To Kill A Mockingbird Atticus Summation Speech

Liberal humanist and astounding lawyer, Atticus Finch, composed a breathtaking summation speech to address the varying facts and opinions of Tom Robinson’s controversial court case. Atticus’ intentions for comprising such a speech is to persuade the jury and spectators to find Robinson “not guilty.” However, Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird, included Atticus’ speech to subliminally alter the reader’s perception on prejudice and racism during the 1930’s. Atticus adopts a dignified tone when delivering his summation speech to convey the misconduct of Southerners to the jury and the people of Maycomb through the usage of relatability and the advocation for natural rights.

During his speech, Atticus creates a relationship with his

audience, the jury and the people of Maycomb, by making himself relatable. Through this, trust is developed which allows for Atticus to have a wider variety of audience members savoring the words he is speaking. For example, Atticus states “‘There is not a person in this courtroom who has never told a lie, who has never done an immoral thing, and there is no man living who has never looked upon a woman without desire’” (Lee 11). Atticus’ motive for starting a phrase with the utmost amount of passion and conviction is not only to prove Robinson is an innocent man, but to show that Robinson is being treated unfairly. By stating that every man throughout his lifetime has done what Robinson did once and received consequences for, shows that the audience can relate to Atticus since he himself has given attention to a woman. In addition, the spectators are becoming more capable of understanding the situation Robinson is in, allowing them to create a connection with the “guilty man.” The ability for the audience to generate this connection with Atticus and Robinson allows for a bond to be formed, which leads to an iota of trust to be established, specifically between Atticus and his audience.
Furthermore, Atticus’ emphasis on natural rights for all people gives him the capability to further his argument in an unbiased manner. Although Atticus’ claim is not supported by all spectators, he is hoping the audience will be open minded and will listen to his claims before making a decision. During Atticus’ speech, he states “‘Thomas Jefferson once said that all men are created equal, a phrase that the Yankees and the distaff side of the Executive branch in Washington are fond of hurling at us’” (Lee 13). When Atticus brings up Thomas Jefferson’s quote, he is attempting to get the audience to understand that there is currently a mistreatment of people of color and a superiority to those who are white. Atticus emphasizes that one of his main hopes for this case is to change the linear mindset of those who believe blacks and whites should not be treated equally. Although the main purpose of the case is to prove Robinson is an innocent man, there is a larger outcome that many are hoping for that could change the lives of everyone in the Maycomb. The entirety of the black community, along with supporters of the black community are wishing for an outcome of this case that will allow for a slow change to occur, which will allow blacks to live in a world where they no longer have a fear of being targeted.
All in all, Atticus’ summation speech was an exceptionally well-written address that is not only used in an attempt to persuade the audience, but to also convey the faults of southern mannerisms. Through the usage of relatability and the advocation for natural rights, Atticus is able to effectively showcase the flaws of a racist and prejudice society, which he hoped one day would change.