Tuesday, July 16, 2013

How does Maycomb react to the news of Tom's fate?

In To Kill a Mockingbird, the reader becomes aware of different reactions to the guilty verdict at Tom Robinson's trial. Perhaps most notable in the courtroom is the reaction of the African American citizens. As Atticus begins to walk out, they all stand as a show of respect. Reverend Sykes says, "Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father’s passin'." The following morning, Calpurnia shows Atticus the abundance of food that has been sent to him by African American citizens. She tells Atticus, "they 'preciate what you did, Mr. Finch." They know that Atticus did everything he could to defend Tom.
Miss Maudie, by making cake for the children, sends a nonverbal message that she is supportive of their father. She also senses the difficult time Jem is having and says, "Don’t fret, Jem. Things are never as bad as they seem." It is through Miss Maudie that the children learn more about the community's reaction to the trial. Miss Maudie explains to the children that they may be surprised to know that many community members support Atticus and appreciate what he was asked to do. She believes that Judge Taylor intentionally assigned Atticus to the trial because Atticus would be Tom's best chance. Dill's Aunt Rachel says, "if a man like Atticus Finch wants to butt his head against a stone wall it’s his head." It seems as if most community members will not openly express any thoughts or opinions of the verdict, but they recognize and respect Atticus for his efforts.
Most community members realize that a black man would not be found innocent when accused of a crime by a white man. For this reason, there is little shock to the verdict. However, one exception is Jem, who believes that Atticus successfully defended Tom.

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