Analysis of chapter 16-17: The trial
The trial is the most gripping, and somewhat the most
important part of to kill a mockingbird.
The courtroom scene is possibly the most tension-filled part
of the book. Atticus tries frantically to pick apart the Ewell’s as the whole
town watches – possibly the most narrative part of the novel. The trial scene
creates so much atmosphere that it reveals the authors writing ability because
there is no real suspense; even Atticus and the whole courtroom know how the
trial will end. no matter what evidence is presented at the trial by Atticus,
the end result will still be the same because of the racist attributes that the
town so forwardly peruse. Jem, Scout and Dill have no racist thoughts or
feelings about Tom Robinson and can’t comprehend the thought that all their
fathers’ hard work will be vain.
Although
Atticus loses the trial, he reveals the injustice that the black people of
Maycomb have received.
The
children end up sitting in the ‘coloured section’ of the courtroom and Miss
Maudie refuses to attend the trial as she doesn’t want to be related in any way
to the black people. The chapter shows the clarity of racism at the time as all
the children in the courthouse have exclaimed abuse at Dill, Jem and Scout for
their apparent ‘nigger-loving’ personality in the school-yard.