Chapter 22-24

Different Views

Many people view the same thing differently. In Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a

Mockingbird, Tom Robinson's trial was viewed differently by different people. Each had their

own opinions and reasons. The three opinions being written on are of Jem, one of Tom

Robinson's children, and a juror.

I believed him and his attorney. He was a decent fellow, although he was a nigger he

seemed reliable. I hate that trash Bob Ewell, and his daughter was lying through her teeth. The

nigger's left hand was too messed up to beat a big girl like that. It just wasn't possible I tell you,

that trash Bob Ewell beat that child and it was sad. But while I knew all of this it seemed like

my fellow jurors didn't seem to care. While we were deliberating in the back room, I wasn't

sure that I should talk about him being innocent. The other jurors seemed to hate that nigger's

hide, and they were mighty big. I knew that if I made this a hung jury the entire town would

come after me. I knew that nigger was innocent but they didn't care they wanted him to fry, if I

went against them, it would be me that was fried. I value my life over a nigger's so I went

against him.

I didn't know about my father too well, he died before I got to know him. I was real

young when he died. My mother told me mostly about him, he was unfairly tried, and was found

guilty. My mother knew he wouldn't have raped that girl, but the folks in this town are so fixed

on killing us black folk that he was found guilty. "All of the jury wanted him dead," my mother

said, I believe her. When I knew my dad he was a kind man, he may have had a disability but he

always helped people out. It was sad to find out that my father was found guilty, my entire

family knew he wasn't it is just so frustrating.

I knew he was innocent, my father tried all he could but we just couldn't change those

people. Everyone in that courtroom had to know he was innocent, it was obvious. My father

presented him perfectly, he couldn't have lost. But those jurors are just so racist and stubborn.

If I was a juror I would have made sure that Tom Robinson went free, everything in that case

went for him. It was just those blamed jurors, Tom Robinson should be a free man right now.

It is obvious that the same case is viewed differently through the eyes of different people.

Each person: Jem, one of Tom Robinson's children, and a juror, each viewed the case

differently. It is just a fact of life, although they all felt Tom to be innocent, not all of the people

in that courtroom felt that.