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The Contagious Rumors In To Kill A Mockingbird

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The Contagious Rumors
“I guess rumors are more exciting than the truth.”-Venus Williams. People spread rumors because they feel that it will interest them more than the truth. In some ways, creating rumors can give people a reason to for them to believe that something is more flared than what the actual truth is. In other words, this means that people elaborate and stretch the actual truth in a situation, rather than believing the astounding truth. Often times, this helps people compress the unknown, and fill in the gaps to the clues that don’t make sense. Not understanding the unknown is hard, and leads to people jumping to conclusions when they don 't even know exactly what happened. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, rumors spread throughout the town creating stereotypes and changing many people’s once honorable reputation and unfairly forcing them to alter their way of life forever. One situation where rumors got the best of an innocent person was in the situation of Tom Robinson. Tom, and African American living in Maycomb county, is accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a poor, white female. When Tom is accused of beating and raping Mayella, many people around the town think that he’s automatically guilty. Atticus, Tom’s defending attorney, agrees to take on the case to help Tom because …show more content…

In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, rumors spread and lead to making false assumptions about people, which could cause their reputation to crumble. The novel clearly states many clear and valid points as to why these rumors can affect many people, and how they can change a person 's life in a bad way. Such as in the situation of Dolphus Raymond, Boo Radley, and Tom Robinson. Throughout the novel, many people suffer from the sickening disease of rumors. Don’t try to create rumors about people because it only leads to more damage between the person who spreads rumors, and the person who has rumors spread on them, because it could truly affect their life in ways that are

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Atticus decides to take the case in defending a black person, something nobody in the town would have done. Most of the residents of Maycomb do not believe in equality and have hatred towards black people. If an African-American is charged for committing a crime, he is automatically believed to be guilty because of their skin color. Atticus says, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view” (39). To clarify, Atticus took the case because he believes there is a chance of Tom being innocent.

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Mayella accused Tom of rape, which was proven false but the jury decided to choose the voice of a white girl over a black man, which was common during this period of time. The jury then found Tom Robinson guilty, then sentenced Tom to prison. Some may say that Tom Robinson was at fault for entering the Ewell household but Mayella asked tom to come inside, and help her with some tasks which then started the accusations of Tom Raping Maylla Ewell. Tom only helped Mayella because he was black and he wanted to stay on her good side which unfortunately did not happen. Mayella spoke against Tom which caused the jury to find him guilty.

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A critical event in the book is when Atticus accepts to defend Tom Robinson, a black man, who is accused of raping Mayella Ewell; however, he is disfavored against by the town due to his race. In the book, Atticus says, “...The only thing we’ve got is a black man’s word against the Ewells’. The evidence boils down to you did--I-didn’t. The jury couldn’t possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson’s word against the Ewells’...” (Lee 117).

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Kaleb Fisher, Henlie Guy, Jason Harris, Rowan Scripps, Coleman Wright Ms. Brewer Honors English 9 28 February 2023 Excerpt 8 Analysis Essay In Harper Lee's fictional novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus argues that Tom Robinson is an innocent man. In the novel, we meet Tom an African-American man accused of raping Mayella, a young white women. Atticus is appointed as Tom’s lawyer and this is Atticus’s closing statement. Atticus claims that there is no real evidence to convict Tom and he has done nothing wrong.

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Tom Robinson was introduced as the black man Atticus Finch, our main character, has to defend in the rape case against Mayella Violet Ewell. Atticus Finch is an honorable and very trustworthy man, thats why he was appointed to the case, because everyone knows he will actually try and defend Tom. Mayella is an Ewell and in the city of Maycomb County, Alabama, the Ewells are literally trash. They live in the trashiest area of Maycomb and are dirty. Mayella claimed Tom Robinson raped her.

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When Scout asks him why he is doing this, he explains that “… if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again.” (75). Tom Robinson, a black man, is accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman & one of the children in the (poor) Ewell family. When Atticus is visited one night, he is asked to represent Tom in the case, and Atticus accepts. Representing a black man is a serious thing to do.

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Rumor, a currently circulating story or report of uncertain or doubtful truth. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Boo Radley, a mysterious and unknown character is often the center of these rumors. Rumors that are almost always false. Harper Lee develops this theme “not all the rumors you hear are true”, in the scene at the end of the book where Scout and Boo were talking and Scout walked Boo home. After walking Boo home Scout comes home and has a discussion with her father, Atticus, after reading a book.

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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”.

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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.

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Injustice is found in the town of Maycomb during Tom’s court case. He is brought before court accused of committing an appalling crime, even though clear evidence and facts have been

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Social prejudice is shown throughout Harper Lee’s award winning book, To Kill a Mockingbird. Harper Lee powerfully analyses the theme social prejudice, and its effect on people. Such as how the Social prejudice is discrimination based on your status in society. An example of social prejudice would be the Radley family, which consists of Boo Radley, Nathan Radley and Arthur Radley. As they haven’t been out of their house in years people are lead to believe the rumours.

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At this point in the story, the reader begins to sense the theme of inaccurate perception and false accusation, for the

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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.

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In the novel: To Kill A Mockingbird, Mayella Ewell, a poor white woman, accused Tom Robinson, an African American, of rape. The Ewell’s are very indigent and her father, Bob Ewell, gets drunk and abuses Mayella. Since Mayella is very poor, this makes her not so powerful. In Maycomb, Alabama, A poor white woman named Mayella Ewell who lives behind the town garbage dump, accuses Tom Robinson, an African American, of rape.

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