How Is Tom Robinson Guilty Or Innocent

Cedric Deal

2nd period Honors LA 9

To Kill a Mockingbird: The Essay

16 February 2017

To Kill a Mockingbird: The Essay

In the book, To Kill A Mockingbird an African American named Tom Robinson was accused of raping a white teenager named Mayella Ewell and Tom was taken to trial. There were several perspectives concerning if Tom Robinson was guilty or innocent. This decision was affected by personal opinions and racism. Most of the Maycomb community believed Tom Robinson was guilty while the Finches, Dill and the black community in Maycomb believed Tom Robinson was innocent. Racism is a strong idea, that can hinder the truth between two different races.

The white and black community of Maycomb, from the beginning of the trial got to the bottom

"It was a gala occasion. There was no room at the public hitching trail for another animal, mules and wagons were parked under every available tree. The courthouse square was covered with picnic parties sitting on newspapers, washing down biscuit and syrup with warm milk from fruit jars". The Tom Robinson case was more similar to a form of amusement for the white community of Maycomb than anything else. This was enjoyable for most of the white community excluding the Finch’s and Dill. This is the opposite for the black community, it was really sad and disturbing especially since they all knew Tom Robinson was innocent and not guilty. To me it was upsetting me how white people were so racist and prejudice against African Americans, even though they still are to some

Atticus knew he was surrounded by people who paid little respect to the evidence since it was a white man’s words versus a black man’s words. Atticus also knew before the trial started that Tom would be considered guilty because he is black. The defendant named Mayella Ewell was beaten but from her father Bob Ewell not Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson would in any case be sentenced to death for the all-white jury. Tom stating “Yes suh. I felt sorry for her, she seemed to try more’n the rest of ‘em did not help him whatsoever. All things considered African Americans should not think about white people like this because it makes it seem that blacks are a higher status level than whites and take pity on whites. It would have been impossible for Tom Robinson to do what Mayella Ewell said he did because his left arm was a full twelve inches shorter than his right arm. Especially since Mayella Ewell was struck on the right side of her face. This just proves another point that mostly everyone was racist and prejudiced against African Americans even though Atticus clearly described how impossible it would have been. He also suggest that her own father could have beaten her because he saw Mayella and Tom Robinson kissing which is one of the worst things that could