To Kill a Mockingbird
On the day of the trial, Scout, Jem and Dill sneak into the amphitheater where they are having the hearing even though Atticus told them to stay home. They watch the trial on the porch with the colored people, they see Atticus but he doesn't see them. Atticus begins the trial politely and addresses the jury, Judge Taylor and the prosecutor in a well mannered way. Mayella Ewell and her father Bob Ewell are rash when Atticus shows more evidence and justification that Tom didn't do anything, rather it was Bob Ewell who hit his daughter when he found the pair together. Atticus creates an image of the Ewells for the jury, a family with no mother, an alcoholic father and 7 kids living in a small dilapidated house lacking many essentials. The Ewell’s don't have any defense rather than he said she said, but the jury still finds Tom guilty. Atticus leaves promptly after the trial and takes the kids with him, he is bitter but he does see light in the dark situation. He tells the kids that he's angry about what the verdict was, however the jury deliberated for a couple hours before reaching a decision. Normally when a black man was accused by a white man, the verdict would be guilty, no questions asked, in a matter of seconds. Atticus says today was a small step forward, the children are upset about the extreme racism that they witnessed especially Jem, who pukes at the thought of the situation. Jem asks his neighbour Miss Maudie how a world like this "could exist" and how they could treat a person like that. She tells him that it might seem at times the entire town is racist and evil, but there are always good people even when it seems everything is dark. She also reminds Jem that Judge Taylor chose Atticus for this case, because he also hopes to see some change in this town. Jem nods, and before he goes to sleep he tells Scout that he's beginning to understand why Boo Radley doesn't leave his house.