What Are The Issues Surrounding The Trial Of To Kill A Mockingbird

Taking place in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s, Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird depicts the very real and raw tale of the deep-rooted racism that permeated Southern society. Lee chose to tell this tale through the eyes of the young, innocent, and developing eyes of Scout Finch who grows up in the town with her brother and father. Through Scout's observations and personal experience, the narrative explores many other sensitive topics such as the injustice, prejudice, and moral complexities that filled up Maycomb’s community. To Kill a Mockingbird is a timeless novel that focuses on the life lesson of the importance of equality by offering a scathing critique of the racism and discrimination against people of color in the American judicial

Tom Robinson is an African American male who was falsely accused of rape by Mayella Ewell, a white woman. Harper Lee uses this trial to highlight the discrimination and personal biases against African Americans during that time frame. According to Tom, Mayella had come onto him, and he rejected her. Tom states, “She says, ‘Kiss me back ******.’ I say Miss Mayella lemme outa here an’ tried to run but she got her back to the door” (Lee 221). However, Mayella’s father saw it and got very angry. He struck Mayella and blamed the bruising on Tom. Despite the overwhelming evidence proving Robinson was innocent, including the fact that he was crippled and physically could not have done all of the damage that he was being tried for, the all-white jury still found him guilty. Through Tom’s story, Lee perfectly illustrates the deeply ingrained societal beliefs and systems that can perpetuate discrimination, even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. This tale presents many ideas that are still true to date, as we still see a large amount of wrongfully convicted citizens due to their

At the beginning of the novel, the readers learn about Boo Radley who is seen as a very frightening individual in the Maycomb community due to his uncanny appearance. As the novel goes on, we see how helpful and kind Boo Radley actually is. For example, while the fire at Miss Maudie’s house is occurring, Boo brings Scout and Jem a blanket so that they could keep warm. The protection of Jem and Scout is further enhanced when Boo saves their lives at the end of the novel from Bob Ewell. After this, Scout learned one of life's most important lessons, not to ever judge a book by its cover. We see the shift in Scout's character when she not only holds Boo’s hand to comfort him but proceeds to walk him home. She notes, “Atticus was right. One time he said you never really know a man until you stand in his shoes and walk around in them. Just standing on the Radley porch was enough” (Lee 321). She realizes that he is a caring human too, despite his scary appearance. This transformation from naivety to awareness serves as a powerful vehicle for us readers to reflect upon our own experiences and confront the complexities of the world around