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    In Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch believes the courts can promote racial equality but his closing statement refers to courts as "great levelers." While Atticus hopes for a fair trial, the book shows prejudice often prevails as seen when Tom Robinson, a black man, is wrongly convicted of raping a white woman despite contradicting evidence. The jury ignores the truth to punish Robinson for his race, demonstrating the courtroom is not always a level playing field and racial biases can undermine justice.

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    In Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch believes the courts can promote racial equality but his closing statement refers to courts as "great levelers." While Atticus hopes for a fair trial, the book shows prejudice often prevails as seen when Tom Robinson, a black man, is wrongly convicted of raping a white woman despite contradicting evidence. The jury ignores the truth to punish Robinson for his race, demonstrating the courtroom is not always a level playing field and racial biases can undermine justice.

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    In Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch believes the courts can promote racial equality but his closing statement refers to courts as "great levelers." While Atticus hopes for a fair trial, the book shows prejudice often prevails as seen when Tom Robinson, a black man, is wrongly convicted of raping a white woman despite contradicting evidence. The jury ignores the truth to punish Robinson for his race, demonstrating the courtroom is not always a level playing field and racial biases can undermine justice.

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    In Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch believes the courts can promote racial equality but his closing statement refers to courts as "great levelers." While Atticus hopes for a fair trial, the book shows prejudice often prevails as seen when Tom Robinson, a black man, is wrongly convicted of raping a white woman despite contradicting evidence. The jury ignores the truth to punish Robinson for his race, demonstrating the courtroom is not always a level playing field and racial biases can undermine justice.

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    Scottsboro vs.

    Maycomb and the “Great Levelers”


    Part I: ​Complete the chart below comparing the trials of the Scottsboro nine to the trial in Harper Lee’s
    novel.

    Scottsboro: An American Tragedy To Kill a Mockingbird


    PBS Documentary Novel by Harper Lee

    Prevailing attitudes Looked as a threat to white women. Seen as a threat to white people in
    toward African They were alienated. general.
    Americans. Easily scapegoated.

    Who is the lawyer? Samuel Leibowitz​. He was a successful ​ tticus Finch​. He is assigned to it and
    A
    Why do they take defense attorney and knew how to give also believes Tom is innocent. He wants
    controversial case? the trial publicity. He took the case free justice and to make a change.
    of charge.

    Who are the accusers? 21 year old ​Victorica Price ​ obert E. Ewell
    R
    17 year old ​Ruby Bates 19 year old ​Mayella Ewell

    Who is accused? Olen Montgomery (17) Clarence Norris Tom Robinson (25)
    (19) Haywood Patterson (18) Ozie
    Powell (14) Willie Robertson (15)
    Charles Weems (20) Eugene Williams
    (13) Andrew Wright (19) Leroy “Roy”
    Wright (13)

    What are they accused 6 were accused of raping Victoria Price. He was accused of raping Mayella
    of? 3 were accused of raping Ruby Bates. Ewell.

    What is the verdict? 8 were sentenced to death. One was He was found guilty of raping Mayella.
    sentenced to life in prison.

    What is the ultimate Ruby Bates came forwards and told the Jem is crushed and the kids are forced to
    outcome? courts she was forced to lie. The boys realize that morals and ethics don’t
    were released and one ran away. always win in a case where the odds are
    against it.
    Part II:​ ​Atticus believes that progress towards racial equality can and will be made in the
    courtroom. However, both historical and fictional trials help readers to understand this is not
    always the case.​ In his closing statements, ​Atticus​ speaks about the integrity of the courts when
    he refers to them as the "​great levelers​.” He means that in the courts, every man should be able to
    perform on a "level playing field,” and have a fair chance of winning. ​Is Atticus correct when he
    says the “courts are the great levelers”? Explain the extent to which you agree or disagree with
    Atticus’s statement through the completion of a 2-chunk body paragraph.
    (Part II continues on the next
    page)

    2-Chunk Body Paragraph Structure


    (You may type your paragraph directly into this chart if you find it to be helpful. Otherwise,
    feel free to delete the chart, or provide your response below it)

    Topic Sentence In Harper Lee’s ​To Kill A Mockingbird​, Atticus states that the “courts are the
    great levelers”. To a partial extent, I agree with Atticus’ statement, although in
    the book, it is evident that most people won’t look beyond their own ignorance
    and accept the big picture; one in favor of a man against society.
    Lead into a Atticus Finch is assigneds to a case where the defendent is Tom Robinson, a
    Concrete black male being accused by a white woman and her father of raping her.
    Detail
    (direct quote,
    Through all of his teachings to his children, Finch pursues the idea that
    paraphrase, or everyone, regardless of race, should be treated respectfully as an equal and
    summary) given a fair trial.

    Commentary Spectators are already skeptical of Robinson, and it is obvious that in the end,
    they will not be willing to look past the obvious truth.
    Commentary Regardless of Mayella Ewell’s account, which is strongly contradicted by Tom
    Ribinson’s, all they see is a black man, a threat, who has been accused of
    raping a white women, who appears to be shy and inncocent.
    Lead into a Through her mannerisms, and personal conflict shown in her testimony, it is
    Concrete becoming more and more clear that Mayella has broken her oath to state the
    Detail
    (direct quote,
    truth, and nothing but the truth.
    paraphrase, or
    summary)

    Commentary It’s a black man's word against a white woman’s, and an all white jury that is
    not reflective of what a true society looks like.
    Commentary Because he is black, the prosecutor was hard on Tom, and since he is the one
    being charged, they justified their cruelty as reasonable.
    Concluding The jury comes to the verdict that Tom is guilty as charged, even though he is
    Sentence clearly innocent; which further goes to show that the playing field is ​not
    leveled and racial prejudice is still present in the courtroom.

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