How Does Tom Lie In To Kill A Mockingbird

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I am reading To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and I am on page 304.The book is about two children and a small town called Maycomb. We have learned that the town is racist, experiencing the great depression, and full of rumors. In this journal I will be characterizing Tom Robinson and questioning why the Ewells would lie. Tom has many characteristics, but if I had to pick two he is very noble an honest. Tom stays very noble in a time of struggle. Even in his predicament he stays calm and truthful. “‘swear ‘fore God’”(Lee259). ‘“No suh, Mr. Finch, I never did. I wouldn’t do that, suh’”(Lee257). Even in rough times Tom stays positive and not destructive. Unlike Mayella and Bob, when Tom had to answer sensitive questions he stayed…show more content…
He knew if he got fuming it would seem that he was lying and not be taken seriously. When I think of the word noble and placed it with a character in the book, it would have to be Tom. Noble reminds me of a person who speaks the truth, doesn’t act negative towards others, and an overall kind and generous person. Another word that describes Tom is honest. Honest is a very powerful word for people. Some people like Bob ans Mayella need to be more honest with people and themselves. Tom portrays how he did not rape Mayella and that he did not harm her in any way. “‘Tom Robinson was probably the only person who was ever decent to her’”(Lee257). He never wanted to break the Jim Crow laws or break his personal laws. When talking in court and in public all of the colored men have to what their language and actions, or may get in trouble. “‘You felt sorry for her, you felt…show more content…
Bob, Mayella’s dad, was the first person to report the rape to the police. At court he make up a whole bunch of fake stories of what he saw. “‘I heard Mayella screamin’ like a stuck hog inside the house-’” “‘ ran as fast as I could but I run into th’ fence, but when I got detangled I run up to th’ window and I seen-’” (Lee230-231). He knows that he is guilty, so he is tying to cover his tracks by lying. Racism was and still is a big issue, so Bob knew if he said that a black man raped Mayella he would come out clean. Since Tom has been at the house before, it was easy to blame him and get away with the rape. Bob has been involved with Mayella before without anyone knowing. On the stands Mayella admitted to Atticus that her dad has kissed her before. With the money that the Ewells get from the city Bob uses the majority of it to purchase alcohol. Mayella also said many lies in the courtroom. She stuck to her dad’s story of Tom raping her. The beging of her talk with Atticus she didn’t seem to remember that much, but as time went on she remembered a lot. “‘No, I don’t recollect if he hit me. I mean yes I do, he hit me’”(Lee248). Just like her dad Mayella didn’t want to get Bob in trouble. I predict she didn’t want to get him in trouble because Mayella did not want anyone to judge her for not speaking up. My guess is that she stuck with the lies because she was embarrassed of what dad was doing this to her. Also I think that she was
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