Atticus seemed to back her into a corner with his questioning, and out of desperation, she busted out exclaiming her next statement will be the last. Mayella reeled back, saying he took advantage of her, and then addressed the whole audience of the court stating they would be cowards if they didn’t convict him. The outburst is clearly a last resort method from emotional distress, all leading to the assumption of false testimony. In clear contrast, Tom is called upon in his defense and described the scenario with extreme detail, even recalling exact verbal exchange, all with great fluency. Today, simply because of his body language and fluency in his recollection, most would conclude his innocence. When Mayella’s lawyer questions Tom on the stand just after Atticus, Tom said he felt sorry for her, reasoning his frequent visits to help her out. At this point he abruptly silenced, seeming to acknowledge he went wrong somewhere. In that era it was unusual for a black man to feel sorry for anyone white, as they were seen inferior. This was exemplary in the reaction of Mayella’s lawyer Mr. Gilmer. He paused turned around with an offended facial expression; slowly repeating Tom’s statement, Mr. Gilmer emphasized his surprise that he actually felt sorry for her. Atticus then takes the stand and concludes the session with an extensive thorough interpretation after hearing both sides; his testimony is so powerful in rightfully conveying Tom’s innocence that you almost feel shame for the all-white jury wouldn’t see past that. Then ending of his powerful concluding statement follows: “But there is one way in this country in which all men are created equal—there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court. It can be the Supreme Court of the United States or the humblest J.P. court in the land, or this honorable court which you serve. 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. “I’m no idealist to believe firmly in the integrity of our courts and in the jury system—that is no ideal to me, it is a living, working reality. Gentlemen, a court is no better than each man of you sitting before me on this jury. A court is only as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up. I am confident that
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Beyond all the evidence which was very well depicted in the film, To Kill A Mockingbird accurately portrayed customs of the 1930’s—black peoples inferiority succeeding the outlaw of slavery. This film was enlightening to the severity of these beliefs, intensified by the high stakes in a court case outcome. The history was always acknowledged of these beliefs, although their implications in every aspect of society, even a court of law, was eye-opening. The choosing of this topic was because there is something all can learn from this historically accurate depiction of racial profiling. Although it was accustomed to their time, today it would be considered unconstitutional and unjust, and we need to learn from our past to progress in perfecting a
Beyond all the evidence which was very well depicted in the film, To Kill A Mockingbird accurately portrayed customs of the 1930’s—black peoples inferiority succeeding the outlaw of slavery. This film was enlightening to the severity of these beliefs, intensified by the high stakes in a court case outcome. The history was always acknowledged of these beliefs, although their implications in every aspect of society, even a court of law, was eye-opening. The choosing of this topic was because there is something all can learn from this historically accurate depiction of racial profiling. Although it was accustomed to their time, today it would be considered unconstitutional and unjust, and we need to learn from our past to progress in perfecting a