More handpicked essays just for you.
Reasons to ban to kill a mockingbird
Why should how to kill a mockingbird not be banned from schools
Why should how to kill a mockingbird not be banned from schools
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Reasons to ban to kill a mockingbird
Rape is not a light subject. It is a serious felony that no one should take lightly. For that reason, To Kill a Mockingbird is a highly controversial book. Many argue whether the novel should be banned from public schools because of its contentious themes, rape being one of them. To Kill a Mockingbird should be taught in schools because rape is a matter that needs more awareness so people realize the severity of both the crime and the accusation of it. Mayella Ewell was a young girl who was neglected by her father and claimed to have been raped by a colored man. Whether her accusation was true or not was up to the jury to decide, but her stomach-wrenching description was enough to toy with the mind of any juror. “So he come in the yard
The problem: A disgusting creature by the name of Bob Ewell claimed that a colored man assaulted and raped his 19 year old daughter, bruising and hurting her badly. He demanded justice for this crime, which he pronounced was a hanging. The father of our main character, Atticus, was the defending lawyer in the case. He proved well and thoroughly that the young colored man, Tom, was innocent of the crime. Not only that, but he proved that the perpetrator was none other than the girls father, Bob Ewell. Unfortunately, Tom did not believe that this was enough to r...
To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel written by Harper lee in 1960. The novel tells the story of Atticus Finch, a white lawyer, and Tom Robinson, a black servant, accused of raping a white female. Finch defends Robinson in court arguing lack of evidence as his main point. However, the judge and jury still believe the woman’s testimony and orders Robinson to be killed. The novel has been praised for its outstanding literature since its publication. However, it remains a banned book by the American Library Association for its use of racial slurs and profanity. Due to it being banned, many high schools have reconsidered the notion of teaching it to their students. Two prominent authors wrote articles pertaining to this piece of literature: Angela Shaw-Thornburg wrote an article on her re-reading of the novel and her opinions on it; while Malcom Gladwell wrote an article comparing Atticus Finch to a state governor liberalist, James Folsom, and the restraints of liberalism in the south. In addition, Rebecca Best contributes her thought on how the novel should be taught by introducing the idea of “the other.” Regardless of the modern day political arguments surrounding this piece of literature, this novel contains a large insight into the time period of the 1960s which is an influential topic that should be taught to young high school students.
...ieved. The color of Bob Ewell’s skin gave him power, therefore the jury believed Bob Ewell’s lie as the truth and Tom Robinson’s truth as a lie. Bob Ewell was able to persuade the jury and town that Tom Robinson, an innocent black man, had raped his daughter by provoking the stereotypes of black men.
I personally believe that the story, To Kill a Mockingbird should not be banned in schools, and the story should be allowed in students’ curriculum. The first reason to why I believe this to be true would be the fact that it allows students the opportunity to learn about human mistakes and how to be better people in the future. A second reason would be that students are able to learn important parts of our history within the book. It also teaches students important morals that may be hard to teach without the context of a book such as this one.
In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, nine-teen year old Mayella Ewell is forced to go against Tom Robinson, an African American who is accused of raping her. Although it is obvious that the rape didn’t happen, the author portrays Mayella as a victim of circumstance. Lee makes it somewhat easy to sympathize with Mayella by describing Mayella’s homelife, indirectly characterizing Bob Ewell throughout the novel, and describing Mayella’s actions while in court.
Tom Robinson is innocent in the case of Mayella Ewell’s rape. When Tom was younger he got his left hand caught in a cotton gin, and could not use that hand. So, Tom couldn’t have hit Mayella Ewell on the right side of her face. Based on how Bob and Mayella Ewell’s testimonies didn’t match, they were lying when they told the jury that Mayella was rape by Tom Robinson. Because of this Tom Robinson’s case should have been ruled not guilty. This suggests that even though Tom Robinson was innocent, in the eyes of the court he would always be guilty because of his race. Since the Ewell’s lied about everything in their testimonies, Tom Robinson should have been innocent and set free.
The night of Novemer 21 Mr Bob Ewell ran to fetched the sheriff, Mr Heck Tate. Calming his oldest girl, miss Mayella Ewell had been raped. After rushing back to Mr Ewells cotet behind the dumpster, Mr Tate found the girl lying on the floor in the middle of the front room. He witness that she was “Pretty well beat up”. After helping her up on her feet he tells us he asked her who hurt her and she had
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee has been challenged/banned countless times since it’s original publication in 1960. The reasoning people could have behind banning it is that they feel that the racism, language and subject matter in the book is offensive, inappropriate, immoral and that it encourages and condones such things. To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in Maycomb, a small town in Alabama, during the depression from 1935-1937, and is told from the perspective of a little girl named Scout. In the book Scout’s father Atticus teaches her and her brother Jem many valuable lessons. The things Atticus teaches Scout and Jem are things we all need to know. To Kill a Mockingbird is an inspirational book that teaches valuable moral values, and should not be banned.
Mayella Ewell accuses Tom Robinson of raping her. Although she is pressing charges, she has very little power in this situation. Race had a huge impact on power in the 1930’s. White people garnered more power and respect than black people in society in this time, which also extended to the court of law. However, race was the only aspect that Mayella had going for her. Although Mayella was white, she was poor and women did not get a lot of respect back in this time period. Mayella had the power to change Tom’s life, but not enough to change her own.
During the time of Tom’s trial, the biased jury ignored the evidence that was provided that proved Tom did not rape or harm Mayella Ewell. For instance, during the trial, Heck Tate, the town sheriff, testified that Mayella was beaten on the right side of
As a result of the depression, many Americans were forced to hitch hike on trains going to neighboring states in order to escape the vast sea of unemployment to find a work. On March 25th, a fight broke out between the Scottsboro boys and some white boys, later after being charged with a minor charge, Vitoria Price and Ruby Bates accused the nine black boys of raping them. Being charged with the crimes of rape and being black was a lethal combination in the south where Jim Crow laws stood tall as pillars of southern values. Not even a month later all boys charged with the exception of one were charged with death. These events can be compared to the events in the book To Kill a Mocking Bird where Mayella Ewell accused Tom Robison of rapping her after he helped her chop up an old dresser. Just like the real life trials his case moved swiftly without sufficient evidence to prove that Tom Robison committed this crime just like the nine boys who were wrongfully convicted. In both cases the evidence didn’t support the claims of the prosecution, in the Scottsboro case is was later revealed that Victoria Price showed little to no signs of being forcibly raped by six men. Just like in the fictional case in To Kill a Mocking Bird there was little evidence to show that Mayella Ewell was raped by Tom Robison; a man who was physically crippled. In both of these cases Mayella
These injustices have begun long before Tom’s trial, but it is his trial which epitomizes the problems with our society. The first witness was simply just a misguided fellow named Heck Tate who it seems didn’t have much to offer to the case. Next, Atticus Finch called Bob Ewell to the stand. When I saw Ewell take the stand such a fierce hatred rose within me that I began to shake and tremble. Ewell wrongfully accused Tom of raping his daughter Mayella, however, with the grace of God, Atticus Finch had shown that it was very possible that it was Bob Ewell who because he was a lefty could have beat Mayella. If it were not for great men like Atticus Finch I would have lost all hope for this world. As I watched Mayella take the stand I wondered how such a kind looking person could be someone of such poor character. Her words seemed to paint a picture of a sad life; one where a father neglects her and she has fallen under hard times. Atticus, after pointing out it was probably Bob who beat her, asked Mayella who it really was that beat her. Mayella made it clear it was Tom Robinson, upon which Atticus asked Tom to stand. To the astonishment of the court Tom was handicapped! Tom was then called to the stand where he laid open for all to see the truth, explaining that it was Mayella who came on to him (that treacherous woman!). Soon enough the trial ended and every one awaited the verdict of the jury. The next few hours were the most nerve wracking of my life.
In early May of 1959 four white men made the decision to rape a young woman named Betty Jean Owens on the way to a school event with a few of her friends (McGuire, 160). Owen was forced to a smear campaign when she faced her attackers in court, but it payed off when she won her case and her rapists were sent to jail (McGuire, 181-183). While her rapists didn't spend as long as many African-American men had when accused of raping women in years past, allowing one of the rapists to kill another women in an attempt at revenge, it was a victory that had been unprecedented in years past (McGuire, 184). Also, not only did this case work as a victory for allowing African-American rape victims to finally be able to prosecute their attackers, but it
Lee’s use of conflicts illustrates the concept that racism affects justice in a court of law. Mayella Ewell accused, Tom Robinson, a twenty-five year old black male of
The case is about a black man who is being accused of raping a white girl. The alleged rape took place on November 21. Tom Robinson, a negro, is on trial for the alleged rape of a white female. The victim is nineteen year old Mayella Ewell, the daughter of Bob Ewell.