Meghan Cannon

Mr.McConnell
English 9
January 27, 2017
To Kill a Mockingbird
Thomas Jefferson once said, All men are created equal (Lee 274). That was
not true during the Tom Robinson case in Maycomb County. Tom Robinson was a
kind black man who was accused of raping a white woman. During the 1930s
accusing a black man of a crime was easy and common because of the biased and
racist people. The men who made up the jury knew how they were going to vote
and everyone knew what Toms fate would be. Compares the results of the trial and
what I think based on the evidence and how Maycombs universe of obligation
affected the jurys verdict.
They jury convicted Tom Robinson guilty of raping Mayella Ewell. Atticus Finch
made a strong argument about how Tom can not use his left arm. While Mayellas
right side was beaten up, making it impossible for Tom to be able to hit her. He then
showed how Mr. Ewell is left handed and that Tom heard him say, I am going to kill
you, when he looked through the window seeing them together (Lee 260). After
Bob said that Tom claims he ran from the house afraid for his life. Bob Ewell then
called Heck Tate the police officer. Bob told him that, I seen the black nigger
yonder ruttin on my Mayella (Lee 231). Bob claims he saw Tom hurting Mayella
and chased him away. Atticus was suspecting Bob Ewell was the one who beat
Mayella. He was always drunk, never helped his children, and was left handed. But

with the people hating Tom they would not agree with Atticus. No one would suspect
that Mayella would want to be with Tom because of his color. The people believed
that a white woman could not have been attracted to Tom so, he must have come
on to her. Mayella had a numerous number of siblings who were always around.
Mayella had saved up all year to get them ice cream in town. Making the only
people as witnesses to be Tom Robinson, Bob Ewell, Heck Tate, and Mayella Ewell.
The jury falsely convicted Tom because of their own biased and racist beliefs.
The evidence in this case is not strong at all. Tom couldnt have hit Mayella because
of his bad left arm. Bob Ewell though was left handed and always drunk making him
a suitable suspect. Tom witnessed Bob Ewell threatening Mayella. Bob looked
through the window and yelled, I am going to kill you toward Mayella Tom claims
(Lee 206). All the kids were out getting ice cream in town. During the Great
Depression getting ice cream was a great luxury and to be able to pay for it would
have taken a long time to do. It took Mayella a year to save up for it. Almost like
Mayella did this to get them away to have time alone with Tom and was planning it
for a long time.
Maycombs Universe of Obligation made this trial. They believe women can
not feel attracted to black men. The people are traditional and believe that all white
women should be with white men to keep their race pure. The most protected
people in Maycomb County is white women and black men are the most
unprotected people. Their justice would be to have Tom be in jail or dead. The
people during this time are racist and hate most of the black people that are living
in their town. The black people are treated with little respect and are frowned upon.
White people can easily convict black people of crimes because the justice system
was not yet set up correctly. By convicting Tom of rape is doing justice for them

even if he did not do it. Their justice is to have Tom killed or convicted because of
the hate they have towards him and his kind.
Compares the results of the trial and what I think based on the evidence and
how Maycombs Universe of Obligation affected the jurys verdict. The jury accepted
the evidence and they convicted Tom of rape. The evidence is not solid and all
based on false eye witness accounts. All the evidence points to Bob Ewell not Tom.
Tom could not have hit Mayella on her right side because of his handicapped left
arm. The fact that they convicted Tom of rape is disturbing to know that little and
awful amount of evidence they would accept. Bob is a drunk and does not care for
his kids. Convicting Tom of rape is Maycombs justice. Their justice is what they
believe and is most fit in their eyes. Having Tom in jail or dead is most fit to them.
Tom received a biased case because the white men already knew what was going to
happen to him. Toms fate was sealed the minute he stepped foot into Mayellas
house.