As "To Kill a Mockingbird" progresses, evidence builds against Mayella Ewell's testimony. Scout gets the impression that Atticus might win, and Jem is very confident about it. For instance, Jem says to Scout, "... we're gonna win, Scout. I don't see how we can't." (270) What Harper Lee is doing for the reader is very smart. She builds an image in your head and all of a sudden you are thinking like Scout and Jem. You are relying on Jem's confidence, which is making you think that there is no way the jury is ever going to call Atticus guilty. But then it hits you when you read those powerful four words that can change and innocent man's life, "Guilty... guilty... guilty... guilty..." (282) Harper Lee then makes you jump to some common sense. You have to then realize that those twelve men on the jury are all white, and Tom Robinson is black, and back then, people were so racist and hurtful. White people did not put themselves in others' shoes, and most certainly did not step into Tom Robinson's shoes. There is so much that made Tom Robinson innocent, that it is hard to believe that because of his race, he was charged with something as powerful as rape.
Do you think the town of Maycomb would be different if Tom Robinson was innocent? Why? Would white citizens look at blacks differently if Tom Robinson was Guilty?
I agree that in was quite a snap to reality when Tom Robinson was ruled guilty at the trial. If he had been ruled innocent, in a perfect world it would have been an unpractical yet extremely helpful snap to reality for the town of Maycomb. It would have made the white people in the town realize that blacks are just as good as whites and should be treated as equals. But having the society the way it is it probably wouldn't of made any difference other than having Tom Robinson more hated in the town. Whites already look down on blacks and that doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon and if blacks start getting ruled innocent after being blamed for things like rape it will not be a positive affect.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you think would happen to the town? What evidence really made Tom Robinson guilty? How is Atticus going to react to this ruling?