Tom Robinson Bigotry

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English Essay - To Kill A Mockingbird “I’m simply defending a Negro-his name is Tom Robinson” (p,83) In the novel “To Kill A Mockingbird”, Harper Lee touches on many social questions. The most crucial questions among these is the problem of racism and bigotry in Maycomb, Alabama, a southern states of America in the mid 1930s. Many of this were shown throughout the book with the charge brought by Bob Ewell against Tom Robinson, how Atticus and his children were treated simply because of his defence of a Negro and the disapproval of Aunt Alexandra to Calpurnia and the hypocritical attitudes of the ladies in the Missionary Circle. Problems like this can pervade Maycomb and cause many devastating effects of racism and bigotry in the novel.…show more content…
This incident shocked the town of Maycomb as it was considered the biggest case ever judged in Maycomb’s history. Later in the novel, Atticus made a life-altering decision by choosing to defend Tom Robinson and from here racism and bigotry are starting to appear on the surface. The first evidence of racism was shown when Tom was brought in front of a full white, prejudice jury, this manifested how the blacks were treated and the level of trust and respect they receive during that era. During the process of cross-examination of Tom Robinson, the word “boy” was used serval times by Mr Gilmer to remind the jury that they are looking at a black man who raped a white woman and that his testimony should not be trusted. Despite of the hard works and efforts that Atticus has put in, Tom was still sentenced to death simply because of the colour of his skin, “ I shut my eyes. Judge Taylor was polling the jury: Guilty…Guilty…Guilty… Guilty” Tom was later shot died 17 bullets in his body while trying to escape. Atticus told Tom’s family that: “ I cound’t in truth say that we had more than a good chance. I guess Tom was tried of taking white men’s chances and preferred to take his own. But whatever chance Tom takes, there will only be one ending to his case and that is death, simply because he is black. As shown when Tom was trying to escape, those racist prison guards did not only killed and shot him, but also lacerate his body with 16 unnecessary bullets. This clearly demonstrated the position of the blacks in the social class of the town
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