TKAM Quarter 4 Journal 1 PDF

Preview

Summary

Journal 1 Quarter 4...

Description

f Q4 Journal 1 To Kill a Mockingbird: The Trial PROMPT: Use the chart below to discuss your impressions of each witness who took the stand and then answer the final questions about the justice system then and now. Minimum 300 words, chart and conclusion

Witness

Sheriff Heck Tate

Bob Ewell

Mayella Ewell

Tom Robinson

Answer in complete sentences (rephrase keywords from the question, but do not repeat the question!) ● Summarize their statements and judge their credibility ● What are your reactions to what they said or their honesty? Explain. The major elements made by Sheriff Tate's testimony in To Kill a Mockingbird are that no one called a doctor for Mayella Ewell and that the bruises on her face indicate that she was hit by a left-handed person. These two facts raise suspicion because Tom Robinson is unable to use his left arm and Mayella's father is left-handed. Sheriff Tate is an honest, caring, and helpful man who looks out for the best interests of his community, and in all instances of his testimony stood by Atticus/ Tom Robinson. Bob's terse testimony describes how, while walking home from the woods one evening, he came across Tom Robinson raping Mayella. According to Bob, Tom then fled after being caught in the act. When Bob is cross-examined by Atticus Finch, however, extreme doubt is cast on his story. This skepticism led Atticus to believe Bob was lying in order to save face and protect himself – not so much as his daughter – in society. Mayella contradicts her testimony in To Kill a Mockingbird by claiming Tom never entered her yard and then admitting that he had previously completed small jobs for her. Mayella also alters the details of Tom's attack. Despite the inconsistencies, Mayella has accused Tom Robinson of sexually assaulting her, based solely on the fact that she was on the porch and had asked Tom Robinson to break up a Chiffarobe when he attacked her. She screamed again, and when she awoke, her father was standing over her. Mayella is clearly a victim of domestic abuse, too afraid to confront her father and too embarrassed to admit her so-called "affair" with Tom Robinson.

Finally, we have Tom Robinson's testimony, which does not appear to have any flaws that can be explained further to prove his credibility.

He claims she called him in to do chores, which matches what Mayella said, and he claims Mayella told him she sent her siblings out for ice cream, which explains why there are no other witnesses, but he claims she hugged and tried to kiss him, which is when her father arrived and began yelling at her. Robinson claims she then fled, which corresponds to what Bob stated. When asked why he decided to assist Mayella with her chores, Robinson explains that he felt sorry for her. This makes sense given that she is portrayed as a pitiful character who lives in poverty and is probably abused by her father. Robinson's story makes sense because it fills in the gaps in the other witnesses' testimonies, and it can also highlight how Mayella fears her father and chooses to believe what her father says, contrary to the truth. Tom Robinson's story appears to be pretty credible, and I believe that having this understanding of what happened can show us that things most likely went the way Robinson stated, but Mayella claimed it was a crime because she was afraid of her abusive father. Now, based on your notes above, how do you think the trial is going? Explain. How does that impact your understanding of the justice system should work and how it actually works? Has this changed a lot since the 1930s? Explain. “Our courts have their faults, as do any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal,” Atticus tells the jury. In this idealized vision, a jury would render justice by making a decision based on logic rather than emotion. Because equality and the absence of prejudice are necessary preconditions for justice, their decision would treat all individuals equally, regardless of race or social circumstance. However, despite the fact that it was physically impossible for Tom Robinson to commit the crime he is accused of, the so called "honorable" jury finds him guilty, exibihting that the system is not equal. As Atticus tells Jem, "The one place where a man ought to get a square deal, be he any color of the rainbow, is in a courtroom, but people have a way of carrying their resentments right into a jury box." When people bring their prejudices into the courtroom, they are unable to make rational decisions. Despite Atticus' suggestion that the courtroom should be a bastion of justice ("the one place where a man ought to get a square deal"), the failure of the legal system to provide an equal trial implies that characters must seek justice in other ways. Learning to cope with injustice is an ongoing struggle for the book's main characters, who must continue to fight for justice despite their recognition of the difficulty of their quest. In Ti Kill A Mockingbird, the most obvius victim of injustice is Tom Robinson, who is wrongfully convicted of raping Mayella Ewell. While Atticus is hopeful about his appeal, Tom is shot and killed while attempting to escape from prison. His death guarantees that he will never be able to seek justice through the legal system. Although many people in Maycomb opposed Tom, there are some who believe his conviction and death were terrible miscarriages of justice. The newspaper editorializes Tom's death as a "senseless slaughter," while Miss Maudie and Aunt Alexandra lament his death. Other members of the community, the townsfolk, believe that Tom’s conviction sends an important message to the black community about the negative consequences of seeking equality with whites. While the trial may have changed a few people’s minds in Maycomb, justice for Tom, as well as the black characters in

general, remains unattained. The question of whether justice is served in the death of Bob Ewell after Boo Radley kills him to protect the children is open to interpretation. In one sense, Bob’s death serves as punishment for his crime of attacking Scout and Jem, and for his responsibility in Tom Robinson’s death. As the sheriff tells Atticus, “There’s a black boy dead for no reason, and the man responsible for it’s dead. Let the dead bury the dead this time, Mr. Finch.” He decides not to prosecute Boo Radley because he was simply trying to rescue the children, and although Boo would most likely be found innocent, the sheriff does not think justice would be served by bringing a shy man so much attention. Atticus eventually accepts that this is the best course of action. When he asks Scout if she understands their decision, she says, “Well, it’d be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird, wouldn’t it?” This line is a reference to the passage in which Scout learns “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” because they are innocent and only exist to help others. Similarly, it would be wrong to prosecute Boo Radley for trying to rescue the children, all in the name of justice. Scout throughout the book, however grown up she may be, realizes the injustices, cruelties, and yet the empathy, and generosity of some....