Finch, says an appeal will be filed. Security guards at the prison say “
The reason why she is guilty is because she lied under oath. Mayella could not keep the story straight, as you can hear that Mayella Ewell switched her side multiple times. Also, Mayella was beaten by a left-handed man. Tom Robinson’s left hand is twelve inches shorter than his right. The result of the court led to Tom Robinson’s death.
She uses this to support Atticus’s claim with the most prominent evidence the defense had, circumstantial evidence. “… there is circumstantial evidence to indicate that Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left. We do know in part what Mr. Ewell did… he swore out a warrant, no doubt signing it with his left hand, and Tom Robinson now sits before you, having taken the oath with the only good hand he possesses- his right hand.” (Lee 206 par. 6)
The evidence points out that whoever assaulted Mayella had to do so with their right hand as she was hit on the right side of her face. Tom Robinson could not have assaulted her as his left arm was basically useless after a saw mill accident. Tom Robinson did not rape Mayella Ewell! Atticus is a fantastic lawyer and he did an outstanding job with this case. He made almost everyone believe that Tom was innocent.
“Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left…he swore a warrant, no doubt signing with his left hand, and Tom Robinson now sits before you, having taken the oath with the only good hand he possesses, his right hand.” This dialogue shows beyond a doubt that Tom is innocent by using factual evidence. Atticus takes advantage of the absence of factual evidence to support
Atticus proves that Bob Ewell is left-handed by having him sign his name, while there is no way for Tom to be left-handed due to his crippled left arm. “His left hand was fully twelve inches shorter than his right, and hung dead at his side”(211) Therefore, there is no way that Tom Robinson could have struck Mayella with his left hand. Second, Mayella’s and Bob's stories don’t match up.
This is proven by the lack of medical evidence shown in this case, and Mr. Ewell making an excuse that he doesn’t have the money to take Mayella to the doctor, even though it’s his child and should care about her, like a normal father. Additionally, Atticus declares that “someone in this courtroom is guilty,” and this person is Bob Ewell because he put an innocent man on trial, when he was never involved, just to keep his (Bob Ewell) pride and the dignity he
This is crucial evidence that shows he didn’t beat her like she said he did. Mayella’s dad told her to lie, but she could’ve still told the truth. Atticus mentioned how she continued to lie because she didn’t want everyone in town to know she was attracted to a black negro. “I shut my eyes. Judge Taylor was polling the jury: “Guilty...guilty…guilty...guilty…”
Since Mayella was punched on the right side of her face, it meant the abuser was left-handed. Furthermore, Tom Robinson lacks the ability to lead with his left hand because he does not possess a left hand. This also disproves Mayella’s claim that Tom Robinson had choked her with both hands. Atticus is intelligent in figuring out the fact that Mr. Ewell was left-handed because it gave the court spectators a reason to believe the real criminal was Bob Ewell. Atticus continues to defend Tom Robinson’s innocence by finding evidence to prove Bob Ewell was guilty.
100) Scout soon learns that Bob Ewell is the prosecutor in the case. In chapter 18, Atticus proves that Bob was actually the person who beat up mayella. It takes an enormous amount of courage to beat you daughter and then blame it on someone else. At first, he said Tom assaulted her, but then changed the charge to rape.
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].
Mayella Ewell is a victim. Mayella is a victim of her father, Bob Ewell, because he is an alcoholic that abuses her. During the Tom Robinson trial, Atticus proved Bob Ewell to be left-handed. Based on Bob and Heck Tate’s testimonies, Mayella’s right eye was blackened
" During the trial, Atticus proved that Tom Robinson was innocent, by questioning both Bob and Mayella Ewell. The biggest issue was that the right side of Mayella's face was bruised as if she was brutally beaten, but Tom Robinson's left arm is crippled, and if he hit her with his right arm, the bruising would be on the left side of her face. Jem gets really emotional after the trial because he knows that Tom was innocent and that he was wrongly
