Atticus starts off the speech saying “gentlemen,” “I shall be brief, but I would like to use my remaining time to remind you that this is not a difficult one.” Atticus's tone sheds a few layers, too, becoming conversational rather than businesslike. He uses figurative language when he says “This case is as simple as black and white.” Basically, he points out that there's no evidence and that the prosecution is banking on the stereotype that all African-Americans are immoral liars who rape white women whenever they get the chance. He goes on to say that Tom is not guilty but someone in the room is. He supports this statement when he proves that Mr. Robinson can’t use his right hand. He tells the jury that they're smart enough to see that for
At the end of his closing argument he uses his own opinions, to help convince the jury. “Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal.” This relates to Atticus's belief that all people should be treated equally especially in a court of law, where people should not be convicted solely the race they are, but rather the evidence against them. Atticus uses this idea, to try to prove to the jurors, that not coming to decision based on the real evidence present, would undermine the true purpose of the courts, to seek justice based on truth. Atticus’s last plea to the jury, trying one final time to persuade them.
Atticus continues his statement of defending Tom Robinson with "... But this is a truth that applies to the human race and no particular race of men." However, that quote is only after saying, "... You gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption-the evil assumption-that all Negroes lie." Atticus finishes his statement by expressing, "There is not a person in this courtroom who has never told a lie, who has never done an immoral thing, and there is no man who has never looked upon a woman with desire.
Atticus was a great man. He was kind, caring, respectful, well thought of, level headed, and anything and everything that a good lawyer and father should be. He is one too just wants what 's right, which is why he did his best to defend Tom, when the case shouldn 't have been given to him but a low man who just finished the bar Judge taylor gave him the case because he knew he would give it his all to bring out the truth. He also sees everyone as equals and does not believe that the whites are any better than the blacks. Attics makes points toward the jury that in any other place or time would have been ruled in Toms being not guilty but because of the segregation in the deep south of maycomb the jury had their mind made up before tom even
Atticus defends Tom Robinson in court, who was being accused of raping a white woman. Tom Robinson was innocent of the crime, but the verdict was guilty. Atticus doesn’t care about if Tom is black or white, he was just trying defend the man on trial who was wrongly accused. Atticus believes that innocence is “a truth” that “applies to the human race and to no particular race of men” ( 273.) This describes his eagerness to protect Tom, because of his unfair accusation.
23, P.295) In this quote, Atticus saying that there's just something about race that makes white people crazy. He also acknowledges, in case it wasn't already clear, that law is not pure realm free of the racial prejudices that plague everyday in life, it's subject to the same problems as society at large. Usually Atticus is a voice of hope for change the idea of racism, but here he flatly says that racism is a "fact of life," suggesting that losing Tom's case severely reduced his hopefulness concerning human nature, or else that, having sat through the
In the book “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Harper Lee uses negative connotation and vivid symbolism to persuade that being judged by an outward appearance or backstory can affect a person negatively and make the judgers feel superior. Lee uses an outstanding amount of characters to persuade this but some distinctive characters that she uses is Aunt Alexandra and the Cunningham’s. Lee also uses the Ewells and Tom Robinson to persuade her meaning. In chapter twenty-three Scout asks Aunt Alexandra if she can play with Walter Cunningham but Aunt Alexandra declines the request and does not give Scout permission to play with Walter. She explains why plus starts to judge Walter.
During the trial in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Atticus uses the three forms rhetoric to defend Tom Robinson, Ethos, Logos, and Pathos. One of the major points Atticus uses demonstrates the first form of rhetoric, Ethos. At the ending of Atticus’ closing statement, he says, “I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore the defendant to his family. In the name of God, do your duty” (Lee, 4). This statement demonstrates Ethos because he is appealing to the jury’s moral code, and their personal code of conduct.
Atticus’ courage is shown in multiple ways through his court actions and his stand against racial discrimination. For instance, as a lawyer, Atticus defends the innocent, despite controversial thoughts of others, this is proven true in the Tom Robinson court case. During this discriminative period, most African Americans brought to court for an accused crime were deemed guilty, despite the clear evidence that proved their innocence. When Jem thought Atticus’ defense of Tom will bring Tom to justice, Reverend Sykes said: “I ain’t ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man”(Lee 279). This proves Atticus’ courage because he chose to fight for a colored man to prove that he is not guilty of an alleged crime, despite knowing the usual outcome of the case and the disapproval he will receive from others.
He says “the state has not produced one iota of medical evidence.” This makes the jury think about how valid
Atticus is a man of great courage, he will fight for what he thinks is right no matter the risk, this is represented in a quote stating “You never really really understand a person until you see his point of view”. He is a man of tremendous passion, and he is able to see the good in people even when they are not at their best as he does with his client Tom Robinson. He is a man of humility and he will admit when he is wrong. Throughout the story “To Kill a Mockingbird” Atticus is faced with the difficult task of defending a black man named Tom Robinson in court.
“Simply because we were licked for a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win” (Chapter 9, page 101). With this quote, Atticus is attempting to elicit the idea that white people have a distinct social advantage over black people and that the court is representative of that. By Atticus taking this case it demonstrates his goal of proving the prejudice to be wrong and ending the trial in favor of Tom. Regardless of the outcome, the point and the perspective will be shown to the people of
To Kill a Mockingbird - Courage "Courage is when you know you 're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what" According to Atticus Finch, an honest lawyer in Harper Lee 's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. "Real courage" is when you fight for what is right regardless of whether you win or lose. Atticus fits into this definition of what "real courage" is and demonstrates it several times throughout the novel. "The only thing we 've got is a black man 's word against the Ewells '.
The person speaking is Atticus because he is giving his final statement in his trial with Tom Robinson,”’She was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed 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.’” (272)
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
After the prosecutor’s witnesses have spoken and testified, the defense attorney, in the case, Atticus’s witness, Tom Robinson, goes up to the witness chair to testify. Atticus asks him a number of questions, and when Tom gets asked “Why were you scared?” his reply is “Mr. Finch, if you was a n*gger like me, you’d be scared, too.” Tom’s reason to be scared was simply that he’s black, which proves that the racism runs more than a layer thin, as a few words here or there would not make a person fear for their life simply because of the color of their skin. The racism threatens the lives of the blacks every day and every action that they make, for fear that they will be killed for stepping outside the line.