Responsibility For Tom Robinson's Death

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Responsibility for Tom’s Death You should believe that the cause of Tom Robinson’s death is because of the actions of those in his community. Tom Robinson is a physically disabled black man in To Kill A Mockingbird accused of raping a white 19-year-old girl, Mayella Ewell. Tom is disabled because of an accident when he was younger, causing his left arm to be completely useless. To Kill a Mockingbird is set in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s. Most white people are biased against black people during this time frame. Bob Ewell is a petty alcoholic who lives off of the money the government gives to him. Though the Ewells are considered “white trash” they still have a higher social ranking than Tom. This social ranking is racist and causes the community …show more content…

I sawed who he was, all right. I was too distracted about Mayella to run after’im. I run in the house and she was lyin’ on the floor squallin’-’
‘Then what did you do?’
‘Why I run for Tate quick as I could. I knowed who it was, all right, lived down yonder in that negro-nest, passed the house every day. Jedge, I’ve asked this country for fifteen years to clean out that nest down yonder, they’re dangerous to live around ‘sides devaluin’ my property-’”(Lee 196-199) Bob Ewell is calling Tom a negro, saying that they’re devaluing his property and that they’re dangerous to live around. Since this is a trial in a small town during the 1930s, most white people are biased against black people because of their skin colour and did not agree with Tom.
Tom Robinson had accusations put against him in court, he was also tired of the chances given to him by white men and so he took his own which lead to his death. In the text it shows that because of his skin colour and that they have no connection to Tom that they didn’t care about him, “‘They shot him,’ said Atticus. ‘He was running. It was during their exercise period. They said he broke into a blind raving charge at the fence and started climbing over. Right in front of …show more content…

This quote from the text shows that Atticus was protecting Tom from being jumped late at night, “‘He in there Mr.Finch?’ a man said.
‘He is,’ we heard Atticus answer, ‘and he’s asleep. Don’t wake him up.’
In obedience to my father, there followed what I later realized was a sickeningly comic aspect of an unfunny situation: the men in near-whispers.
‘You know what we want,’ another man said. ‘Get aside from the door, Mr. Finch.’
‘You can turn around and go home again, Walter,’ Atticus said pleasantly. ‘Heck Tate’s around somewhere.’
‘The hell he is,’ said another man. “Heck’s bunch’s so deep in the woods they won't get out till mornin’.’
“Indeed? Why so?’
‘Called ‘em off on a snipe hunt,” was the succinct answer. ‘Didn’t you think a’that, Mr. Finch?’
‘Thought about it, but didn’t believe it. Well then,” my father’s voice was still the same, “that changes things, doesn’t