Pamela Jodhan

College English 10
To Kill a Mockingbird Rough Draft
Ms. Park
!ril 1"# $01%
Set me free
Tom Robinson is on trial for fulfilling his moral obligation and re&ecting a demand to
ha'e !h(sical relations )ith a )oman of another race. This man is accused of a horrible crime
because of his !h(sical a!!earance. *n the book# To Kill a Mockingbird b( +ar!er ,ee# racism is
)idel( s!read throughout the state and segregation strikes hard. Ma(comb# labama is affected
b( the -reat De!ression and racial tensions start to escalate )hen an frican merican man
endures man( challenges# for he is accused of ra!ing a Caucasian )oman. Throughout the
no'el# the audience learns that a Mockingbird re!resents innocence. Tom Robinson is a
mockingbird )ho is )rongfull( !ersecuted because of a Caucasian )oman.s action caused b(
her o)n desires.
To begin )ith# Tom Robinson is considered a second class citi/en because of his skin
color. Tom Robinson is a hard )orker# )ho does nothing more than )ork he is gi'en. 0ith his
)ife and four children at home# Tom )ould ne'er do an(thing to &eo!ardi/e the relationshi! he
has )ith his famil(. 1irst and foremost# the to)n of Ma(comb is e2tremel( segregated. Tom
Robinson is an frican merican man )hich makes him a secondar( class citi/en. The
communit( of Ma(comb e2hibits their malevolent beha'ior to)ards frican mericans and
because the( do not ha'e an( e3ual ci'il rights as the Caucasian communit(# the( are considered
to be second class citi/ens. tticus sa(s# 40hich# gentlemen# )e kno) is in itself a lie as black as
Tom Robinson5s skin# a lie * do not ha'e to !oint out to (ou6 7,ee $08. 9econdl(# Tom onl( cares
about his )ife and kids. )ell being. Robinson )ants )hat.s best for his famil( and this means he
)ill )ork e'er( hour of the da( to !ro'ide enough for them. Tom is an innocent man because he
Pamela Jodhan
College English 10
To Kill a Mockingbird Rough Draft
Ms. Park
!ril 1"# $01%
is )illing to offer an( t(!e of hel! to the Caucasian communit(. s an frican merican man
li'ing in Ma(comb it is in his best interest as )ell as his famil(.s to )ork hard and su!!ort
themsel'es. Mr. ,ink Deas sa(s# :* &ust )ant the )hole lot of (ou to kno) one thing right no).
That bo(s )orked for me eight (ears an. * ain5t had to s!eak o.trouble outa him. ;ot a s!eck6
7,ee $$$8. ,astl(# Tom Robinson is being accused of ra!ing Ma(ella E)ell# a Caucasian )oman
)ho he has hel!ed before. Tom is innocent because he is being !ersecuted under false e'idence.
tticus 1inch# Tom Robinson.s attorne( !ro'es that Tom is innocent b( stating facts that are
ob'ious. Ma(ella E)ell.s iniquities cause her to break an interracial code in Ma(comb. Tom is
vulnerable and Ma(ella takes ad'antage of him. Mr. E)ell sa(s# :* seen that black n<<<<<
(onder ruttin. on m( Ma(ella=6 7,ee 1>?8. *n sum# Tom Robinson is an innocent man )ho hasn.t
done an(thing )rong# and because of his harmless actions he is !ortra(ed as a ra!ist.
9econdl(# Tom Robinson is a mockingbird because he is accused of a crime )hich he hasn.t
committed. Mockingbirds are innocent birds that do one thing and one thing onl(# the( make
music for e'er(one to en&o(. Mockingbirds aren.t dangerous@ the( don.t disru!t the li'es of
an(bod(. To begin )ith# Tom Robinson is a mockingbird because he hasn.t done an( harm to in
Ma(comb. +e is the onl( !erson )ho has e'er treated Ma(ella E)ell like a human being and in
return she forces herself on him. Ma(ella E)ell )ants to be lo'ed b( Tom and she uses his
innocence as a !ath )a( to her !leasure. tticus sa(s# :9he has merel( broken a rigid and timeA
honored code of our societ(# a code so se'ere that )hoe'er breaks it is hounded from our midst
as unfit to li'e )ith6 7,ee $B18. 1urthermore# Tom Robinsons. left hand is inca!acitated )hich
!ro'es that he couldn.t ha'e beaten Ma(ella E)ell. Tom couldn.t ha'e !ossibl( attacked
Pamela Jodhan
College English 10
To Kill a Mockingbird Rough Draft
Ms. Park
!ril 1"# $01%
Ma(ella because he is handica!!ed. Ma(ella is tr(ing to !unish Tom for not kissing her back.
9he tries to seek his attention but he immediatel( expunges her from his sight. tticus sa(s#
:0hat )as the e'idence of her offenseC Tom Robinson# a human being. 9he must !ut Tom
Robinson a)a( from her. Tom Robinson )as her dail( reminder of )hat she did. 0hat did she
doC 9he tem!ted a negro6 7,ee $B18. Third and e'en most im!ortantl(# Tom hel!s out around the
neighborhood )hen he can. Ma(ella li'es in penury and she isn.t rude to Tom. The( ha'e a
'er( good camaraderie. Tom hel!s Ma(ella out because he )ants to# it.s his moral obligation.
Ma(ella al)a(s asks Tom for hel! )hen she needs it because he is the onl( !erson she can
de!end on. +e is the onl( !erson )ho treats her )ith res!ect and Ma(ella honors that. Tom
Robinson sa(s# :9he.d call me in# suh. 9eemed like e'er( time * !assed b( (onder she.d ha'e
some little somethin. for me to doAcho!!ing. kiddlin# totin. )ater for her6 7,ee $1D8. E'erall#
Tom Robinson is a s(mbol of !ure innocence# he is a true mockingbird.
,astl(# Tom Robinson is an innocent man )ho is )rongfull( con'icted for a crime his hasn.t
committed. Tom is indicted for ra!ing Ma(ella E)ell. +e is on trial to ans)er 3uestions as to
)h( he forced himself on Ma(ella. Tom is declared guilt( but regardless of being sent to &ail his
!unishment is death. *t is im!ortant to first note that Tom isn5t gi'en a chance to !ro'e his
innocence. Tom is falsel( accused that he forced himself on a Caucasian )oman. +e5s taken
a)a( from his famil( and is left all alone to face the hash realities of the Ma(comb Count(. +e
can.t !ro'ide or su!!ort his famil(@ the( are all left )ith nothing. 9cout sa(s# :Cal# * kno) Tom
Robinson.s in &ail an. he.s done somethin. a)ful6 7,ee 1%08. 9econdl(# Tom Robinson is found
guilt( of ra!e because it.s a Caucasian man.s )ord against an frican merican mans )ord. The
Pamela Jodhan
College English 10
To Kill a Mockingbird Rough Draft
Ms. Park
!ril 1"# $01%
to)n of Ma(comb is so racist that the( )ould rather choose to belie'e that Ma(ella is ra!ed b(
Tom# than to hear that Ma(ella kissed an frican merican man. Racial iniquity is !ainfull(
a!!arent and Tom suffers from the conse3uences the most. Judge Ta(lor sa(s# :-uilt(F
-uilt(F-uilt(F-uilt(F6 7,ee $%08. s a result of the trial# Tom is shot se'enteen times in the
back. Geing shot in the back b( the !rison guards se'enteen times sho)s the e2cessi'e measures
these guards took. Geing shot that man( times in the back sho)s that the guards are not going to
sto! firing until Tom is dead. The( !ur!osel( shot him continuousl( to make sure he is dead and
that he is !unished. tticus sa(s# :The( got him &ust as he )ent o'er the fence. The( said if he.d
had t)o good arms he.d ha'e made it# he )as mo'ing fast. 9e'enteen bullet holes in him. 7,ee
$BH8. 1inall(# Tom Robinson is mistreated and 'ictimi/ed because he is falsel( accused of ra!ing
a delusional Caucasian )oman.
To reem!hasi/e# Tom Robinson is !ersecuted as a mockingbird for being an honest and
de'oted man to his communit(. Tom is an frican merican man and in his communit( he is
seen as malicious. +e tries to make a li'ing in Ma(comb but it is 'er( hard because of the racist
and prejudice !eo!le in his communit(. Tom ho)e'er# acce!ts )hat is ha!!ening and lets the
&ustice s(stem tear him and his famil( a!art. *n the end# his !unishment is deadl(. Tom Robinson
is a mockingbird )ho is re!rehensi'el( incriminated for hel!ing a Caucasian )oman.
Mockingbirds are harmless# the( make music and sing. Tom Robinson minds his o)n business@
he su!!orts his famil( and his communit(. 0hat he got in return changes )ho he is# but it
doesn.t change )h( a mockingbird is a mockingbird. +e li'es as an innocent man and dies an
innocent soul.