Bravery Within The Truth: Tom Robinson In To Kill A Mockingbird

In Harper Lee's best selling novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout, a young girl tells the story of her early life in the small town of Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s. The story takes place during the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man who is wrongly accused of raping a white woman and defended by Scout's father, Atticus Finch. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, there are various different heroes. A hero is not always someone who saves another person from death or injury; a hero can be someone who demonstrates courage while facing the worst possible odds. One character, Tom Robinson, shows these traits. Just the fact that Tom decides to face an all-white judicial system and testify against a white woman is bravery beyond belief for the time period, where racism was something that was normalized in society. He teaches readers, young and old, lessons in bravery and hope that simply cannot be ignored or duplicated. Tragically, he loses his life still fighting until his last breath. Tom Robinson’s fate reminds readers of the need for courage and the importance of truthfulness in the face of adversity. Tom Robinson appears only briefly in the novel; he is spoken of but readers are only introduced to him during the case. Tom also shows his bravery for the first time when his trial begins. He calmly stands in the witness box and speaks truthfully. Tom explains how he handled Mayella Ewell's advances to the all white jury.

Atticus asks Tom, 'Did you resist her advances?' Tom responds: 'Mr. Finch, I tried. I tried to 'thout bein' ugly to her. I didn't wanta be ugly, I didn't wanta push her or nothin''. The whole time, while Mayella Ewell is doing something he does not want, Tom still thinks about treating her properly and not hurting her. This shows that Tom Robinson is a man who possesses great dignity and respect for others. Mayella liked him and she was the one who made the advances but Tom still did not want to harm her in any way. Once again, Tom demonstrates courage as he faces the prosecution's questions during cross-examination. Mr. Gilmer is rude by calling Tom ‘boy’. When Tom says that he felt sorry for Mayella, Mr. Gilmer corners Tom by asking, 'Then you say she's lying, boy?' This is very intimidating with a full courtroom waiting to hear what Tom has to say and a lawyer trying to scare him. Tom keeps calm, and says, 'I don't say she's lyin', Mr. Gilmer, I say she's mistaken in her mind'. Tom does not want to insult her honor so he suggests that she just has a different understanding of the situation. This shows that Tom has complete control over his emotions and temper but still is a kind human being. He is always calm and collected. Tom is nervous and intimidated but, he doesn't change his story and he stays poised to prove that he is speaking truthfully. Tom Robinson teaches readers values and lessons that can still be used today. A reader will learn that truthfulness is an admirable trait that everyone should use. A young person who reads To Kill a Mockingbird in this time period, can still relate back to the current events. They should learn to stand up for what they think is right despite the odds and to remain fair and to speak the truth.