To kill a mockingbird ch 17. To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter 17 Summary 2022-10-27
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In Chapter 17 of "To Kill a Mockingbird," we see the culmination of the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. Atticus Finch, Tom's lawyer and the narrator's father, has done everything in his power to defend Tom and expose the racism and prejudice that has led to his wrongful indictment.
Throughout the trial, Atticus has faced opposition and ridicule from the white community, who are determined to see Tom convicted regardless of the evidence. In this chapter, we see Atticus deliver his closing arguments, in which he eloquently summarizes the flaws in the prosecution's case and highlights the racism and injustice at the heart of the trial.
Atticus begins by pointing out the inconsistencies in Mayella's testimony, and the fact that she was the only witness to the alleged crime. He also notes that Tom's left arm is useless due to an injury, making it physically impossible for him to have committed the assault as described by Mayella. Atticus then turns to the issue of race, and how it has influenced the trial. He argues that Tom has been targeted because he is a black man, and that the Ewells, a poor and disliked white family, are using him as a scapegoat to cover up Mayella's own wrongdoing.
Atticus's closing arguments are powerful and moving, and they seem to have an impact on the jury. However, in the end, the prejudice and racism of the time prove too strong, and Tom is found guilty. This outcome is deeply tragic and heartbreaking, and it serves as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for justice and equality in society.
Overall, Chapter 17 of "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a poignant and powerful portrayal of the injustice and prejudice that persists in our world. Through Atticus's eloquent defense of Tom Robinson, we are reminded of the importance of standing up for what is right and fighting against discrimination and inequality in all its forms.
To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter 17 Summary
Chapter 17 of To Kill a Mockingbird covers the first two witnesses of the trial; Sheriff Heck Tate and Bob Ewell, father of the alleged victim. What adjectives are used to describe it? Finch, but she had more bruises- you wanta hear about 'em? Introducing Bob Ewell further promotes this dark shadow cast on Maycomb. There will be no more audibly obscene speculations on any subject from anybody in this courtroom as long as I'm sitting here. Ewell says he saw the room in disarray and recognized Tom. Why is this so dramatic in a courtroom? He and his children live in a run down cabin behind the town garbage dump. Atticus and Tom Robinson in court from the film To Kill a Mockingbird 1962 The next witness called to testify is Bob Ewell, Mayella's father. When Tate got there, he found Mayella bruised and beaten, and she told him that Tom Robinson had raped her.
I thought Jem was counting his chickens. Then he turned his head and looked around at Tom Robinson. Bob Ewell represents the white supremacy of the South. We often wondered who else's words Mr. The Sheriff replies that it was the right eye and that the whole right side of her face was bruised. I was just leaving my office to go home when B- Mr.
To Kill a Mockingbird Chapters 16 & 17 Summary & Analysis
His back was to us, but I could see his broad shoulders and bull-thick neck. Ewell called him out because Tom raped his daughter. Dill and I were safe, for a while: Atticus could see us from where he was, if he looked. Bob Ewell is bright red and struts like a rooster. Jem, Scout, and Dill watch on from the black balcony trying to determine if Atticus has a fighting chance.
To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter 17 Summary & Analysis
Hope and Darkness In this chapter, Lee paints a picture of both hope and hopelessness. Finch know you all are here? This causes quite a bit of commotion in the courtroom, but when it settles down, Mr. While both stick to the same story about Tom Robinson, Atticus is busy trying to put the pieces of that story together, specifically regarding Mayella's black eye. All the spectators were as relaxed as Judge Taylor, except Jem. Atticus does this to prove that Bob is left handed. We see that come to life in this chapter. From these seats, they can see the whole courtroom.
Ewell is rude to Mr. He couldn't have hit Mayella with it. They live behind the garbage dump in a cabin once inhabited by black people. Scout, on the other hand, is not so sure it is that easy. When asked to tell his version of events, he says that he arrived home to hear Mayella screaming.
What about Jem and Scout? No truant officers could keep their numerous offspring in school; no public health officer could free them from congenital defects, various worms, and the diseases indigenous to filthy surroundings. Ewell runs into Atticus as he stands to question Mr. The cabin's plank walls were supplemented with sheets of corrugated iron, its roof shingled with tin cans hammered flat, so only its general shape suggested its original design: square, with four tiny rooms opening onto a shotgun hall, the cabin rested uneasily upon four irregular lumps of limestone. It is used in schools across the country because of its thoughtful exploration of prejudice and social injustice. He stands and points to Tom as he says this, and the court erupts. Ewell better than his neighbors is his skin color. When he reached the house, he looked in the window and saw Tom Robinson raping her.
To Kill a Mockingbird Chapter 17 Discussion Questions
He had told them what happened, he'd say it again and again- which he did. This ain't fit for Miss Jean Louise or you boys either. Why does Scout change her opinion of him? He is dirty, uneducated, and doesn't properly care for his children. The small town of Maycomb is overrun with people from across the county who have come to bear witness. Enclosed by this barricade was a dirty yard containing the remains of a Model-T Ford on blocks , a discarded dentist's chair, an ancient icebox, plus lesser items: old shoes, worn-out table radios, picture frames, and fruit jars, under which scrawny orange chickens pecked hopefully.
Jem's excitement mirrors this hope, but Scout's doubt acts as a counterpoint - she reminds us of the dark truth that there is no hope for a southern black man in the 1930s facing an all white jury. We could tell, however, when debate became more acrimonious than professional, but this was from watching lawyers other than our father. Atticus chooses to represent Tom Robinson, a black man, even though he stands no chance of winning the trial with an all white jury. It was becoming evident that he thought Atticus an easy match. When the Sheriff arrived, he found Mayella beaten and bruised. Summary Chapter 17 opens with Sheriff Heck Tate on the witness stand.
Scout is skeptical; she isn't sure this proves anything, because Tom Robinson could have hit Mayella with his left hand. Tate examined Mayella, Bob's daughter. The Negroes behind us whispered softly among themselves; Dill was asking Reverend Sykes what it was all about, but Reverend Sykes said he didn't know. Against the fence, in a line, were six chipped-enamel slop jars holding brilliant red geraniums, cared for as tenderly as if they belonged to Miss Maudie Atkinson, had Miss Maudie deigned to permit a geranium on her premises. Her eye was blacked and she was mighty beat up. Gilmer how he heard Mayella screaming inside the house.
