Tom Robinson Research Paper

Tom Robinson is an innocent man who was accused of rape because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Firstly, Tom is a kind man who has positive intentions. When Tom was accused, he was at the Ewell place chopping a chiffarobe for Mayella Ewell. Mayella called Tom over to help her with her task and he gladly accepted and went inside the fence. Tom continued to help Mayella complete her tasks almost every time he passed by, only when she called him over to help. Tom never went on the property uninvited. “Seemed like every time I passed by yonder she’d have some little somethin’ for me to do--choppin’ kindlin’, totin’ water for her” (Lee 256). Tom never expected anything in return. Even when Mayella offered to give him a nickel for his work, he

Secondly, Tom is being treated this way because he is a black man in a racist society. According to the article “Exploring the Psychological Motives of Racism” By Clay Routledge, racism runs off of the fact that the whites do not want, or accept change. This clouds people’s judgement, like in the Tom Robinson case. When they look at a black man versus a white man, they determine the black man to be inferior, and prone to trouble. White people will go to extreme lengths to keep the social hierarchy in order, because they are the ones on top. “The problem is that one way this is done is by looking down on other members of other groups” (Routledge). Because their vision is clouded by racial judgement, the jury in the Tom Robinson case displays the verdict as guilty, even though all of the evidence denies the crime has been committed and is in favor of Tom Robinson. The evidence even points more at Mr. Ewell who is becoming more of a suspect. Tom claims that Mr. Ewell shouted through the window at Mayella in a disgusting manner. “He says you goddamn whore, I’ll kill ya” (Lee