Transcript To Kill a Mockingbird Ch. 18-21

To Kill a
Mockingbird
Ch. 18-21
Dr. Good
Arleta High School
English 10B
Mayella Testifies
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Mayella begins to cry before she is
even questioned. She says she is
afraid of Atticus.
When Atticus calls Mayella “Ma’am,”
she accuses him of making fun of her.
The judge assures Mayella that
Atticus respects her.
“Mayella looked as though she tried to
keep clean, and I was reminded of the
row of red geraniums in the Ewell
yard.” (239)
Mayella’s Testimony
Admissions:
She
has no friends
She is responsible for the
children
Her father has a drinking
problem
Tom Robinson passed by her
house every day
She asked him to “bust up a
chiffarobe” for her
Her Testimony Continues…
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Denials:
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Her father never hits her
She never invited Tom
Robinson inside the
fence before that day
At first she says that
Tom did not beat her or
choke her, then she
says he did
Tom Stands Up
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When Atticus has Tom stand so that
Mayella can identify him, everyone
in the court can see that Tom’s left
arm is useless – he is crippled.
“His left arm was fully twelve inches
shorter than his right, and hung
dead at his side. It ended in a small
shriveled hand, and from as far
away as the balcony I could see that
it was no use to him.” (248)
THINK/PAIR/SHARE: Why is this
so important to the case?
Mayella’s Conclusion
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Mayella knows that Atticus does
not believe that she was raped.
“I got somethin’ to say an’ then I
ain’t gonna say no more. That nword yonder took advantage of me
an’ if you fine fancy gentlemen
don’t wanta do nothin’ about it
then you’re all yellow stinkin’
cowards, stinkin’ cowards, the lot
of you. Your fancy airs don’t come
to nothin’ – your ma’aamin’ and
Miss Mayellerin’ don’t come to
nothin’, Mr. Finch” (251)
Tom Robinson Testifies
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Admissions:
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He is 25, married, with three children
He was once arrested for being in a fight
He knows Mayella Ewell because he has
to pass by her house to get to work. She
often asks him to do small chores for her
around the place
He says that Mayella hugged him and
tried to kiss him. As this was happening,
Bob Ewell looked through the window
and Mayella screamed.
According to Tom, Bob Ewell said “You
g-dam$ed whore, I’ll kill ya.” (260)
Tom’s Testimony Continues…
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Denials:
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Tom denies that he raped
Mayella or that he harmed her
in any way
Mr. Gilmer (the prosecuting
attorney) tries to get Tom to
admit that he harmed Mayella,
but Tom always denies it
Even though he ran away, Tom
says that he was scared – he
was not running because he
had done anything wrong
Tom Feels Sorry for Mayella
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“Yes, suh. I felt right sorry
for her, she seemed to try
more than the rest of ‘em—”
“You felt sorry for her, you
felt sorry for her?” (264)
THINK/PAIR/SHARE: Why
does Mr. Gilmer pause for a
long time to let (Tom’s
answer) sink in?
Dill Breaks Down
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“For some reason, Dill had started
crying and couldn’t stop; quietly at
first, then his sobs were heard by
several people in the balcony.”
(265)
Mr. Dolphus Raymond says:
“Things haven’t caught up with
that one’s instinct yet. Let him get
a little older and he won’t get sick
and cry…Cry about the simple
hell people give other people –
without even thinking. Cry about
the hell white people give colored
folks, without even stopping to
think that they’re people too.”
(269)
Dolphus Raymond’s Secret
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Mr. Raymond is not really drunk…he
drinks Coca-Cola from a paper bag to
make people think he is drunk.
This gives the people in town an excuse
to condone his lifestyle (living with an
African-American woman)
“…folks can say Dolphus Raymond’s in
the clutches of whiskey – that’s why he
won’ t change his ways. He can’t help
himself, that’s why he lives the way he
does.” (268)
Atticus Lays Out the Facts
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The state has not produced one bit of physical
evidence to show that a crime took place
Relied on testimony from Mayella and Bob Ewell
– their testimony has been questioned
Tom Robinson strongly states that he is innocent
– and he could NOT have hit or hurt Mayella with
his left hand
Atticus says that the real crime is that Mayella
broke the “code” – she kissed a black man
Tom’s crime is that he had the “temerity to feel
sorry for a white woman” (273)
Closing Argument
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Atticus begs the jury to remember
that “Our courts have their faults,
as does any human institution, but
in this country our courts are the
great levelers, and in our courts
all men are created equal.” (274)
“I am confident that you
gentlemen will review without
passion the evidence you have
heard, come to a decision, and
restore this defendant to his
family. In the name of God, do
your duty.” (275)
At the end, Atticus says under his
breath, “In the name of God,
believe him.” (275)
Calpurnia in the Court
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Calpurnia comes to court
to tell Atticus that the
children are missing.
Mr. Underwood tells him
that the children have
been in the court all day.
Atticus allows the children
to come back after they
have dinner.
Jem says “You think they’ll
acquit him that fast?” (277)
THINK/PAIR/SHARE
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Do you think that Tom Robinson will be
acquitted, or found guilty? Write 2-3
reasons for each side:
Innocent:
Guilty:
The Verdict
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The jury stays out until after 11 PM.
“A jury never looks at a defendant it has
convicted, and this jury never looked once
at Tom Robinson. The foreman handed a
piece of paper to Mr. Tate, who handed it to
the clerk, who handed it to the judge…”
(282)
Tom is found guilty. The trial is over.
Atticus Leaves the Court
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As Atticus leaves, Reverend Sykes tells
Scout, “Miss Jean Louise, stand up, your
father’s passin’” (283)
THINK/PAIR/SHARE:
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Why would the African-Americans in the balcony
stand up to watch Atticus leave? What does this
say about their feelings for him?