The Bird in Flight

” Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father’s passin’.” – Reverend Sykes (Lee 211)

     This is a powerful quote in the book. It shows how much respect the black community of Maycomb has for Mr. Atticus Finch. They understand the sacrifices he made to defend Tom, the stress and hardship he has gone through. On top of all this, he is a white man, and he did this for a black man. This is an unheard of act of kindness in Maycomb. No man has ever tried to defend an accused black man. Atticus showed that he cared about human beings over race. Every member of the black community realizes this and shows their respect for him. They stand in his presence, send him food, and speak to him honorably. Even when we find out that Tom has been shot, Atticus personally drives down to his wife with Cal and tells her himself. He is a great man that deserves the respect that is written in this quote.

- Chris Chen

      Atticus, and much of the black community of Maycomb were devastated when Tom was found guilty. The defense put up a plausible case for Tom, however the jury remained prejudice and racist. Even though this trial had a predictable and common outcome there was something different about it. Instead of taking a few minutes to convict a black man, the jury took several hours. It may not seem like a significant change, but it shows that things are changing in Maycomb. Their decisions are no longer blindly led by tradition and racism. Only someone like Atticus could have convinced the jury, even for a minute, that Tom Robinson might have been innocent.

         After the trial Atticus immediately departs from the courtroom. As a sign of respect for the man, the entire colored balcony stood as he passed. They know he tried to defend Tom with all his heart, and would have done the same for a white man. The next day Calpurnia finds food on the back porch of the Finch residence. This is another sign that Maycomb is changing. The people are beginning to be kinder to each others’ kind. Some of the white people of the town are feeling sympathy for the black people of the town, and the black people are respecting some of the white people. Times in Maycomb are changing, and Atticus was the one who set off this change.

- Chris Chen

Why Can’t We Be Friends represents this segment because one part in the chapters Scout wants to invite little Cunningham over at the house for dinner. Aunt Alexandra says no and says that he is garbage and that he can’t come over for dinner. This song also represents the friendship between Atticus and Mr. Ewell. I know they can’t be friends because they are completely against each other in court but still, that is Atticus’ job and he needs to bring food to the table. They don’t necessarily have to like each other but they can still be nice to each other. Well Mr. Ewell needs to stop lying and be nice. This song is the main question to the whole friendship thing, “Why Can’t We Be Friends?”

–SabrinaSoto :] 

I don’t believe Mr. Ewell at all, I think he is a story teller. On top of that I think he beats Mayella and also got her to go along with the story. Maybe Mayella is afraid of her dad and doesn’t want to get hurt. Atticus explains that there is no medical evidence of the crime and the physical evidence suggests that Bob Ewell beat Mayella, not Mr. Robinson. When Mr. Ewell talked to Atticus in a rude way, I really hoped he’d be put in jail. Mr. Ewell did not need to spit on Atticus. Spitting on people is just horrible; it is really low, immature, and disgusting. People who spit on other people need to get punched in the face. Mr. Ewell needs to get punched in the face. Atticus is a good man because he doesn’t let Mr. Ewell get to him, Mr. Ewell threatens people and everyone gets scared except for Atticus and that’s why I admire the fact that he puts up with Mr. Ewell. When Scout asked Atticus what would happen to Mr. Robinson if he lost and since rape is really bad, he would be put to death in an electric chair. If Mr. Ewell let Mr. Robinson die for something he didn’t do then Mr. Ewell can die too, someone needs to come clean before Mr. Robinson dies. I don’t like Mr. Ewell at all.       -SabrinaSoto :]

     This picture represents the justice in the trial of Tom Robinson. Though his case is solid, the scales are still tipped in favor of the Ewells. This isn’t because their story is more legitimate, but because they are white. In the world that this book takes place in, there is no justice for a black man that has a committed a crime as horrible as rape. Even if Robinson wins his freedom, he won’t last long out in the world. His name is now associated as a rapist and a dishonest person. The scales represent more than just the trial, they also represent the way the world will treat him now that he has been accused of raping a white women. Tom Robinson will never again be treated as a normal black man. He will always be treated like a criminal.

Mr. Ewell looked confusedly at the judge. “Well, Mayella was raisin’ this holy racket so I dropped m’ load and run as fast as I could but I run into th’ fence, but when I got distangled I run up to th’ window and I seen-“ pg. 173

I think that being a lawyer or a judge is an interesting job. When you are trying to make up stories they always stop you and ask you questions you can’t answer. When they do this we can really listen and tell who is telling the truth and who is lying. Like for example when Atticus kept asking the Sheriff which eye, the Sheriff seemed so uneasy. Some people seem like over exaggerating things and in this quote Mayella probably wasn’t screaming for the reason Mr. Ewell thought she was screaming for. I think Tom Robinson is innocent and these people should not be judging only on race.

–Sabrina Soto :]

I think Kid Cudi’s day and night relates to this song. It talks about stressful situations.  I think there situation looks pretty stressful to me, especially Toms. It is so sad that he might die for a crime that he might not have done. If only they had the DNA testing we have now a days. They could be sure whether or not he did it. Instead they just have black word versus white word. In this situation he most likely is going to die for something he may not have done. I am just proud how far we have gotten so that black people are not just second rate citizens they are allowed to live and coexist with us. I have and have had a lot of black friends. In those times we would not have even been able to talk or hang out. I love America because we have changed and evolved as a country.

            A courtroom can be an intimidating place. Hundreds of people watching you defend a client accused of rape. The rape victim staring you in the face with hatred. Only one person can pull it off, Mr. Atticus Finch. His calm, cool, collective, demeanor promotes a sense of confidence in his case. He is not there to make money, or to work for a false cause. He is there to expose the truth to the world, and defend an innocent man. When Mr. Finch questioned witnesses, he did not hound them, demean them, or insult them, he simply asked them a question. During Tom Robinson’s trial, he asked very simple, but relevant questions relating to the accused offense. Within a few hours he was beginning to change minds about the course of events that took place during November twenty-first.

            Everyone that has spoken to the Finch children about Atticus have come to the conclusion that he is a great man. He showed it this day in court. He never lost his temper, never doubted his cause, and always showed politeness and courtesy. Even at the end of his case, he became less formal and spoke with the jury and audience. Atticus never expected to win this case. His goal was to tell the world the truth, and in that regard he succeeded.

- Chen

Mayella finally testifies and puts out her side of the story. She says that after getting a nickel from her for breaking up a dresser he rapes her. Rape is a pretty horrendous crime by standards for people in America. We all find it so sad that a woman got raped, that they have no way to defend themselves, and that they are so innocent. Yet, what if they are lies. I bet that over seventy percent of the people charged with rape are convicted. Now in a lot of these cases it might be true that these woman got raped. Yet, what is considered rape? Now of-course when a man blatantly attacks a woman and forces her down that is rape. Yet, what about when a couple start to have sex and a woman stops to stay no? Does the man have to stop? Maybe the woman is just embarrassed that she had sex with his man now she is pregnant so she lies and says he raped her. I bet that has happened a few times through out history. So people should tell the police if they are raped, but only if they really are raped. The police do not have the time to take in criminals of lies.

In this section we learn more about the Tom Robinson case and how they go to court. This trial is about the accusation of Tom Robinson raping Mr. Ewell’s daughter Mayella, Atticus is the lawyer and is trying to help Tom Robinson. If Tom is found guilty then he will be sentenced to life, when this first happened they already put him jail right away until trial. The problem of this trial is that it is unfair, the fact that everyone is against Tom because he’s black is probably why he’ll lose the trial and get sent to jail. In my opinion I believe he’s innocent, especially because he has a wife and children that doesn’t seem very likely. Mayella is just like those girls who go after someone and if they get rejected or something, then she’ll get them back. In that case those beatings on her face, anyone could of done that, she probably just made up that story and kept going along with it giving Tom the feeling like “that’s what you get.” But of course in the town they live in, the time they live in, Tom will probably go to jail but since everyone says this is a good book, Atticus will eventually do something and the truth will be told!

–Sabrina Soto :]