The Scottsboro Boys And Tom Robinson Trial

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During the years of the 1930’s, the Scottsboro Boys and Tom Robinson went to court due to an alleged rape of a white female. Throughout the events that took place in both cases, Harper Lee repeatedly presented examples of racism and prejudice. Between the court cases of both Tom Robinson and “The Scottsboro Boys,” many of the featured characters’ actions and reactions were similar in responding to the weak evidence. In the story of the Scottsboro Boys, the boys were arrested due to a brawl with a couple of white men. They were tried for fighting, but also were tried for allegedly raping two females by the names of Ruby Bates and Victoria Price (Linder, “The Trials Of The Scottsboro Boys”) As the trials went on, the boys repeatedly were sentenced …show more content…

All of the courtroom’s audience watched the trial and reacted in a disrespectful manner towards the events. As everyone in that courtroom besides the Finches and their associates hated Tom Robinson, one person in particular disliked him and stated, “It’s about time somebody taught ‘em a lesson, they were getting way above themselves, an’ the next thing they think they can do is marry us” (Lee 331). Another example how most of the courtroom’s actions and reactions were negative towards the defendant is when Linder describes the trials stating “As the trials went on, they all wanted the negroes killed as quickly as possible in a way that wouldn’t bring disrepute upon the town” (Linder, “The Trials of ‘The Scottsboro Boys’”). During the events of the court cases, the audience said rude things and hated the defendants and whoever defended them. An example how they hated them is when Scout stated that “Mr. Braxton Underwood allowed his bitter eyes to rove over the colored balcony, then they met mine. He gave a snort and looked away” (Lee, 252). Another example is shown within the events of “The Scottsboro Boys” trials. Linder describes the audience “So rude and rough towards the Scottsboro Boys and their cases because they were negroes and by those actions, they always ’gave the boys a death sentence’.” …show more content…

Atticus Finch and Samuel Leibowitz both act as a symbol of hope and determination. Linder describes Leibowitz as “Treating Haywood so well that Haywood stated, ‘I love him (Leibowitz) more than life itself’” (Linder, “The Scottsboro Boys”). In this example, Atticus states “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hands, its when you know you’ve been licked before you begin but, you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what” (Lee 149). Atticus still chooses to take on the trial even though he knows he’ll lose but, he hopes that there will be a change of thought in the judge’s mind whereas Leibowitz chooses to go ahead with the trial because he knows of their innocence and continues not to get infected by the virus of prejudice. When Leibowitz would first meet his clients he would get to know them and “he would win the affection of his clients” and since he did so in this trial, he realized the truth behind the alleged lies (Linder, “The Scottsboro Boys”). Atticus responded to a generous offering of a basket of food and goods because of his good deeds defending Tom Robinson by stating, “You tell him I’m proud to get it-- bet they don’t have chicken for breakfast at the White House. What are these?” This

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