Tom Robinson and Scottsboro Differences
- The persecutor of the To Kill A Mockingbird case, Mayella Ewell, stood firm with her false accusation. For example, at the end of her inquiry, “[Mayella] [had] somethin’ to say an’ then [she] [was not] gonna say no more” (188). Atticus had suspected that Mayella’s father beat her so he tried to coax her to confess. He attempted to get the truth out of her with kindness, however, being unused to that kind of communication, she only became more offended and defensive. Not knowing how kindness is communicated, she assumes that Atticus is trying to expose and embarrass her.
- Tom Robinson had been acquainted with Mayella before he was charged with physical assault. Secondly, Tom would be “call[ed] … in … every time [he] passed by yonder [Mayella] [had] some little thing for [him] to do” (191). Mayella was familiar enough with him that she was able to ask him for favors and he would do it. On the other hand, the Scottsboro boys had not seen the girls before they had been accused of raping them and did not know who they were. Tom had communicated, helped, and associated with her before Mayella accused him. The Scottsboro boys had stuck together as a group.
- The two white women, Victoria and Ruby, in the Scottsboro case were supposedly “raped” on top of a moving train, while Mayella was raped in a house. For instance, Mayella had been on the front porch when “
- In the Tom Robinson case, Atticus is white and from the South, but in the Scottsboro case Leibowits is Jewish and from the North. Firstly, after Atticus was admittted to the legislative bar, “he returned to Maycomb [Alabama] and began his practice” (Lee 4). Leibowits was a well-known Jewish lawyer from the North, payed by a Communist group to defend the Scottsboro Boys. They are both hated, but for different reasons. Atticus is white and from the South, yet he is whole-heartedly defending a black man. The citizens of Scottsboro disapprove of Leibowits because he is from the North, an African American supporting region, and because of his Jewish heritage.
- In the Scottsboro case, there were nine African-Americans accused of threatening and raping two white women. Firstly, “There were six to me and three to her” (Victoria Price). There were nine black boys at the crime scene and two white girls. In the Tom Robinson case on the other hand, it was just Tom and Mayella at the scene of the crime.
- The persecutor of the To Kill A Mockingbird case, Mayella Ewell, stood firm with her false accusation. For example, at the end of her inquiry, “[Mayella] [had] somethin’ to say an’ then [she] [was not] gonna say no more” (188). Atticus had suspected that Mayella’s father beat her so he tried to coax her to confess. He attempted to get the truth out of her with kindness, however, being unused to that kind of communication, she only became more offended and defensive. Not knowing how kindness is communicated, she assumes that Atticus is trying to expose and embarrass her.
Differences 1-4 was written by Karis Kim (TS, CM)/Jared Ongsing (#4 CD)
Difference #5 was written by Krys Ciardi
Difference #5 was written by Krys Ciardi