ipl-logo

The Community's Role In To Kill A Mockingbird

1018 Words5 Pages

The community in the town of Maycomb in To kill a Mockingbird had a big role in killing Tom Robinson and leading to the point where he had to run away from the town because they accused him of having raped a girl named Mayella. He was shamed for being a black person then he was accused of a big crime then the town was very angry about the fact of a white person was raped by a black person. In their society, the black race was shamed on and looked down on for their skin color and they were treated like trash for it. The people of Maycomb accused Tom Robinson of rape, but even with a great lawyer, he was still found guilty of rape. The society they live in looks down on the black community and shame them for everything they do and say. Some …show more content…

Mayella told her father that Tom had raped her and her father said he saw him do it as stated here “He had told them what happened, he’d say it, again and again, a— which he did. Nothing Atticus asked him after that shook his story, that he’d looked through the window, then ran the (Negro) off, then ran for the sheriff. Atticus finally dismissed him” (Lee 180). He was a witness, but a biased witness because he was related and a racist. Bob said he saw Tom do it, but he could not remember the details of what happened to his daughter. Bob just wanted him to be put in jail because he does not like the fact that his daughter likes a black man. Bob knew he could easily blame Tom because the society they lived in did not treat black people with respect or treat them like human beings in general so he decided to blame Tom even though he knew that Mayella was …show more content…

“She was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man. Not an old Uncle, but a strong young Negro man. No code mattered to her before she broke it, but it came crashing down on her afterward” (Lee 207). Mayella knew how black people were looked at she tempted and tricked tom into coming into the house to fix something and she tried to kiss him. She should have talked to him before jumping on him and kissing him, if she told Tom how she felt this could have been avoided and Tom could possibly still be

Show More
Related
1981 Words | 8 Pages

While this was occurring Tom ran out of the house because he was confused. The Ewells came up with a story stating that Tom raped Mayella and they went to court for it. Eventually, it was found out that Mayella lied to hide the embarrassment of trying to kiss an African American man along with trying to make herself feel better. Bob Ewell wanted to accuse Tom to cover his own tracks in abusing his daughter. Yet, with all this information and evidence Tom’s verdict was guilty.

Read More
526 Words | 3 Pages

The community of Maycomb is at fault for the accusations of Tom Robinson because many people were raised to treat black people differently and many people don't care how they make black people feel. However, Tom is also at fault because he should've used his context clues. Many people in the town of Maycomb were raised to treat black people differently. For

Read More
1245 Words | 5 Pages

Because of Mr Ewell’s way of life and his pattern of abusive behaviour, Mayella and her siblings “lived like animals”. This sad living situation is what led to Mayella’s desperate attempt at a relationship with Tom, therefore bringing the blame back to Mr Ewell. Though it is not stated it the text explicitly, it is likely that it was Bob Ewell, rather than Mayella that came up with the plan of accusing Tom of rape, as it would give Mr Ewell a chance to simultaneously publicly denounce a black man and make himself out to be the hero of the story. This is why, despite Tom’s conviction, Mr Ewell is infuriated by the results of the trial, as Atticus was still able to destroy “his last shred of credibility”, the exact opposite of what Bob had planned for the trial. This would suggest that Bob Ewell was willing to have Tom killed, not because he truly believed he had committed a crime, but rather so he could promote his own prejudiced narrative at the trial and restore to himself the power that the social structures of Maycomb had taken away.

Read More
797 Words | 4 Pages

Bob and Mayella Ewell, Bob’s daughter, accused Tom of raping Mayella. It was an unfair trial because they had no documentation that Tom Robinson raped Mayella Ewell and the jury was filled with racist whites. During the appeal, it was evident that Mayella was lying under troth to cover up for her drunken and abusive father, Bob Ewell, by her movements. For example, her eyes would shift a lot and after she said something, she would gaze at her father for endorsement. What really happened was Mayella tempted Tom; she was getting desperate for attention that wasn't her father's, but the jury didn't perceive it that way.

Read More
1255 Words | 6 Pages

During the court case, Bob Ewell was asked by Mr. Gilmer if he saw Mayella being raped by Tom Robinson, and he replied "yes, sir, I did." Mr. Gilmer also asked Mr. Ewell what he did when she saw her being raped, and he said that " I immediately ran to the sheriff, Mr. Heck Tate", yet again, another lie made up by Bob Ewell. By him lying like this, he was successful in covering up the fact that he was the one who beat up Mayella. Also, by his deceptiveness, he figured that he would be successful in getting Tom Robinson killed, whether him being in prison or the death.

Read More
491 Words | 2 Pages

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.

Read More
1295 Words | 6 Pages

She did not have any friends and was a loner. When Atticus asked Tom why he spoke to Mayella, Tom responded “I felt right sorry for her, she seemed to try more the rest of 'em." (Lee 264). When another person saw Mayella talking to Tom, Mayella became scared and decided to lie that Tom raped her. The jury came into the court knowing they were going to be on the side of Mayella because Tom was black.

Read More
731 Words | 3 Pages

Many of the people in the society followed the impression that caucasian people were superior than african americans therefore there couldn't be any relationship with each other. Mayella not having respect for herself and having no class she did it anyways. When Mayella kisses Tom , tom resattes , “Never Kissed a grown man before… she says what her papa do don't count.” (Document B) Mayella not only did mayella did something that in society is unimaginable she also releases that her dad has control of her . By her saying this the readers can indicate that her father has control of her and that people in society look down on her and realize she has no class for kissing a black

Read More
885 Words | 4 Pages

Then some people thought that Tom was innocent but the judge decided to make Tom go to prison. In the book it said that Mayella hugged and kissed Tom on the cheek. From this I can infer that Mayella is desperate and can get away with this because Tom Robinson is a black person. This reminds me of a couple southern movies I’ve watched where black people are always the first to suspect because of their color. Tom Robinson on trial for his life said Bob Ewell yelled “whore I’ll kill you” when he saw Mayella kiss Tom from the window.

Read More
871 Words | 4 Pages

Tom was accused of raping a white woman who was Mayella Ewell, Mayella said he raped her while he was helping her with chores. She later on tells the readers that it was false allegations. The reason why she didn 't tell the truth at her first trial was because, Mayella was afraid of being embarrassed because she kissed a black male. She rather have an innocent man get charged with a crime than that. “However, Robinson was transferred from the state prison to Maycomb 's county jail on Saturday, two days before he stood trial on Monday, and Atticus had to defend him against a lynch mob”.

Read More
1205 Words | 5 Pages

Her own selfish actions and desires led to the untimely end of Tom

Read More
808 Words | 4 Pages

Tom Robinson is a colored man living down the street from Bob along with some other colored people too. Bob is disturbed by that and he doesn't want them to live by him anymore and will try anything to get them to leave. These people have done no harm to him, but he still does not like them. When he found his daughter after being raped. He did not ask who had done it, he in fact just said.

Read More
1518 Words | 7 Pages

Some

Read More
1036 Words | 5 Pages

The nurses were clear. No visitors. They refused to let us see Johnny who was in critical condition. We wouldn’t take no for an answer. It was our buddy in there and we would do anything to see him.

Read More
730 Words | 3 Pages

First, she had to make up a story about Tom Robinson because she had kissed a black man, which was frowned upon for a white woman to do. “She was white and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society in unspeakable: she kissed a black man”(272). Mayella is also used as an example when she convinces the jury to convict an innocent black man because of Southern Womanhood. “That n***** took advantage of me, an’ if you fine fancy gentlemen don’t wanna do nothin’ about it then you’re all yellow stinkin’ cowards, stinkin’ cowards, the lot of you”(251).

Read More

More about The Community's Role In To Kill A Mockingbird

Related Topics

Open Document