Jade Noel T.

Behec Section: Arellano

A report on To kill a mockingbird

The 1962 American drama film to kill a mockingbird was focused on the finch household with the
widower Atticus Finch who is a lawyer with his eldest Jem finch, his daughter Scout Finch, and their
cook Calpurnia. The characters in this film revolve around in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama
which appears to be misinformed with evident societal issues. The opening scene offers a great
misunderstanding embodied into the character of Arthur “boo” Radley which is a victim of his
father’s cruelty and later on revealed to be creepy and yet a person with good faith. The main issue
in the town of Maycomb is the separation between the whites and the blacks which is evident in
every scene. The word “nigger” is expressly used, the placement of races inside the courthouse, the
ill treatment forwarded into the blacks are some of the things that justifies the racism. The backbone
of the film which represents justice and fairness, Atticus, accepted the case of Tom Robinsons. A
black family man, who is accused of raping the daughter of Bob Ewell. The after effect of the event
took a toll on the life of the family: Atticus was labelled as a con man, nigger lover, and was
questioned for his action, his children was bullied for the same cause. The case ended into a tragedy
with Tom Robinson’s death - This is the subsequent event following his verdict as he was being held
guilty for rape.

The film reminds me of the documentary film 13th, the case of racism and injustice directed into
black Americans exhibited into the case of Tom Robinsons. I love to think that there is always a
brighter side on almost everything and this is affirmed by the film. Maycomb is technically a racist
town, but there is a spark of justice and kindness at the midst of the situation which is represented
by the character of Miss Atkinson, Heck tate, Dolphus Raymond, Link Deas, and the Finch
household. This spark can actually be a light towards a certain change as long as it will be done
through acts of kindness rather than enforcing it with ill intention. As a law student, this film
encourages me to nourish myself as a moral being as much as acquiring my knowledge of law. The
morality and sense of justice will definitely give context on our laws, without it, our laws will going
to be empty words. The absence of foundation of being a human will make the law a blunt
instrument, which will be punitive in a manner that is selective depending on the will of the person
enforcing it.