In this article, Lubet questions the role of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. His article provides many different sections and ways to analyze Atticus’ character. Atticus Finch was a good and noble man who stood up for what he believed. He was willing to risk his reputation and social standing in Maycomb, Alabama to defend a black man who was falsely accused of raping a white girl, Mayella Ewell. This article shows the possibilities that Atticus was either right or wrong in his case.
To Kill a Mockingbird has three narratives of Atticus’s story.Scout, his younger daughter, and Tom Robinson tell two of the stories and Mayella, the accuser, tells the third story. In Scout’s story, Lubet explains that Scout is the only knowledgeable source in the whole town of Maycomb. Lubet characterizes Scout’s story as “a love story pure and simple. ” Scout puts her father over everything by saying that he can do no wrong. “All his choices are brave and noble” (n.
pg). From Scout’s perspective, Mayella and her father are lying about the rape and that Mayella is lying out of shame.She also shares with the reader that Atticus claimed them to be “white trash” (qtd. in Lubet). In Tom Robinson’s story, he was innocent of committing the crime. Everyday to and from work, Tom would have to pass by the Ewell house.
Sometimes Mayella would stop Tom and ask him to help her with some chores in her house. Once he had completed what he had requested of him, he began to leave and that’s when Mayella grabbed him and then “sorta jumped” on him. In the meantime, Mr.Ewell walked into the room screaming and Tom fleeted out. Never once during the trial did Tom say that Mayella was lying; however, she was “mistaken in her mind” (qtd.
in Lubet). Mayella’s story was very different; in fact, no one really believed her. Mayella expresses to the jury that she was raped. She claims that she offered Tom a nickel to “bust up” a piece of furniture. When she went to give him the money is when Tom came on to her.
She claimed that Tom had taken “full advantage” of her.The purpose of a trial is to resolve competing factual narratives” (n. pg). In Lubet’s article, he discusses different scenarios like if Tom Robinson told the truth and if Tom Robinson lied. In if Tom Robinson had told the truth, there were no medical examinations of Mayella to ensure that Mayella was raped. In if Tom Robinson had lied, Bob and Mayella Ewell were very consistent with their story about the rape.
In section four of this article, Lubet is discussing another scenario of reconsidering the rape defense.Lubet says that women supposedly dream about rape and that spurred women cry rape in revenge. This all means that in this particular case, Tom did not give in to Mayella’s physical desires or needs. Shame is also a role in any sin. Because Mayella may feel shame, she is more likely to lie. And finally, Mayella Ewell is a very confused girl and she might even understand what she has gotten herself into by lying about what really happened.
