Atticus relates to all the
negatives as his closing statement comes to an end, and uses Thomas Jefferson’s
quote to perfection on page 274, “We know all men are not created equal in the
sense some people would have us believe, some people are smarter than others,
some people have more opportunity because they are born with it.” (Lee 274) Atticus
knows, just as well as anyone in the courtroom knows, life is not equal.
Atticus boldly states this and focuses on one topic of equality, “But there is
one way in this country which all men are created equal, that institution,
gentlemen, is a court.” (Lee 274). Atticus makes it clear that Tom Robison is
not the violator and the white woman tempted him. What makes his argument so
effective, however, is the fact that he acknowledges the evil assumption and
that some Negro men are not trustworthy. What he makes concrete is the
courthouse is a place of justice. Atticus’ confidence is so great yet he is
sweating during his final statement for the jury, “In the name of God do your
duty.”(Lee 275) Atticus is sweating because he is worried about the outcome
that the jurors will decide. He is positive that he has won the case, as is
everyone in the crowd, but he is disturbed at the fact that Tom Robinson will
probably be declared guilty just because of the color of his skin. Harper Lee is
showing the reader the true concept of courage in this chapter. “It’s when you
know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through
no matter what.”(Lee 149) Atticus knew he wasn’t going to win Tom Robinson’s
case from the start. Atticus’ taking the trial represented courage. Atticus felt
sadness because of the corrupt court system. He was licked before the trial
even began.
Do
you believe Atticus felt this way? If not explain why?
Atticus' main strategy within the closing statements he gives at court is to show the jury the social culture in which they live, and tell them about how guilt of breaking that social code destroys the justice system. First, Atticus explains clearly so that everyone can understand, not just in hushed tones and uncertain language, the code which he believes was the root of the problem in this case. "She has merely broken a rigid and time-honored code of our society..." (Lee, 231)Atticus talks to the jury about how she did the natural thing, which was to pin the misdeed of hers, insofar as breaking a morally bankrupt code is a misdeed, on the shoulders of one whom the jury would have no compunctions about finding guilty. The jury culture in the South is one where all black people on trial are guilty and all white people on trial where a black person is involved are innocent, so the very idea that it took the jury so long to decide illustrates the extent to which Atticus made a convincing case. In the end, the culture of the south won out and Atticus was defeated, much as anyone would have predicted at the start.
ReplyDeleteI think that Atticus and the people in the crowd were not sure that the case was going to turn out in favor of Tom Robinson. Reverend Sykes says, "Now don't you be so confident Mister Jem, I ain't ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man." Because Jem is younger, he doesn't understand that although Atticus says that the court is where all men are created equal, in reality racism permeates even the courts of the south. I do believe that Atticus and the crowd knew that he was going to lose because they had all been exposed to to the racism in their culture.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Atticus definetely felt "licked" before he even began. It is one thing to go and be someone's defense attorney and get up in front of everyone when you know they are innocent, but it's another thing to do that with a black man on trial and a completely white jury and judge. Atticus and everyone there knew that Tom Robinson was innocent and that Mr. Ewell did it to his daughter but none of them want to say he is innocent because he is black. If they say he is guilty, they would probably get beat up by Mr. Ewell or someone else in the "gang". Just because Tom Robinson is innocent dose not mean that they are going to say that because if they do, it is a terrible consequence because of the world they lived in at that time.
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