Despite the unwavering dedication of Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird”, the absence of evidence, and a moving courtroom speech, Tom Robinson is convicted of a crime that he did not commit. This jury ruling causes both those who advocated
Robinson’s conviction and those who were convinced of his innocence to question their notions of justice and fairness. As if a false conviction was not enough, Tom is eventually killed, and the sense of justice and fairness seem to be completely violated.
Write an argumentative essay on “To Kill a Mockingbird” in which you establish what
Lee is trying to convey regarding these two concepts that are so important to civil society. Questions that you might want to consider include: If justice and
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The prison guards shoot Tom seventeen times in the back as he tries to climb the prison fence
(with only one good arm). These instances are neither fair nor just.
Boo Radley's treatment at the hands of his father is not fair or just. Though
Boo (Arthur) started out as simply a typical teenager who got into a little trouble, his father takes it as a personal affront (much like Bob Ewell), and punishes his son. He allows him to be left in the jail for an excessively long time. When ordered to remove Boo from the jail, Mr. Radley imprisons his son at home, and abuses him until he is a shadow of the person he was. This is terribly unfair and unjust.
However, we do find justice in the story. We see if first when Boo Radley saves the children, killing Bob Ewell in the process. Ewell is evil personified. If it were not enough to glean some personal satisfaction with Tom's conviction, and ultimately his death, this drunken, lying, abusive, socially reprehensible man attacks the innocents: Atticus' children Jem and Scout. Justice is served to Bob Ewell at the unlikely, gentle hands of Boo Radley.
Next, when Heck Tate realizes that Boo has killed Ewell (not Jem, as