Thursday, February 20, 2014

What does Atticus say about the jury's viewing this case without any prejudice?To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Throughout the entire trial of poor, innocent,
"mockingbird" Tom Robinson, Atticus Finch essays to cure Maycomb of its "usual
disease."  For, after his daughter Scout has won a small victory against the mob at the
jail when she touches the conscience of Mr. Cunningham, Atticus feels that there exists
the chance, the small chance, of awakening in the jury a social
conscientiousness.


Atticus affirms at the end of Chapter 20
that he is not idealist who believes in the integrity of the courts in America,
because



"a
court is no better than each man of you sitting before me on this jury.  A court is only
as sound as its jury, and a jury is only as sound as the men who make it up.  I am
confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard,
come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family.  In the name of God, do
your duty."



Knowing that Mr.
Cunningham, an uneducated man from the country has been capable of reasoning without
allowing his prejudices to interfere, Atticus builds upon this confidence in Mr.
Cunningham.  Thus, he appeals to the conscience and the reason of the members of the
jury, hoping that others will feel the prick of their
consciences,too.

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