"To Kill A Mockingbird"

To Kill a Mockingbird must have been written basing on a society that was not quite modern. Racial discrimination is clearly portrayed, as we are told that even the jury was biased against the defendant, Tom Robinson, who was not white. It is also evident that a general and obvious assumption was that Negroes were not to be trusted. The use of the name Negro in itself shows that the setting of the story must have been in the pre modern period where blacks were referred to by that name disrespectfully.  Atticus is, however, portrayed as a symbol of hope to the oppressed as he defends Tom Robinson, a Negro, in court.

In my opinion, since the context of this film is that of the pre modern period, the character of Atticus stands out a lot as he is depicted to be too much of a hero, the one standing up for Tom Robinson. I also think that the plaintiff has been given too much power, being a woman. This is unlike in the earlier days whereby not much attention would have been given to her as this is not her place at all. I also think such a case could have been overlooked given the period of the supposed happening and the supposed victim being a woman or maybe the woman herself would not have taken the case to court unless, as Atticus suggests, she was attempting to rid herself of her own guilt.

The defense arguments made by Atticus seem not to be quite sufficient. He only focuses on the fact that the defendant is wrongly accused since he is a Negro, and that the plaintiff has no sufficient evidence, which could equally be hard to prove considering the time and technology available. He should have come up with more substantial and practical arguments.