Tom Robinson Norms

To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in the South, where African Americans are seen very differently compared to white people. African Americans were seen as liars, deceptive, and untrustworthy. While white people were very well trusted, no matter how shaky their story is. Tom Robinson is an African American man accused of rape. Mayella Ewell the “victim” if you will is a white woman whose testimony isn’t as good as Toms. Tom Robinson received a guilty verdict in To Kill a Mockingbird because of two social customs. That African American men cannot be romantically involved with white women. And that all African Americans lie, are deceptive, and cannot be trusted over a white person. The social custom that African American men cannot be romantically involved with white women was broken in the novel. Mayella Ewell states “He chunked me on the floor an’ choked me an’ took advantage of me.” (Lee 188). Mayella was just asked to tell the people what happened to her. She tells the people in the courtroom that Tom Robinson did these things to her even when he has only one good arm. In summary, Mayella's testimony says that Tom Robinson raped her. This falls under

Atticus Finch says “And so a quiet, respectable, humble black man who had the unmitigated temerity to feel sorry for a white woman, has had to put his word against two white people’s.” (Lee 219). In this part of the novel Atticus is giving his final statement, giving the jury a small summary of the case and how he sees Tom, and how he thinks the jury should see him too. Tom Robinson had to put his word against Bob and Mayella Ewell’s. Two white people's words that contradict Tom’s. Since this code says people shouldn’t trust a black man over any white person, the jury draws the conclusion that Tom is lying, and the Ewells are telling the truth. Leading them to the guilty