While Tom Robinson is on on the witness stand, he is asked questions by Atticus and then by Gilmer, who treat Tom in very different ways. After the Ewells and Heck Tate have testified, Tom comes to the stand to be the last person heard before the jury makes their decision. First, Atticus questions Tom, asking various questions about the day of the incident in a way that shows he respects Tom. Next, Gilmer asks Tom some questions in a tone that implies that he is looking down on Tom and does not consider him an equal. He asks them in a very demeaning way. In the middle of the testimony, Dill starts to cry and Scout has to take him outside. Dill says "That old Mr. Gilmer doin' him thataway, talking so hateful to him, it makes me sick, just plain sick." (226) Even Dill, probably the most childish of them all, knows that the way Gilmer is talking to Tom is hateful and cruel.
I believe that Harper Lee differentiated the way that Gilmer and Atticus spoke to Tom so that the reader would see just how much people's views of Tom vary. Atticus is very kind, calm and respectful towards Tom, showing that Atticus thinks of him not only as an equal, but also as a good person on the inside. Gilmer talks to Tom in a demeaning way, showing that he believes that Tom is not at all equal to others, that he is not only a bad person, but that he has no good to him. Gilmer attempts to twist Tom's words to use against him, showing that Gilmer is also the type of person who would exploit small errors and use them to win, no matter what.
One general question I have is, how do you think that the trial will end? Will Tom be found innocent, or guilty? We are most likely not going to hear any more of the testimonies, since Tom is the last person to testify, and Scout is not able to hear him any longer. Also, what do you believe Scout thinks of Tom right now? Does she think he is innocent or guilty? How about Dill, Jem, Dolphus, Judge Taylor, or the rest of the community?
I agree that Mr. Gilmer is very demeaning towards Tom Robinson. The trial will most likely end in a guilty verdict. The reason is, white supremacy is still very prevalent. Even if the jury is "unbiased", the verdict will still be guilty.
ReplyDeleteScout most likely thinks Tom is innocent, because first and foremost, she believes in Atticus one-hundred percent. Second, she most likely believes that Tom is innocent because she thinks that Mr.Ewell might be guilty of assaulting Mayella instead of Tom.
Dill and Jem are of the similar opinion, and Judge Taylor is pretty hard to judge. The white community is split, the white supremacists and the Atticus friends. Mr. Raymond most likely stands with the Negroes because they are his friends.
If Tom Robinson is locked up in jail, will the Old Sarum bunch still be after him like before?
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ReplyDeleteI think that Tom Robinson will be convicted guilty. TKAM does a great job of building the reader up. Atticus has very valid points, but in the end, an all white jury in Alabama will trump a "Negro" and the town outcast.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think this will happen because if Tom Robinson were to win, it wouldn't be as much of a story about growing up. It would just be another chance for Scout and Jem to think that "Atticus is awesome and smart and cool." Tom Robinson will be guilty to show Jem and Scout that there is more evil in the world than just Nathan Radley cementing a hole in a tree. People's lives get destroyed.
Atticus is a calm but a determined lawyer. He shows that he is agressive when he is questioning Mayella Ewell. He shows that he is calm when he is questioning Tom. When Gilmer is questioning Tom he shows no respect towards him. I strongly believe this is because Tom is black. During this time, nobody had respect towards blacks except for Atticus.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Issay and Jeffery because I think that since Harper Lee is a great author who makes a lot of unexpected decisions in the book, I think that Tom Robinson will be pleaded not guilty. To the contrary of Issay, I think that if Tom Robinson were to win, it would create a fuss in town, which would allow Harper Lee to further characterize Maycomb in a way we have not seen before. It could show darkness and hatred among people.
ReplyDelete^and Atiicus
ReplyDeleteI agree with Erica's opinion on Tom Robinson being pleaded not guilty. I believe that he is innocent because while Tom was explaining his side of the story he was very precise and never changed up stories like Mayella. In some ways, he is like Atticus, always knowing what to say but then has its doubt, having it to be to good to be true. In addition, as Erica said Harper Lee does like to spice things up and have an ironic result of something so in this case it could be that Tom is Innocent. Also, i do think Scout thinks Tom is innocent because of how Atticus always talks about the case as if he is not lying and Scout obviously agrees with her dad. Do you think that Bob Ewell is responsible for some of the actions that has happened to Mayella? or is it just an act?
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Josh and Erica that Tom Robinson will be declared innocent. I believe that Bob Ewell is responsible for not only some, but all of the actions that have happened to Mayella. In no places is Mayella's alibi airtight. This is proved when both Tom Robinson and Mayella herself were on the stand. Tom Robinson's testimonial, being the defendant, says that he was a victim. Mayella's testimonial was meant to prove that Tom was guilty of all charges, but it did the exact opposite. She flounders around when asked if Bob had hit her, and generally seems like she is attempting to cover something up.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think the children will think of all that has been said so far in the trial?