Good afternoon. On November twenty-first, Tom Robinson was on trial for raping Mr. Bob Ewell’s eldest daughter, Mayella Ewell. Bob Ewell claimed that Mayella was screaming and said he saw Mr. Robinson rape her but was too distracted to go after him. When Heck Tate testified, he claimed Mayella Ewell was on the floor with a black, right eye. I’m here before you today to explain why Mr. Bob Ewell made false accusations to ensure that Mr. Tom Robinson would get the electric chair regardless of what happened during the trial and to cover up what he did to his daughter. I have five pieces of evidence from the previous trial to bring up. “He stood up and pointed his finger at Tom Robinson, ‘I saw that black man as ruttin’ on my Mayella’” (Lee 231). …show more content…
Ewell said. ‘Didn’t you think she should’ve had a doctor immediately?’ The witness said he never thought of it” (Lee 234-235). “His left arm was fully twelve inches shorter than his right and hung dead at his side” (Lee 248). “‘I hold with everything Tate said,’ said Mr. Ewell” (Lee 235). “‘...that’d make her right, it was her right eye.’ You’re left-handed Mr. Ewell,’ Judge Taylor said” (Lee 235-237). Mr. Bob Ewell is guilty of false accusations because of the same thing I stated before: he wanted to win the case and hide the truth of what happened to Mayella on the evening of November 21st. Bob Ewell did not want to be held responsible for his daughter’s injuries. Some may say, “But Tom Robinson fled the scene.” He was a black man in a racist town. He could’ve been shot at most if he hadn’t run. “But Mr. Robinson helped her in the past.” He helped her only when she asked for it. Robinson stated that he never stepped on her property without consent and never took the pay she
Bob Ewell is afraid that Blacks will take over or gain higher power over Whites so he works to keep the Black population suppressed by the Whites. One way that he showed this was by falsely accusing Tom Robinson of a crime that he never committed. He accused Tom of raping his daughter, Mayella, because he was ashamed that his daughter attempted to kiss a black man. Because of Bob’s fear of Blacks, Tom is dead....
One of the things that Atticus says to the people of the court is that “ she tried to put away her evidence of her offence away for her but in this case, she was no child hiding stolen contraband: she struck out her victim of necessity she put him away from her -he must be removed from the presence of the world.” What Atticus is trying to say here is that if Tom was not a black man then this case would not be going on but because he is black there is a case on to prove he really did rape Mayella Ewell. Another thing that Atticus said is that “her father saw it”. What Atticus is trying to say here is that if Bob Ewell saw the rape then why would he not chase after Tom Robinson or call the doctor before he even called the cops. If she had been raped the first thing that Bob should have done would be to call the doctor for the bruises she got during the attack. This case should not even be going on here because both of the people that say that Tom Robinson raped Mayella Ewell where both racist so you can’t really tell if they are really telling the truth about if Tom Robison really do this horrible crime
One of the major events in Harper Lee’s award-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird is Tom Robinson’s trial. It is based on the Scottsboro Case that took place in 1931 in Alabama, in which several black men were accused of raping two white women. Both the Scottsboro Boys and Tom Robinson are unfairly judged, however, because of prejudice against colored people. The racial discrimination makes whites’ testimony more believable even when it contradicts itself. The same happens in To Kill a Mockingbird. As we delve deeper into the case and get increasingly closer to the truth, it is quite suprising to see that Mayella Ewell is the true villain rather than a victim. She shall and must bear full responsibility for her actions because she makes the decision to tempt Tom Robinson, gives false testimony in court that directly leads to Tom’s death, and has been well aware of the consequences of her behaviors.
...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.
Tom Robinson: Innocent or Guilty? In my opinion, an innocent man shouldn't be ordered to even step into an unfair court case. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Jem and Scout go through countless conflicts, including the trial of Tom Robinson and the rape of Mayella Ewell. Throughout the story, people considered Tom Robinson a mockingbird, an innocent man, and even an enemy. In chapter ten, Atticus tells Jem and Scout that it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird since they only compose music for people to appreciate.
Tom Robinson had been accused of raping Mayella Ewell, the eldest child of the worst white trash family in Maycomb. In all actuality, Mayella had flirted with Tom and got caught by her father. Her father, Bob Ewell, had beat Mayella with his left hand, which proved Tom not guilty since he could not move his left arm. Atticus explains the motives in his final speech of the trial. “‘I say guilt, gentlemen, because it was guilt that motivated her. She committed no crime, she has merely broken a rigid and time-honored code of our society, a code so severe that whoever breaks it is hounded from our midst as unfit to live with. She is a victim of cruel poverty and ignorance, but I cannot pity her: she is white… She was white and tempted a negro. She did something that in our society is unthinkable: she kissed a black man… There is circumstantial evidence that to indicate that Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left… Tom Robinson now sits before you… with the only good hand he possesses- his right hand.’” (272) Most people in this day and age would be easily swayed into Tom’s defense with the evidence provided by Atticus, but this is the 1930’s in the deep south of the United States, and a black man could never be innocent in a case as such. “Judge Taylor was polling the jury: ‘Guilty… guilty… guilty… guilty...’” (282)
Tom Robinson, from Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, was shot. Tom Robinson who was accused a raping a white girl and when put on trial, was found guilty and sentenced to death in prison. He attempted to escape from the prison and when caught by a prison guard, he got shot and he died. But this is not what killed Tom Robinson. Lee hints to the readers who is truly responsible for the death of Tom Robinson. What killed Tom Robinson was the pressure of Maycomb County and their views on how negroes should be treated verse how a white man should be treated. The actions and beliefs of the individuals in Maycomb who is to blame and who is to take responsibility for Tom Robinson’s death.
Throughout history, racism has played a major role in social relations. In Harper Lee's novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, this theme is presented to the reader and displays the shallowness of white people in the south during the depression. The assumption that Blacks were inferior is proved during the trial of Tom Robinson. Such characteristics served to justify the verdict of the trial. In this trial, Tom Robinson is accused of raping Mayella Ewell and is found guilty. Many examples from this novel support the fact that Tom Robinson was in fact innocent.
"The only thing we've got is a black man's word against the Ewells'. The evidence boils down to you-did-I-didn't. The jury couldn't possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson's word against the Ewells'.
He is an example of how a parent can have a negative influence on their children's lives. Bob Ewell is a bad role model and example for his children because of his arrogance, laziness and his actions towards other people. We see these characteristics rubbed off onto his children, through their bad manners and lack of desire for education. An example is Burris Ewell who on the first day of school leaves and tells Ms Caroline that, “no snot-nosed slut of a teacher c’n make me do nothing.” However this is not the children’s fault, it is because of their father and his influence on them. When they see him spitting on people and not having a job, they think this is the right thing to do. Therefore they are rude to people, and they only “come first day every year and then leave (school).” Mayella Robinson’s claim to being a victim of rape leads to the somewhat blinded truth that her father was abusive. This showed that white trash still came before a black person. As the trial began Heck Tate is the first witness. He admits that a doctor was never called to the scene to examine Mayella Ewell. Bob Ewell takes the stand next and causes a stir in the courtroom with his bad attitude and foul language. Mayella had a right black eye after being raped according to her father. Since it was her right eye, the abuser had to of been left handed. Bob sure enough was left handed. Tom was right handed and
Dear ladies and gentlemen of the jury I urge you to bring back a verdict of guilty. There are many reasons for you to find Tom Robinson guilty. Tom has the strength to hurt Mayella, he ran away very fast, and there is evidence to prove Tom had a crush on Mayella. There is no reason Mayella would want Tom and Tom felt sorry for her. This is a case of who to believe and I am going to convince you that you should believe Mayella and Bob Ewell and not trust Tom Robinson.
The climax of To Kill a Mockingbird is the court case of Tom Robinson. Tom is a disabled black man, who got his left hand stuck in a cotton gin in his youth, is accused and later convicted of raping a white girl named Mayella Ewell. Atticus defends Tom and the community does not like this. They call him nasty names and pick on his children. This opens Jem and Scout to a whole other world of people, and shows them how offensive people can be.
Tom Robinson is a black man accused of raping a young white girl named Mayella Ewell, yet he is innocent. Atticus Finch is his lawyer. Dare writes: “At trial he [Atticus] proves that Robinson could not have raped Mayella, showing that her attacker was left-handed with two good arms, whereas Robinson had lost the use of his left arm in a cotton-gin accident. Bob is actually guilty, but no one ever tries to point that out. It never even says it straight forward in the book, but there is clearly enough evidence to show Mr. Ewell was the guilty one.
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.
I think it is possible to be both. While John Robinson’s criminal career started out in white collar crime he certainly didn’t stop at just that which in my opinion makes it possible to be both. At the beginning of the book when it was talking about only the white collar crimes he committed they described his personality as someone who could persuade anyone into doing anything he wanted. Basically, it was stated that he was persuasive and manipulative and always looking for ways to push the limits of his control. The ultimate form of control a person can have is to control someone’s life to the point where they are killed. I think that he had a need to see how far he could go and to see the lengths he was able to push the justice system