ipl-logo

How Does Tom Robinson Use Racial Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird

664 Words3 Pages

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee describes a town in Alabama known as Maycomb. This town is where a trial is being held for a black man by the name of Tom Robinson who is accused of sexually assaulting a troubled young white women named Mayella Ewell. The trial results charge Robinson as guilty even though he was innocent beyond a reasonable doubt. Tom Robinson fell victim to the racist mindset of the white people of Maycomb. The novel To Kill a Mockingbird demonstrates how racial injustice has a lasting impact on an individual and his loved ones when Tom Robinson gets convicted of a heinous crime that he did not commit. Racial injustice had an impact on Tom Robinson because he was stripped of his life and his freedom due to a racist group of individuals deciding his fate. Tom Robinson was walking home from town one day when Mayella Ewell, a troubled white girl, called him into her yard to offer him a nickel to complete a chore. Robinson complies and begins working. Ewell, who is desperate for attention, tries to lure Robinson into sexual behavior. Robinson explains this event in his testimony, “No suh- she hugged me . She hugged me round the waist.”(Lee 259). As shown in the testimony, Robinson was uncomfortable with Mayella’s actions. Robinson quickly leaves the property after Mayella’s behavior …show more content…

Robinson suffers when he is forced off to prison and eventually killed there. Robinson’s family suffers greatly as Helen Robinson is forced to go to work and begins to be harassed by Bob Ewell. Robinson’s children suffer as well because they do not have their father and their mother is off working all day. Tom Robinson and his family are American heroes due to the fact that they inspired americans everywhere to take action against racial

Show More
Related
182 Words | 1 Pages

This past week has been rough for the Robinson family. After a racist jury choose to make an innocent man guilty things went from bad to worse. Atticus Finch was chosen to defend Tom Robinson. This particular case was against Mayella Ewell, a white woman. As a black man Tom was already at a disadvantage.

Read More
894 Words | 4 Pages

For black back then, when you have to go to court you are more than likely going to be guilty. Tom Robinson is in the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, in this small town in Alabama named Maycomb. This is about Tom Robinson getting accused of raping a white girl by the name of Mayeela Ewell. The Ewell family is one of the meanest families in Maycomb, but Mayella still has a higher ranking than Tom. This shows how racist the town of Maycomb is and some families that live there.

Read More
828 Words | 4 Pages

Robinson was disabled and could not use his left hand nor arm. On page 254 we can see how useless his hand is when the text says, “As he raised his right hand the useless one slipped off the Bible and hit the clerks table.” We see how he can’t control his hand. Another detail is when the text says, “It was her right eye.” This shows that the person who beat up and took advantage of Mayella had to punch her with his left hand, which couldn’t have been Mr. Tom Robinson.

Read More
727 Words | 3 Pages

Tom Robinson would have lived if it were not for the citizens of Maycomb. This situation is shown by the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, which is set in the 1930s in Maycomb, Alabama. Tom was charged with raping a 19-year-old woman named Mayella Ewell. Through this trial, the different social standings of white and colored people make themselves known. Tom was given an unfair trial simply due to people’s beliefs that they are unwilling to change.

Read More
1201 Words | 5 Pages

Since she was a woman person saw her as a victim when really Tom Robinson was the real victim. When it was time for Tom to be questioned by Mr. Finch about what had happened, he stated, “She says, ‘Kiss me back, n**ger.’ I say Miss Mayella lemme outa here an‘ tried to run but she got her back to the door an’ I’da had to push her. I didn’t wanta harm her, Mr. Finch, an‘ I say lemme pass, but just when I say it Mr. Ewell yonder hollered through th’ window.” Mayella knew that if she tried to kiss Tom and he rejected her she could say that he attacked her and no one would believe Tom about what really happened.

Read More
817 Words | 4 Pages

Things such as the Jim Crow law and segregation, racism, and all-white juries in the past caused extreme prejudice against people of color. Tom Robinson is an African American character from To Kill A Mockingbird with a crippled left arm, is a helpful person and a good worker. Tom Robinson from To Kill A Mockingbird is affected by racism because he was not respected by the people of the court and was convicted regardless of the evidence. His mistreatment is historically accurate as people of color were discriminated against in the past. Tom Robinson was not given the respect that he deserved.

Read More
533 Words | 3 Pages

Till Thinking, Emmett Till, Needed). Like Emmett Till, Tom Robinson was treated unfairly and was killed at the hands of whites. The Emmett Till case affected Harper Lee so much that she decided to write about it in her book only putting it a bit differently, as Tom Robinson is the punished one in To

Read More
885 Words | 4 Pages

In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the story is set in the 1900’s, Maycomb, Alabama. During this time there was racism in the south and segregation which separated the whites and blacks from everything. There was also the Great Depression, the whole country was poor and people living in the country had to trade and do other jobs for people to either pay them off or to buy something from them. The trial in this book is about Mayella and Bob Ewell, two white people, claiming and arguing that Tom Robinson, a black person, raped Mayella Ewell. This trial is really important because at that time in the south, white people took advantage of black people and their kindness and thought they would take that or shut up just because they were black.

Read More
709 Words | 3 Pages

Mayella was not favored by the people in Maycomb. She was extremely poor and never spoke on any harassment she suffered from her father. Tom Robinson attempts to get the truth out in the open when he is giving his testimony, “She said what her papa do to her don’t count” (Doc B). Mayella doesn’t fully understand that her father is physically abusive towards her. To her it’s just love.

Read More
783 Words | 4 Pages

Even though this is a matter with more severity, Mayella still thinks that it’s appropriate to lie. After being asked many questions, Mayella comes up with a mostly solid story of what had happened to her involving Tom Robinson that day. “‘No, I don't recollect if he hit me. I mean yes I do, he hit me.’

Read More
1166 Words | 5 Pages

Despite racial inequalities in the South, Atticus sticks to his own morals and agrees to be the defending lawyer for Tom Robinson, a black man being accused of raping a white woman. Although Atticus’ defense in court was thorough and clearly proved Tom’s innocence, the jury was prejudiced towards black folks and convicted Tom as guilty. Nonetheless, Atticus is still a hero despite losing the case. He has the courage to stand up for what he believes in, fights with reason rather than guns, and has utmost determination, making him a hero despite being just an average human being. Ultimately, his thoughts and actions set the stage for major changes in the meaning of equality throughout Maycomb County, changing lives of numerous people.

Read More
499 Words | 2 Pages

Tom Robinson is unfairly persecuted because his skin is darker than the skin of his neighbors. Robinson is not given a fair trial. Later in the book, an angry mob shows up at the jail, trying to kill him. These strangers acted without knowing if Robinson was guilty or not. Their prejudice, racism, and hate nearly leads them to murder.

Read More
754 Words | 4 Pages

Tom Robinson is a black man who is wrongfully convicted of raping a white girl, Mayella Ewell. This novel goes through Scout's life from when she was 6, till she is 9. She lives in the town of Maycomb Alabama, and lives an innocent life until about halfway through the story, where she begins to ask questions. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout shows the readers that racial inequality creates an unjust society through the African American community, through the people surrounding colored folks, and through Tom Robinson’s Case. The first example of the consequences of racial inequality is the African American community in Maycomb.

Read More
830 Words | 4 Pages

Tom Robinson is a young African-American who's been accused of raping and abusing Mayella Ewell, a young and closeted white woman. Racial discrimination is hinted throughout Tom’s trial as Atticus Finch explains to Jem that a white man’s word will always win over that of a black man’s - "... In our courts, when it's a white man's word against a black man's, the white man always wins. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life" (220). Atticus explains to Jem that in the courts of Maycomb, a black man’s state of innocence or guilt is truly determined by a white man’s testimony.

Read More
1244 Words | 5 Pages

In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee teaches us about the town of Maycomb County during the late 1930s, where the characters live in isolation and victimization. Through the perspective of a young Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, readers will witness the prejudice that Maycomb produces during times where people face judgement through age, gender, skin colour, and class, their whole lives. Different types of prejudice are present throughout the story and each contribute to how events play out in the small town of Maycomb. Consequently, socially disabling the people who fall victim from living their life comfortably in peace. Boo Radley and his isolation from Maycomb County, the racial aspects of Tom Robinson, and the decision Atticus Finch makes as a lawyer, to defend a black man has all made them fall in the hands of Maycomb’s prejudice ways.

Read More

More about How Does Tom Robinson Use Racial Injustice In To Kill A Mockingbird

Related Topics

Open Document