How Does Lee Present Atticus's Reasoning To Lie In To Kill A Mockingbird

Novelist Harper Lee, in her book To Kill a Mockingbird, depicts the racism and inequalities in the town of Maycomb by having a white man, Atticus Finch, defend Tom Robinson who was black. Lee’s purpose is to show the world is unfair between races and we need to have compassion for others. She adopts a serious tone to appeal to people’s morals to do the right the thing by those seeking changes for equality.

Throughout his closing argument, Atticus ensures credibility, mentioning God, and by presenting evidence that Tom Robinson is not guilty but someone in the courtroom is, to explain Mayella’s reasoning to lie. When Atticus presented the “circumstantial evidence to indicate Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left hand”, he mentions Mr. Ewell “did what any God-fearing . . . man would do” sign out a warrant “with

By listing how “some people are smarter than others, some people have more opportunity than others” and how “some people are born gifted”(Lee 233), Atticus proves to the jury they are not equal to Tom Robinson. He doesn’t want the jurors to convict Tom based on their fear that black men will gain more power. He alludes to their fear of blacks becoming more powerful to reassure this one case isn’t going to change anything. Atticus reassures the men they are only equal because the law reads in “courts all men are created equal”(Lee 233). By establishing this with the jurors, he explains in their court system a black man is equal to a white man and a poor man is equal to a rich man. Atticus wants the jury to realize if Tom is given a fair trial like he the court system says he deserves, it will not give blacks more power. He wants the men to do the right thing so he indicates they will have nothing to lose and they will still be superior. By defending the court system, Atticus portrays how the men must be