Blog Assignment #2

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Gentlemen, today we have heard both sides of this not so challenging case. The testimonies of Mayella Ewell and her father continue to falsely accuse the defendant, Tom Robinson, of such an abominable act. The helpless Mayella has indeed been brutally beaten however, there is no medical evidence that proves that Tom Robinson is the one that has caused Mayella such misery. According to the examination, these bruises were created by a left-handed person. Clearly, this pitiful black man’s left hand does not function as seen when I threw him the object. Thus, someone else must have committed this heinous act, so we must ask the question who else was at the scene who is left-handed. Perhaps Mayella was the victim of her father’s brutality. However, this case is about whether Tom Robinson has committed a crime, so I will leave that up to your fair jurisdiction. Additionally, the testimonies of Mayella and her father my opposition heavily relies on do not seem to produce a coherent idea of what happened that day. A prime example of this is when Mayella began stating that she does not whether Tom Robinson hit her or not, but consequently she firmly stated that he was the one. This raises a reasonable doubt about the accuracy of these testimonies. I hope you will acknowledge the unsubstantial evidence provided for this trial to occur.

 

I would suggest to place yourselves in his shoes where Tom Robinson witnessed the helplessness of Mayella and rushed to her aid; though, he would not be given any payment despite his poor financial status. Would you have taken the risk of being charged for this act of kindness? Are we to blame his sympathy for Mayella? I would like to remind everyone that it is we who will make this world a better place, so should we condemn kindness? Tom Robinson, a human being, who has empathy will be beneficial for accomplishing our vision of the future. Furthermore, let us recognize the status of the Ewell family. The Ewells have faced enough oppression, for they are uneducated and violence-oriented. “She is a victim of cruel poverty and ignorance” (TKM 1:33:50). We must stand by our people, and it must start with those who are kind-hearted and compassionate like Tom Robinson. He is part of our vision for the welfare of society, so his kind acts should not be condemned.

 

The purpose of this trial is not to bring justice, but to bring out the truth because Tom Robinson should not be on trial for his selfless acts. Today I wish that you have understood the reality and truth in this case, for we should not falsely punish him. Will your intellect and duty to protect the words of our Constitution falsely charge Tom Robinson? Do not look at him as a Negro but rather a compassionate and benevolent man. I put my belief and trust in your decision, which will restore the integrity of this well-regarded court. It is our obligation to protect our people and encourage those who will do the same like Tom Robinson. My final remark before leaving the jury to make this decision is that we must come together to make our vision for a brighter future successful. And, here I leave you with the important decision that will mark the future of Maycomb County and our people. 

Works Cited

To Kill a Mockingbird. Robert Mulligan. Universal Pictures, 1962.

Blog Assignment 2

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Gentlemen of the jury, you have heard the story of what occurred on the evening of August 21st last year from multiple perspectives. You have heard from Sheriff Tate, who described that Mayella Ewell was “pretty well beat up” (TKAM 1:09:42-1:09:45). He goes on to describe the degree of her injuries, including that “she had a black eye startin’” and “beaten up on that [right] side of her face” (TKAM 1:10:35-1:11:06). Bob Ewell has also agreed to Sheriff Tate’s statement that those were in fact her injuries. However, both Sheriff Tate and Bob Ewell failed to get a doctor to check on the severity of the beating. Because of this, “the state has not produced one iota of medical evidence” (TKAM 1:32:08-1:32:13) to demonstrate that this crime even occurred. Now, assuming that Mayella was beaten in the way that both Sheriff Tate and Bob Ewell describe, there is substantial evidence that Tom Robinson was not the person to beat her. How can a man who cannot use his left arm choke a woman with both hands? You see him right in front of you, his left arm is useless, and he would be unable to beat anyone on the right side of her face. Purely based on physical evidence, it is clear he was physically unable to commit the crime of beating and raping Mayella Ewell. Even if he was, what would move Tom Robinson to harm Miss Mayella Ewell? Now, Tom Robinson has a family that he loves and supports, and is trying to get through these tough times just as the rest of us are. In fact, Tom Robinson is similar to each and every one of us, whether or not you wish to admit it. He may be a black man, but he is human. While you may see him as inferior due to his race, he is still human. Any man raised with manners and kindness would help a woman who asked for a favor. After helping the woman, this man would not require payment, for he is doing a favor. Tom Robinson is this type of man. He saw a woman who was in need of assistance and helped her in the way that he could. He did not expect payment or anything else from Miss Mayella. Just as any other good man would feel pity on her, so did Tom Robinson, causing him to be moved to help her. Now some of you may think that he had no reason to be sorry for her, as she is a white woman, and he is a black man. Whether it was right or wrong for him to feel this way, you can see that he had no reason to beat Mayella Ewell. A man does not beat a woman if he is sorry for her, which is the case with Tom Robinson. Now, it may be difficult to see that Tom Robinson is innocent although the evidence is clear. He is a black man up against two white witnesses. The case was unfair from the start, as he is inferior in many of the minds of the people of this courtroom. They believe that Bob and Mayella Ewell’s testimonies must be correct simply because they are white and Tom Robinson is black. But I ask of you gentleman, remember this man is human just like you and me and every other body in this courtroom. He wishes to go home to his family, so he can continue to provide for them and love them, just as you and I do everyday. I ask of you, think not about this man’s race. Look at the clear evidence that he did not harm Mayella Ewell. Allow Tom Robinson to do something that each of you will do at the end of the day today: go home to a loving family and care for them. Tom Robinson did not beat or rape Mayella Ewell. I hope you all remember this, and are able to use this truth to make the right decision.

To Kill a Mockingbird. Dir. Robert Mulligan. Universal International, 1962. Digital Campus. Web. 13 September 2017.

Blog 2

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Gentleman. I’m not here today to persuade you to believe me but to present you with a hypothetical theory. In my theory, Miss Mayella is a young woman who was constantly beaten by her father, had to take care of all the younger siblings. Mr. Robinson was the only person that was kind to her and helped her with chores from time to time. Then Miss Mayella did something that this society is not allowed which is falling in love with a black man. On that night, Miss Mayella let all the children go to the town and plan to seduce Mr. Robinson. But Mr. Robinson, a man that is loyal to his wife, rejected Miss Mayella seduction and made her went mad. At the same time, Mr. Ewell went back home and caught what she was doing. He couldn’t accept the truth that her daughter was in love with a black man, so he’s started to beat up his daughter. Mr. Robinson ran away with frightening and guilt. To maintain their family’s dignity, Mr. Ewell decided to make up a lie and blame all these to Mr.Robinson. Indeed, it’s easy to destroy a black man’s reputation, but it’s hard to admit their own mistake.

Despite the fact that Mr.Ewell gave us a coherent story, the evidence that he provided was clearly contradicted to each other. The most contradictable fact is that Mr.Tate claimed, “she was beaten around the head”(TKAM 1:10:31-1:10:32). While Mr. Robinson obviously doesn’t even have the ability to accomplish this. He has sworn to God that he is a right handed man that had no use of his left arm. A man with only one arm could never make bruise all around Miss Mayella ’s neck. But as an ambidextrous person, it was easy for Mr. Ewell to do so.

I believe most of you sitting here today have family that is waiting for you to come home. Mr. Robinson, although has a different skin color is still a human being. An innocent human that has a wife and an unborn child in her wife’s belly. I trust a man that loves his wife so much would never do such unfaithful thing to her. If anyone in this court made an unfair decision, this man’s wife wouldn’t have anyone to take care of her and the children would never be able to see his father in the face. He’s children gonna grow up knowing his father is a sin man that was put to death. Gentleman, I urge you to avoid thinking about any discriminated ideas about races, skin colors and decide carefully with evidence. Think of this man as a human being, as a husband, as a father, not a person with different skin color. Now I have presented you with the truth, I trust you would make the right decision.

Work Cited

To Kill a Mockingbird. Robert Mulligan. Universal Studios. 1962. Web. 9 September 2017.

 

Blog Assignment #2

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After hearing the witness testimonies, direct examination, and cross examination, you, the jury, now have valuable information to help you determine the verdict of this case; is Tom Robinson guilty of raping Mayella Ewell?

We can all pity Mayella, a girl brought up in poverty who despises those who may have a higher social standing than her. She didn’t choose to be brought up that way. Tom’s only crime against Mayella is being respectful and helping her out.

Throughout the trial there have been various verbal and physical signs that raise questions regarding the credibility of the State witnesses. Let’s start by connecting the dots: Mayella was beaten by someone who primarily uses their left arm. Bob Ewell has proven that he writes with his left hand, while Tom cannot even move his left arm without the help of his right. Even just by looking at these simple pieces of evidence it is clear that Tom could not have caused the injuries that Mayella sustained.

Mayella’s body language also provides key clues to the gaps in the State’s case. Throughout her examination her nervousness was more than obvious. She sat there seemingly terrified of something, now what was it? Being in the presence of her so-called rapist or the thought that if Tom is proven innocent she believes we will assume that she may have broken our invisible laws saying she cannot have relations with a black man?

Mayella Ewell, while she is a victim of a horrible crime, is not a credible witness. Through examination of her body language it is obvious that she is afraid. Let’s go back to the cross examination, she can barely recollect vital details of her claim. When asked if Tom hit her face she replies with “No.. I don’t recollect if he hit me… I mean yes! He hit me! He hit me!” (TKM 1:18:54-1:19:12). She is obviously uncertain of her answer, leading us to assume that she doesn’t even know the truth behind her story. In addition to the obvious nervousness displayed by Mayella when asked about the details of her crime she showed similar amounts of anxiety when asked about her father. Her father is known around Maycomb County as a drunk, extremely racist, and occasionally violent. Based on his reputation how much can we really trust from his testimony?

As a community we seem to have similar values regarding the separation of race. We believe that a black person is required to do what a white person tells them. They must show respect towards us or they may be punished. Apart from the questionable story given to us by the State, has Tom Robinson violated any of these expectations? He tips his hat when he passes the Ewell house, and he helped Mayella when there was no one else. In addition, he would not accept payment from Mayella for helping her. Tom Robinson meets all of these values and more, so why are we so eager to rid our society of him?

Put yourselves in Tom’s shoes for just a second. He has kids and a wife to come home to after a long day of work. He tries his best to provide for his family even in the hard times that are hitting Maycomb County. Sound familiar? Tom lives a life just like we do, now imagine it was you up here being accused of something you did not do. Imagine how your families would feel knowing their husband or father was sent to jail because a jury couldn’t look past their bias to the obvious answer right in front of them. Our families are what matter the most to many of us sitting in this courtroom. Don’t settle for the easy answer and send an innocent man away from his family. Do what is right and use what we have learned from this trial to put the true evil of this town away.

Our justice system relies on facts and an honest jury who will put all other opinions aside to do what is right in the name of the law. There is no medical evidence to support this case, and there are large gaps in the case against Tom; everything is based on testimonies that cannot be completely trusted. Regardless of the standards of this town, you, the gentlemen of the jury, must understand that justice must be served.

 

Work Cited

 

To Kill a Mockingbird. Robert Mulligan. Universal International Pictures, 1962. Swank Motion Pictures. Web. Sept 13 2017.

Blog Assignment 2 – Defending Tom Robinson

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Gentlemen, you are good, honest, hard-working men. I know you, I know your values, and I know the truths you carry. I also know this decision is a difficult one— although it should not be— however, I happen to know that you, together, will come to the right conclusion.

Gentlemen, you spend your days in sweat and solitude, working the fields, working the stores, working. Your days are long, monotonous, and tiring. The Depression is hitting us hard now. I have no doubt that every single man in Maycomb County, Alabama, no matter who he may be or what he may look like, has carried the burden of the Depression on his shoulders since it began. You’ve carried it, and just like you, Tom Robinson— a good, honest, hard-working man— has carried it. The only difference between you and Tom Robinson is the difference between the colors of your skin.

You all have families— children who run with excitement when you come home from working, wives who support you in every aspect of being, mothers who raised you, and fathers who taught you what it means to be a man. Imagine how they would feel if you were wrongly charged for a crime you did not commit. Imagine how wrecked that house would feel without your presence, imagine the tears your children would cry, imagine how empty everyday life would feel without you in it.

Tom Robinson has a family too. He has a wife, Helen, three children, a mother, and a father, Spence.  Tom Robinson’s family would be heartbroken to see him incarcerated for a crime he did not and could not commit. If you make the wrong decision, gentlemen, the house of Tom Robinson will be wrecked. His children will shed those tears, his wife will be devastated, his parents would be crippled over the unfair outcome of their son’s life. I remind you: the only difference between you and Tom Robinson is the difference between the colors of your skin.

At the end of the day, every piece of “evidence” — and I say it like this because “the state has not provided one iota of medical evidence” during this trial— points to a man whose power lies in his left hand (TKAM 1:32:05-1:32:15). This man is not Tom Robinson. Now, Mayella Ewell was beaten, beaten brutally at that. Her assailant just simply could not have been Tom Robinson, not with the most concrete piece of evidence presented in this case pointing to someone else. It is clearly impossible for Tom to have committed this crime.

Not only is it physically impossible for Tom to have committed this crime, but it is also morally impossible. Like you and I, Tom Robinson is a man of God. He has proven himself to be nothing but sound of mind and sound of heart. He still had the decency to “feel right sorry” for a young white woman, even though she had so much more than he could ever dream about (TKAM 1:30:59-1:31:04). He still had the decency to do her chores for free after a long day of hard work. Why would such a noble man, such a God-fearing man, have the motive to commit such a ghastly crime? The answer is simple: there was no motive, as this was not his crime.

Please, gentlemen, I implore you. Put away these notions of black and white for just one day and vote in favor of what this great nation truly stands for: unadulterated justice. As men of God, find it within yourselves to make the choice that you know is the right one. Free Tom Robinson and his family from a lifetime of ill-deserved misery.

Works Cited

To Kill a Mockingbird.  Dir. Robert Mulligan. Universal International Pictures, 1962. DigitalCampus. Web. 13 September 2017.

 

Blog Assignment 2

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People of the courtroom, people of the jury. Over the course of this gathering we’ve examined what little evidence that has been presented by the prosecuting party. The defendant is clearly not guilty. I’m telling you this, the evidence is telling you this, even Mr. Ewell and Sheriff Tate are telling you this. Logically speaking, Tom Robinson cannot use his left hand. We can assume that whoever beat Mayella Ewell led with their left because it was the right side of her face that was beaten. As Sheriff Tate said, “..they were all around” (TKAM 1:11:40), in regard to the marks around Mayella’s neck. There is no way that one hand could grasp all of Mayella’s neck. Furthermore, Bob Ewell definitively said, “I agree with everything Mr. Tate said” (TKAM 1:14:00). Mr. Ewell is confirming that the marks were all the way around her neck, something that Tom Robinson physically can’t do. To convict Tom Robinson would be to call Sheriff Tate a liar, because the only way for Tom Robinson to beat Mayella as described is for him to grab her with two hands. This, again, is not possible. Tom Robinson is innocent. The jury should be ashamed if they have the audacity to think that, even for a second, Mayella Ewell and Bob Ewell’s testimonies have enough evidence to convict this man. To do such an outrageous act [convicting Tom Robinson] would not only be wrong in the light of the law, but it would most certainly go against the word of Sheriff Tate and still furthermore Bob Ewell. The betrayal of Sheriff Tate would be even more damaging than that of Tom Robinson. If Tom Robinson is convicted, Sheriff Tate will have lied on the stand after swearing honesty. I can assure you that I will be pressing another case against Mr. Tate if you choose to convict Tom Robinson, it would only be fair under the fine laws we abide by in this great country.

What happened to Mayella Ewell is tragic, upsetting in every way, and unacceptable under any circumstance. However, we cannot justify sending away an innocent man simply because they don’t want to own up to whatever actually happened that day. I have no evidence to say who actually beat Mayella Ewell, so I won’t go around accusing anyone of it. Likewise, I would expect the same courtesy from Mayella and Bob.

To uphold this conviction is to nullify the power of the courtroom, the same courtroom that has fought for so many great things in the past. These topics range from women’s rights and suffrage to setting up the powers of the government we love so dearly. Charging Tom Robinson with this crime will tarnish the name of the great court system we have, disobey the morals we live by, and inevitably ruin the career of Sheriff Tate. If you are to find the defendant guilty, you will hurt your future self by removing the Sheriff. If you are to find the defendant not guilty, you will only hurt the Ewell’s and only in the manner that they will have to come forward with the truth. The same truth that they should have given us from the start. For the sake of yourselves, Sheriff Tate, the community, and God’s will please find Tom Robinson innocent. Thank you.

 

Works Cited

To Kill a Mockingbird. Dir. Robert Mulligan. Universal International Pictures (UI), 1960. Swank Motion Pictures.Web. 12 September 2017.

Blog Assignment 2- Defending Tom Robinson

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Gentlemen, let us ponder if today is a day to discuss abuse or rape, considering that “rape” is a one-time act and “abuse” is continuous. It is clear that Mayella Ewell was beaten by someone who used both hands and led with his left (TKAM 1:19:44-1:20:21). These false “rape” allegations were made to a man who could not, and will never be able to use his left hands from an accidental disability. It is clear that Mayella Ewell and her father showed anger and disgust towards Tom Robinson, as a person… Or should I address him as a black person… Rather than to fear and show hatred towards his alleged behaviors. Let us ponder how she reacts in front of her father, if she makes eye contact, if she is able to act as confident as she looks in front of Tom Robinson (TKAM 1:08:47-1:08:53, 1:11:49-1:11:53, 1:15:33-1:15:35, 1:20:23-1:20:25, 1:23:16-1:23:17, 1:26:10-1:26:17). According to what we heard from the Sherriff, there were no reports made to the medical authorities, making it hard to examine the cause and the effect of the “rape” itself (TKAM 1:09:20-1:11:48). All there is to it are the declarations of Mayella’s injuries from the Sherriff and Ewell, and Tom being near her at the moment (TKAM 1:09:20-1:11:48, 1:12:07-1:15:30, 1:15:42-1:19:44, 1:20:21-1:22:03). Based on Ewell’s previous work history and how he became cut from his work, confines his credibility to be trusted in our community.
Being raised in the societal code of segregation and superiority, if a black male commits a terrible crime against a white community, it is obvious to assume that not only a Sheriff would be involved, even from the very beginning of a case (TKAM 1:09:20-1:11:48).
Ewell’s pride in being who he is and how he deals with his fellow men and the confusion of his family should have all been accounted in initiating the case to save a great deal of time. The publicity of this case was not what the officials should have considered in the first place. At least as a rape case where Tom Robinson is the defendant (TKAM 1:12:07-1:15:30).
Mayella Ewell wanted and needed to feel empowered. She is a victim of society, who is thirsty for independence and freedom from injustice she assimilates from her own home and in the society. Assimilates, because she is absorbing everything she is understanding from her surroundings, where she grew up and how her people react to certain things, their beliefs and behaviors (TKAM 1:15:42-1:19:44, 1:20:21-1:22:03).
A young girl of 19, who deserves to be living a life of her own, is at home tending for the children who her mother did not bear, but are related to herself and her father (TKAM 1:26:03-1:26:36). Let us question the morality and societal beliefs that can be created from the petitioners.
She had never experienced “love” as we give to our children or our family members. She had never experienced the art of giving and caring for one another. No one explained to her the concept of morality and guilt. She was on her own to figure out what she had been feeling, how she had been living all her life (TKAM 1:15:42-1:19:44, 1:20:21-1:22:03). Her anger and confusion were let out to Tom Robinson, who was a great example of ethics and sympathy– who felt “sorry” for her (TKAM 1:30:36-1:31:02).
We cannot keep confusing ourselves and keep being ignorant towards what is very noticeable. While we worry about other people having inequalities or injustices, we should be worrying about what is going on in our own homes, especially in our own minds. What is slowing us down is the hatred and the “wants” and constant needs of power and the addiction towards coveting for others’ ability to stay enthusiastic and optimistic.
Can only “taking advantage” be a good phrase to prove someone guilty of such crime (TKAM 1:20:21-1:22:03)? I encourage you to think and to believe Tom Robinson (TKAM 1:32:03-1:38:53, 1:23:19-1:31:38). To believe in global citizenship and to see the truth in our own nation’s history. Let us all create a sustainable environment and improving surroundings for our future generations. End the chain of hatred and ignorance. Of where the laws of this land came from, there is equality where injustice lies and vice versa. Righteousness should be thought of, first, before “power,” which controls “justice” takes over our sincere desires. Let us separate our homes from the law.
“The defendant is not guilty, but somebody in this courtroom is” (TKAM 1:32:03-1:38:53).

 

 

Works Cited:

To Kill a Mockingbird.  Robert Mulligan. Pakula-Mulligan, Brentwood Productions Pictures, 1962. Swank Motion Pictures. Web. 13 Sept 2017.

Blog Assignment 2 – Defending Tom Robinson

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Atticus Finch and Tom Robinson in court

Atticus Finch and Tom Robinson in court

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch tries, and ultimately fails, to clear Tom Robinson of rape charges. Integral to his attempted appeal to the jurors–and to the film’s appeal to its viewers–is his closing argument. This represents his final opportunity, in the words of Clarence Darrow, to “make [the] jury like his client, or at least feel sympathy for him” (qtd. in Hoffman 251).

We’ve discussed Atticus’ closing argument and its ultimate failure to convince the jurors. Now it’s your turn. Pretend that you are Atticus Finch, and create an argument that represents your best attempt to convince the jury to acquit Tom Robinson. Consider your audience. Who are they? What are their feelings and biases? How will you take these feelings and biases into consideration? What sorts of appeals are likely to reach them–and what sorts will alienate them? What sorts of evidence should you remind them of? How will you make them “like [Tom], or at least feel sympathy for him”?

One additional requirement: You need to quote at least one line from the film here. Again, pretend you are Atticus. You want to use the direct testimony of any of the court’s witnesses as part of your argument. This means you will need to introduce a quotation, cite that quotation (using the abbreviated title TKM in your parenthetical citation), and include a Works Cited entry for a film (which you will look up how to do).

Your closing arguments should be about 500-700 words in length, and are due in class on Thursday (9/14). To cite the film, use the citation guidelines specified here, with one addition: for your parenthetical citation in the text, use the abbreviation “TKAM” and a time stamp to indicate what portion of the movie you are citing. eg, (TKAM 1:30:14-1:32:12).

Works Cited

Hoffman, Martin L. “Empathy, Justice, and the Law.” Empathy: Philosophical and Psychological Perspectives. Ed. Amy Coplan and Peter Goldie. Oxford, UK: Oxford UP, 2011. 230-244.

Image Reference

Atticus Finch and Tom Robinson in court.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/02/2a/0e/022a0e3bbe0571f1731766c0e99ad4e6.jpg