The “evil assumptions” to which Atticus is referring in the courtroom are prejudices and racist beliefs. Tom is an African American, and the people of the town and the jury were prone to believe awful and racist things, particularly in that instance that he was capable of strangling and attacking Mayella.
It is clear from the trial’s proceedings that Tom is entirely innocent of the events in question, as Mayella claims to have been beaten by the defendant’s left hand, which, is revealed to be crippled and incapable of doing the damage that Mayella suffered. Unfortunately, the court is still against Tom due to his race. Because of this, Atticus implores the jury to look beyond race, to let go of their evil assumptions, and simply look at the facts in the case. In spite of the obvious truth, however, Tom is declared guilty and sent to prison—a very unjust outcome.
Atticus is referring to the belief that Tom is guilty because, as a black man, he embodies the racist stereotypes they believe in. Atticus wants them to look past their racist, prejudiced beliefs and see him as a person; Tom is not a bad man or someone who would do the things he's on trial for. However, Atticus knows that the jury looks at him and sees a black man rather than just a man. He knows that the Ewells are playing on those prejudiced beliefs to make the jury believe their story rather than Tom's.
When a jury looks at a person and sees stereotypes rather than the actual person, that person isn't able to get justice. They're being judged on beliefs about them that aren't actual characteristics. This is what is happening to Tom. He's being judged as a black man who dared to attack a white woman. They're not actually considering whether he did the crime; they're assuming that he did and are unwilling to rule in favor of a black man over the word of a white family.
There is no justice as long as someone is being judged on prejudiced perceptions instead of facts.
The "evil assumptions" are that black men are violent, animalistic people who cannot control themselves around women. When observing Tom Robinson's character, it is clear he is not a violent man; at the trial, he is soft-spoken, polite, and straightforward. Even though Mayella falsely accused him of rape, he still pities her because he knows that unlike him, she lives a lonely, sad life with her abusive father.
Tom's innocence is further proven when Mayella claims she was beaten with Tom's left hand only for Tom to reveal his left hand is disabled due to a childhood accident. If Tom's gentle character was not enough evidence of his innocence, his shriveled left arm should have sealed the deal for the jury.
Despite it being obvious that Tom did not attack Mayella, the jury members are so prejudiced against black men that they convict him anyway. Their racist assumptions are lethal to the justice system, since they are not condemning a man based on any crime he has committed, but because of the color of his skin.
In Atticus's closing arguments, he challenges the jury to not subscribe to the "evil assumption," which is the belief that all black men are evil, wicked individuals who cannot be trusted around women. Atticus thoroughly understands the tremendous impact racial prejudice has on the jury's decision and feels the need to address it before the jury votes. This "evil assumption" prevents the jury from viewing Tom Robinson as a compassionate, innocent man who had no intention of harming Mayella and tried his best to deter her advances. The jury's racist perspective prevents them from accurately assessing Tom's gentle nature and morally upright personality. Unfortunately, the jury does not overlook their prejudiced beliefs and wrongly convicts Tom Robinson of assaulting and raping Mayella Ewell. Their prejudiced opinions and emotions of Tom Robinson result in racial injustice, which undermines the entire purpose of the court system.
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