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The Tom Robinson Trial In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

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Throughout the novel, people start acting different towards Atticus because of the Tom Robinson trial. A few days before the trial a good friend of Atticus tries to kill him with a group of white men to hurt Tom Robinson, but in between the situation Scout gets involved by talking to Mr. Cunningham casually and the men leave. It was one night when Atticus was acting up, of course because of the Tom Robinson case which is the night before but Jem, Scout and Dill knew something else was going on. A crowd of men and the sheriff, Heck Tate, go to Atticus’s house the day before the Tom Robinson trial. As the trial is upcoming, it is said by the court that Tom Robinson is to be sent to the Maycomb jail. Atticus is informed by the sheriff about the possibility of a lynch mob. Later, Jem tells …show more content…

The next day Scout and Jem talk with Atticus about the mob from last night and how Walter wanted to kill Atticus even though he was a friend. Atticus says “he just had his blind spots like the rest of us do”, he told them that a mob’s always made up of people, Mr.Cunningham was apart of a mob but that he was still a man. Jem says “so it took an eight year old to bring them to their senses”, Atticus replies “That proves some things that a gang of wild animals can be stopped simply because they’re still human”, He adds on “You children last night made Mr.Cunningham stand in my shoes for a minute, and that was enough” (Lee 210). This is demonstrating empathy because Atticus understands the situation and believes that Mr.Cunning is still a good man and friend even though he had tried to kill him. He tries to explain to Scout and Jem that people can act like animals but are humans and when they are involved in a mob, they have their blind spots. He understands that the situation Mr.Cunningham was in, lead him to a misunderstanding. He see’s what had happened from his point of view but the kids don’t. He shares his feelings for another which is Mr.Cunningham even after the

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