Why does Mr. Underwood consider the killing of cripples a sin? How do you think Tom felt about the loss? Would he have been expecting it, or was Atticus a good enough lawyer to change his thoughts?
Monday, October 7, 2013
Chapters 24/25: What is the content of the editorial published in the paper? Why is this confusing to Scout? What is the significance of this?
In The Maycomb Tribune, Mr.Underwood writes an editorial about how Tom Robinson's death was pointless. "He likened Tom's death to the senseless slaughter of songbirds by hunters and children."(Lee 323). This is the part of the editorial that Scout doesn't understand right away. She does not understand how Tom's death is pointless. He was given a trial, he was convicted, he tried to escape, so he was killed. Simple as that. But, it wasn't. Scout realizes that, "Tom was a dead man the moment Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed." (Lee 323) Because of his race, Tom never stood a chance in trial because of all the racism in the jury. He could not win, simply because he was black and the Ewells were not. His death was senseless because there was no point in it or Atticus trying his hardest, although it does show Atticus as one of the good people in Maycomb. He has no chance or choice, just like the songbirds.
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Mr. Underwood does realize how senseless Tom's death was, and it reminded me of how senseless it is to kill a roly-poly, or a mockingbird. Both roly-polys and mockingbirds have done nothing wrong to humans, and are harmless and untroubling. "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy... That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" (Lee 119). Mockingbird has the connotation of innocence. Tom Robinson, and the black community in general may not have connotations of innocence, but are more like mockingbirds than the people of Maycomb realize. They, especially Tom Robinson, have done nothing wrong, and don't harm white people in their everyday lives. They are just as blameless as mockingbirds and the harmless, innocent roly-polys. This being said, it is as much of a sin to unjustly kill a black person as it is to kill a mockingbird.
ReplyDeleteMr. Underwood brings up the underlying theme of mockingbirds that has existed since the beginning of the trial. It is indeed a sin to kill a mockingbird, as they are completely innocent. The killing of Tom Robinson, who had no defense toward the guns, was certainly senseless, as he did nothing to harm the jail guards. However, the jail guards human instinct was clearly visible in this scene, as Tom Robinson showed glimpses of mad dog by mindlessly trying to escape. Humans want to predict actions occuring around them, and when Tom unpredictably tried to climb the fence, they got scared and were unaccountable for his death.
ReplyDeleteMr. Underwood uses his metaphor do describe Tom's death. Tom was a bird which is easier for all people to understand rather than it being a black person or a white person. If people would realize that color doesn't matter than they would see how cruel Tom's death was. The mocking bird symbolizes many things but I find it intriguing that in the book they never talk about the color of the bird. I think Mr. Underwood chose to say bird because that way white people will look at the case as it truly was. "Atticus had uses every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus has no case," (Lee, 323). This shows that Atticus had tried to show that Tom Robinson wasn't any different just because he had a different color of skin. So, since people still could not see past his skin color Mr. Underwood described him as an animal, because animals are not defined black or white, they have many colors.
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