Chapter 16 and 17, the trial case

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.