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Arrested for Rape Allegations
The arrest of Tom Robinson sparks the begining of his struggle for justice, to be an equal and innocent man. Tom is being accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white girl and because of the color of his skin, he is immediantly arrested and considered guilty. -
Textual Evidence
Until my father explained it to me later, I did not understand the subtlety of Tom's predicament: he would not have dared strike a white woman under any circumstances and expect to live long, so he took the first opportunity to run—a sure sign of guilt. (19.76-77) -
Atticus Accepts Tom as a Client
After taking Tom's case, the town begins sending ridicule and disgust towards Atticus Finch and his two children Jem and Scout, but Atticus just wants to protect a gulity man. Atticus knows he is going to lose his case, since Tom is black and everyone persecutes him. Even against a prejudice and racist jury, Atticus fights for Tom and does his best to protect him. -
Textual Evidence
"Mr. Finch?" A soft husky voice came from the darkness above: "They gone?" Atticus stepped back and looked up. "They've gone," he said. "Get some sleep, Tom. They won't bother you any more." (15.128-130) -
Textual Evidence
"You're a mighty good fellow, it seems—did all this for not one penny?" "Yes, suh. I felt right sorry for her, she seemed to try more'n the rest of 'em-" "You felt sorry for her, you felt sorry for her?" Mr. Gilmer seemed ready to rise to the ceiling. The witness realized his mistake and shifted uncomfortably in the chair. But the damage was done. Below us, nobody liked Tom Robinson's answer. Mr. Gilmer paused a long time to let it sink in. (19.124-127) -
Tom Robinson's Trial Begins
The trial was where the townspeople really showed their true colors. The majority of the people of Maycomb were very prejudice. The trial was about Mayella Ewell, a young white girl, who was raped supposedly by Tom Robinson. Right away, the racist people of the town believed her story and proclaimed Tom a rapist because she was white and he was black. -
Atticus Finds Evidence to Prove His Innocence
Tom was being charged for raping a white girl named Mayella Ewell. Tom only had one good arm, so there was no possible way he could have beat up a girl with just his one functioning arm as she was hit from the opposite side. It's more likely Bob Ewell, her father, did this and made Tom a scapegoat to cover something up. The jury should have taken this into consideration before accusing him. -
Tom Robinson is found guilty
The jury only looked at the fact that Tom was a black man and they didn't even consider the fact that maybe he was innocent. In the story, Tom was being charged for raping a white girl named Mayella Ewell. Tom only had one good arm, so there was no possible way he could have beat up a girl with just his one functioning arm. The jury should have took this into consideration before finding him guilty. Instead of being just and doing the right thing, the jury instead put a guilty man in prison -
Textual Evidence
"I guess Tom was tired of white men's chances and preferred to take his own" (24.71). -
Tom Robinson is Killed
The prison guards couldn't care less about killing a black person and that they had no regard for his family that he leaves behind. This event defeated the purpose of Atticus defending Tom, now that he is dead. Bob Ewell was the person who beat up Mayella. He was her father and told her to blame the colored Tom Robinson. -
Textual Evidence
Tom's death was typical. Typical of a nigger to cut and run. Typical of a nigger's mentality to have no plan, no thought for the future, just run blind first chance he saw. Funny thing, Atticus Finch might've got him off scot free, but wait-? Hell no. You know how they are. Easy come, easy go. Just shows you, that Robinson boy was legally married, they say he kept himself clean, went to church and all that, but when it comes down to the line the veneer's mighty thin. (25.25)
