All people are created equally, but all people are not treated equally. This statement is represented during the trial of Tom Robinson. Tom is black and black people rarely ever win trials because people are racist in the town of Maycomb. People are put into groups based on the Maycomb Caste System which is most often key divided by ethnic, racial, or financial lines. For example, the white upper class is represented by Atticus, while the poor black citizens are represented by Tom Robinson. The other white citizens are represented by the people who make up the jury, while the poor white “trash” citizens are represented by the Ewell’s. Most of the groups don’t like each other, but instead of all people being treated equally, they are separated …show more content…
He doesn’t just use one strategy, but many strategies. He uses them in a certain way to try to prove Mayella and her dad wrong. To do this, he used the strategies logos, pathos, ethos, Anaphora, and rhetorical questions. Atticus uses logos most often. For example, during the trial Atticus says, “There is not a person in this courtroom who has never told a lie, who has never done and immoral thing, and there is no man living who has looked upon a women without desire.” Everyone in the courtroom knows they have told a lie, but Atticus is trying to channel everyone’s inner thoughts about everyone else to try to prove his point. Another strategy he uses in rhetorical questions. He doesn’t use this strategy often, but he uses it effectively. For instance, he says, “What did her father do?” Atticus wants to show people the loop holes in the Ewell’s story. He does this by asking a question in which everybody already knows the answer to it. Atticus also uses ethos, pathos, and Anaphora throughout the trial, but they aren’t as important. They still help him to achieve his main goal, to prove the Ewell’s …show more content…
He has an advantage and a disadvantage over Mayella and her lawyer. The advantage is Atticus is a great lawyer, but the disadvantage is Tom is black. None of his strategies were actually effective because that the jury focuses on is that Tom is black. They don’t care what Atticus proved all they care about is the persons skin color. If Tom was not black, then he probably would have won because of Atticus. He uses many of his strategies to his benefit. The most effective strategy he used was rhetorical questions. He uses this strategy to emphasize his point. Everyone probably already knows the answer the question he is asking, but he wants to remind everyone what the actual answer is. For example, Atticus says, “What did she do? She tempted a Negro. She was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kisses a black man. Not an old uncle, but a strong young Negro man. No code mattered to her before she broke it, but it came crashing down on her afterwards.” Everyone most likely already knows what happened because of Tom’s story and the lie Mayella told. No one wants to actually admit that Tom is innocent because they don’t want to be the odd one out of all the racist people. Atticus wants to indicate his point of view from the incident. His strategies would have worked if the town of Maycomb wasn’t extremely
Atticus Finch’s final speech to the jury in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird inspires readers of all ages. As any book critic will tell you Atticus gives one of the greatest speeches in literary history in order to defend Tom Robinson. In order to accomplish this feat Atticus applies the three appeals logos, ethos, and pathos.
Ethos- Uses authors, economists, students and even cites herself, this helps establish her as an expert and makes her arguments more believable. Pathos- Conveys feelings of confusion and sadness that students feel after realizing that they wasted time and money on college. She also uses this to plant doubts in readers minds about their own feelings..
(100), here, Atticus knows even if everyone knows Tom is innocent and Tom’s opponent is white trash and ignorant, everyone understand that he will suffer racial discrimination and will be labelled guilty no matter the proof. Racial segregation will be the main factor as to why no one will choose a black man’s side over a white’s. No matter how much evidence there is, the mindset on blacks in Maycomb is nearly impossible to discard. “Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men’s hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed” (276), it is no surprise when Tom tries to escape the prison and dies doing so, because everyone knew there was no hope for him once a white accuses him.
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch defends Tom Robinson against all odds, but the racial prejudices at the time caused him to be found guilty and executed. Atticus at one time states, “our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal.” This claim can be disproven because some defendants are still treated as second-class citizens compared to those with greater privilege and influence. Atticus’ statement that everyone is equal to the judicial system is incorrect because those who are privileged have more advantages and can avoid blame for their crimes. Many privileged individuals such as police officers can kill and beat unarmed black men and women based on “reasonable doubt” and are later freed of
Martin Luther King’s historic I Have a Dream speech has a similar goal to Atticus Finch’s closing argument in the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Both speeches use rhetorical devices along with ethos, pathos, and logos to support and defend their points of view in the situations in which they exist. Through each of their wording and literary methods, they defend racial equality for their fellow humans. Both Martin Luther King and Atticus Finch have similar styles over conveying their views.
Atticus is helping establish one of the main themes of this book, morality and ethics. He knows that Tom will not be acquitted, but he still gets the truth out which is a huge accomplishment. It leaves suspense in the story because the audience is not sure what it will accomplish, but they are hoping for something. It is important also because it shows one to take chances. Lee tries to get that across because nothing will happen unless someone tries to do something.
In Atticus Finch’s closing declaration, Mr. Finch sways the jury through the use of logic, good judgment, and wisdom or also known as logos. For instance, Atticus proclaims there is no medical evidence present that proves that “the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place.” Clearly, Atticus convinces that if ever “physical contact” occurred between Tom Robinson and Mayella medical verification would have been available to prove that Tom Robinson is guilty or not. However, this strengthens Atticus’ argument because he’s influencing the jury to think and use good judgment by conveying that there is no medical support present, so how can a person being charged of rape be pronounced guilty when there was no evidence present. Additionally,
Atticus is an idealist and knows what is right and what is wrong. Atticus shows the importance of compassion and doing the right thing. “Atticus insists the truth about what occured at the Ewell house will be heard in court. This further illustrates his integrity” (Text
Furthermore he defends a black man in court. At the time (and maybe still even now) Maycomb, Alabama, is from our perspective a really racist county, and in this culture it takes a lot of courage to go against the tide and not to judge a black man merely of his skin colour or origin, but instead to put his worries before ones own. Most people in Maycomb, who believe black Tom Robinson is innocent, also believe that there is no chance of winning the case and they lack the courage to risk getting a bad reputation with nothing to gain from it. Atticus is probably the only one whose moral views forbid him to look
A person cannot call themselves a noble person if they can’t understand others. Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is told in first person by Jean Louise Finch or by her nickname, Scout a 6-year-old. Harper Lee, depicts Atticus Finch as a proficient father to his two children, Scout and Jim, 10-year-old. Atticus teaches his children life lessons, one being it 's a sin to kill a mockingbird.
Why did Atticus defend a black man? Justice and being given the chance of a fair trial. Atticus Finch believed that everyone, black or white should be given the chance, to be proven not guilty. Even though some people thought Atticus was wrong in defending Tom Robinson, Atticus knew it was right to defend Tom because he knew everyone deserved a fair trial.
If you were faced with an impossible feat would you give up or keep trying? The story of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, is told through a young girl named Jean Louise Finch although she is more commonly known just as Scout. The book discusses heavy, real world problems such as racism and abuse through the eyes of a young girl. Atticus shows ambition throughout the book when he stands up for Tom Robinson and battles his case out to the very end. The first time we see the ambition of Atticus is on page 195.
Atticus is faced with many threats along the way and is shunned in the community for defending a man of such a heinous crime. During the trial Atticus makes many strong arguments and it is plainly
In chapters 17-24 in To Kill A Mockingbird, Jem and Scout observe their father in court defending Tom Robinson (a black man) from the accusations of the Bob Ewell (a "low grade ' ' white man). Bob Ewell accuses Tom Robinson of sexually assaulting his daughter; Mayella Ewell. Before the fate of Tom Robinson is given in the possession of the jury, both lawyers have a final attempt at convincing the jury that Tom Robinson should/shouldn 't be prosecuted. Atticus starts off his closing remarks with the fact that he believes that the case should have never come to trial and that the case "”is as simple as black and white."
To emphasize, on the same occasion Atticus attempts to explain to his