ipl-logo

To Kill A Mockingbird Essay

735 Words3 Pages

“Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get” (Forrest Gump). Harper Lee portrays Gump’s motto in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird, displaying Jem and Scout’s early childhood. In the To Kill a Mockingbird passage in which Tom Robinson is on trial for the accusation of rape, author Harper Lee uses plot, events, and conflict to help develop the theme that Jem is coming to realize that racism is a huge presence in his society’s justice system. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the main part of the entire novel, the trial, happens. Tom Robinson is on trial with Atticus as his defense attorney. Jem and Scout are on the balcony watching their father defend this man. Atticus is in desperate need of information so that he can sway …show more content…

Ewell signed his name, Atticus realized he was left-handed. At this moment, he got evidence that Mr. Ewell could have possibly committed these crimes to his own daughter, Mayella Ewell. Robinson has an injury to his left arm, which does not allow him to have strength there. The injuries Mayella Ewell suffered from were on her right side, which means someone’s left hand most likely was used. Lee is trying to show that Robinson cannot even write his name on his left, let alone beat a girl. Lee said, “The circuit solicitor and another man, Atticus and Tom Robinson, sat at tables with their backs to us. There was a brown book and some yellow tablets on the solicitors table; Atticus’s was bare” (187). In this, she describes what Jem and Scout see on the balcony, which proves that a trial is about to occur. Towards the end of the trial, Jem tells Reverend Sykes, “‘He’s not supposed to lean, Reverend, but don’t fret, we’ve won it’” (238). As you can see, Jem is so quick to think Atticus won the trial because he does not yet realize the amount of impact racism actually has on his own society. Lee portrays him as an average kid who has not yet matured enough to see that. Jem heard Atticus’s argument and was sure nothing could prevent them from losing this

Show More
Related

Tom Robinson Trial Chapter 16 Summary

485 Words | 2 Pages

After the court takes a lunch break, Jem, Scout, and Dill try to sneak into the courtroom without Atticus finding out. When they finally enter the courtroom, there are no empty seats so the reverend offers them a seat in the balcony, where the black children sit. The children can see Judge Taylor, an old white who often runs the court casually, resuming the trial. First, Heck Tate, the Maycomb sheriff, who is questioned by Mr. Gilmer, the prosecutor. Tate recalls that on November 21st, Bob Ewell told him that Tom Robinson had raped his daughter Mayella.

Read More

How Does Jem Mature In To Kill A Mockingbird

568 Words | 3 Pages

Jem was positive they would say yes, “Don’t see how any jury could convict on what we heard. ”(p.238 Harper Lee) but him being wrong haunts him for a while as he needs time to think it off. Jem learns to look at the world in a different way instead of through a child's eyes as Atticus tells him “There’s a lot of ugly things in this world, son. I wish I could keep ‘em all away from you.

Read More

Examples Of Tom Robinson's Trial In To Kill A Mockingbird

912 Words | 4 Pages

“I don’t know but they did it, they’ve done it before and they did it tonight and they’ll do it again and when they do it - seems that only children weep” (285). The quote just stated is saying, Jem was angry by the verdict, Atticus tells him that the people will continue to do it, more and more. Last, coming from the view of Atticus during the trial this is how he saw it. “Tom Robinson, a human being…

Read More

To Kill A Mockingbird Quotes Analysis

674 Words | 3 Pages

Jem also opposes the town’s racism. He instead sees the incorrectness of the town in a logical standpoint. During the trial of Tom Robinson, Atticus brings up solid evidence that the attack was not from Tom, but her father Bob Ewell. Jem believes that there is no way that Tom would be declared guilty, he still believes that the town is not racist and thinks that the jury people will think logically about the case. “I peeked at Jem: his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each “guilty” was a separate stab between them.”

Read More

How Does Jem Mature In To Kill A Mockingbird

811 Words | 4 Pages

After Atticus loses his trial, Jem notices that the Maycomb County justice system is broken and it needs help, “Then it all goes back to the jury, then. We oughta do away with juries. ”(294) This shows that Jem now understands that people are racist in everything and racism needs to be fought. On top of realizing that the justice system is in shambles, Jem realized that Tom Robinson’s case was very good at showing that.

Read More

To Kill A Mockingbird Innocence Quotes

419 Words | 2 Pages

Additionally, from other people’s perspective, Atticus has lost, his innocence because of him defending a Negro. However, it is not true because Atticus is a lawyer and he is doing his job without criticizing him. This incident made Scout ask Atticus that if it is right to defend a Negro. By this, Scout is able to gain the ability to look from new perspectives on how the world works in very early age compared to her brother, Jem and other children. Secondly, Jem is not completely disillusion until a guilty verdict is returned to Tom Robinson at the end of his trial.

Read More

Examples Of Loss Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

624 Words | 3 Pages

During the trial, Jem remains confident that Atticus would win the trial and Tom’s life would revert back to normal, so Jem asserts, “but don’t fret, we’ve won it,” he said wisely. “Don’t see how any jury could convict what we heard” (279). Although the quote demonstrates

Read More

How Does Lee Use Imagery In To Kill A Mockingbird

941 Words | 4 Pages

‘It ain’t right,’ he muttered, all the way to the corner of the square where we found Atticus waiting . . . ‘It ain’t right, Atticus,’ said Jem” (242). Jem’s original reactions to the case are confusion, shock, and anger. Lee flawlessly contrasts Jem’s anger with the cheerful crowd to help highlight his immaturity and show that he is the only one upset with the ruling. Lee also illustrates Jem repeatedly saying that the result is not right, portraying that Jem does not yet recognize the prejudice within the jury.

Read More

Examples Of Innocence In To Kill A Mockingbird

648 Words | 3 Pages

Scout and Jem’s father Atticus choses to be his defence attorney because he believes his innocence. Even though the jury is biased and all white atticus still tries to save Tom Robinson. In one of his closing arguments, he addresses the prejudice in saying, “The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place. It has relied instead upon the testimony of two witnesses whose evidence has not only been called into serious question on cross-examination, but has been flatly contradicted by the defendant. The defendant is not guilty, but somebody in this courtroom is."

Read More

To Kill A Mockingbird Literary Lens Essay

548 Words | 3 Pages

Jem feels frustrated when talking to Atticus because he can see the racism in the court. Atticus agrees with

Read More

How Is Empathy Presented In To Kill A Mockingbird

1866 Words | 8 Pages

This arrant display of gossip nearly mirrors the actions of Miss Stephanie Crawford — the town blabbermouth — who always seems to have a new topic to mercilessly spread needless hearsay about. Despite Jem’s empathetic discoveries regarding Boo Radley, nothing is more glaringly obvious than the fact that Jem still has a long way to go — a journey that, in the following chapters, undergoes a large amount of progression, burrowing deeper and deeper into the heart of the novel itself. Tom Robinson’s trial is one of the most monumental events in the entire novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Not only does the entire first part of the story lead into the trial, but the trial itself unabashedly provides major examples of and setups for some of the greater life lessons of the novel. During the trial, Jem fervently observed both his father and Mr Gilmer’s antics, as well as the testimonies of those called to the witness stand.

Read More

Colleges In Intergenerational Mobility

184 Words | 1 Pages

College graduates are more likely to rise from the income ladder than those who haven’t finished or chosen to go to college. But, “economic mobility in the United States is now below that of most developed countries, suggesting the American Dream is becoming a myth” (Matthews 2017). Jobs that are demanding skills needed are slowly disappearing, which cuts down the opportunities given to those without an education after high school. However, Mobility Report Cards: The Role of Colleges in Intergenerational Mobility proves otherwise. Students who are less fortunate financially and are accepted into elite schools benefit the same as rich students.

Read More

To Kill A Mockingbird Coming Of Age Analysis

644 Words | 3 Pages

The evidence presented was solid, concrete and credible, which made Jem very confident that they were going to win, without even realizing what kind of injustice happens in the courthouse. After coming back to the courthouse from eating, Jem stated, “He’s not supposed to lean, Reverend, but don’t fret, we’ve won it. Don’t see how any jury could convict on what we heard.” Reverend then quickly interrupted him saying, “Now don’t you be so confident, Mr. Jem, I ain’t ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man.” This excerpt gives the reader an idea that really Jem is the only one who believes that Atticus would win the case, Reverend Sykes warns him not to get so sure of himself because cases like this never go the way we want them to because of how white man's word will always favor a colored man's word; Jem doesn't entirely understand what he was talking about until the

Read More

To Kill A Mockingbird Essay

807 Words | 4 Pages

Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" encapsulates a moving narrative that delves into societal injustices and moral growth through the experiences of its protagonist, Scout Finch. Scout's journey unfolds through pivotal events, each offering valuable lessons that underscore the novel's themes. The various themes in the book are demonstrated through the lessons that Scout learns. Scouts learn about empathy and understanding through Atticus's teachings. On her first day of school, misunderstandings arise among her classmates, leading to tensions in the classroom.

Read More

Adults In To Kill A Mockingbird

756 Words | 4 Pages

During the trial, Atticus is wondering where Jem and Scout are and Mr. Underwood tells him, “’They’re right up yonder, in the colored balcony’” (Lee 206). This demonstrates

Read More

More about To Kill A Mockingbird Essay

Open Document