To Kill a Mockingbird Chapters 16-20

Explaining Upcoming Events Chapter 16 Explaining Upcoming Events

An Explanation Atticus explains why Mr. Cunningham and the men from Old Sarum were there He explains that Scout made Mr. Cunningham step into Tom’s skin for a minute by reminding him of his entailment He got justice under the law Tom deserves the same opportunity

Pre-Trial The jury is selected for the trial (12 white men) Women were not allowed to serve on the jury Negroes were not allowed to serve on the jury Will Tom really be tried by a jury of his peers?

Dolphus Raymond We learn about Dolphus Raymond He is a white man who lives with a Negro woman in the Negro community He has mixed children He is supposedly a drunkard He has whiskey in a coca-cola bottle Why can Dolphus Raymond break the rigid rules of Maycomb’s caste structure?

In the Balcony The kids decide to go see the trial (even though Atticus told them not to go) They sit in the balcony with Reverend Sykes and the Negro community What does this show us about the children?

The Trial Heck Tate’s Testimony Bob Ewell’s Testimony Chapter 17 The Trial Heck Tate’s Testimony Bob Ewell’s Testimony

The Trial Begins Mr. Gilmer Atticus Finch Prosecuting attorney Atticus Finch Defense attorney In a rape case, the burden of proof lies with the prosecution

First Witness for the Prosecution Heck Tate Maycomb County Sheriff Sheriff Tate stated that the alleged rape took place on November 21 of the previous year He said that Bob Ewell came to him and said that Tom Robinson had raped his daughter Mayella

Investigative Evidence In his investigation, Sheriff Tate stated that Mayella had been badly beaten Her right eye was black She had choke marks all around her neck (both sides)

Cross-Examination Under cross-examination by Atticus, Sheriff Tate revealed he never called the doctor because he could see she had been badly beaten. Therefore, Atticus has shown that without the medical evidence to substantiate the case There is now doubt that the rape even took place Does the fact that Mayella was severely beaten mean she was raped?

Second Witness for the Prosecution Robert E. Lee (Bob) Ewell Bob stated that he agreed with everything Heck Tate said Bob claimed he saw Tom “ruttin’ on my Mayeller.” He never asked for a doctor to be called

Cross-Examination Under cross-examination by Atticus he is made to be buffoonish Atticus reveals that Bob is left handed, and that he can read and write

Mayella Ewell’s Testimony Chapter 18 Mayella Ewell’s Testimony

Third Witness for the Prosecution Mayella Violet Ewell Mayella is 19 years old (makes this non-statutory) She said that she asked Tom to come into the yard to bust up an old chiffarobe (dresser) and he attacked her. She said Bob came into the house and asked her “who done it?”

Cross-Examination Under cross-examination by Atticus she is unsure of her answers She contradicts herself several times; she contradicts her father’s testimony She cannot look at Tom She believes Atticus is trying to trick her or humiliate her

Cross-Examination Atticus has Tom stand during her testimony to bring out the fact he has a crippled arm. It was caught in a cotton gin when he was young and now hangs useless at his side. Atticus tries to get Mayella to admit that Bob beat her up and that no rape took place Mayella has an outburst on the stand and cries (sympathy vote)

Tom Robinson’s Testimony Chapter 19 Tom Robinson’s Testimony

Witness for the Defense Tom Robinson Tom said that he often stopped at the Ewell place to help Mayella On the day in question, he went to help get something down from a shelf He noticed the children were gone. He stated that she said she had saved a year to give each of them a nickel to go to town to get ice cream

Defense’s Case He implies that Mayella and Bob had an incestuous relationship He stated that Mayella attacked him and kissed him Bob Ewell saw them through the window; Tom got scared and ran away

Cross-Examination Tom had been arrested once for disorderly conduct. He served his thirty days and was released. Mr. Gilmer asks Tom why he helped Mayella Tom states that he helped her because he felt sorry for her (this is his crime)

Chapter 20 Closing Argument

Dolphus Raymond Revisited Dill becomes so upset over the way Tom is treated by Mr. Gilmer that he has to leave the courtroom. The kids meet Dolphus Raymond; they learn he is actually drinking coca-cola He acts as if he was drunk so that society will leave him alone and let him live with the Negroes They return to the courtroom

Closing Argument Atticus presents his closing argument (pages 203-205) He states that all the evidence in the case is circumstantial This case should never have come to trial

A Final Plea The prosecution has not proved their case He calls on their integrity and ethics to do the right thing