To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
 
(Essay #12)
 
Many people view the same thing differently. In Harper
Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Tom Robinson's trial
was viewed differently by different people. Each had
his/her own opinions and reasons. The three opinions being
written on are of Jem, one of Tom Robinson's children, and
a juror. I believed him and his attorney. He was a decent
fellow, although he was a nigger he seemed reliable. I hate
that trash Bob Ewell, and his daughter was lying through
her teeth. The nigger's left hand was too messed up to beat
a big girl like that. It just wasn't possible I tell you,
that trash Bob Ewell beat that child and it was sad. But
while I knew all of this it seemed like my fellow jurors
didn't seem to care. While we were deliberating in the back
room, I wasn't sure that I should talk about him being
innocent. The other jurors seemed to hate that nigger's
hide, and they were mighty big. I knew that if I made this
a hung jury the entire town would come after me. I knew
that nigger was innocent but they didn't care. They wanted
him to fry and if I went against them, it would be me that
was fried. I value my life over a nigger's so I went
against him. I didn't know about my father too well, he
died before I got to know him. I was real young when he
died. My mother told me mostly about him. He was unfairly
tried, and was found guilty. My mother knew he wouldn't
have raped that girl, but the folks in this town are so
fixed on killing us black folk that he was found guilty.
"All of the jury wanted him dead," my mother said, I
believe her. When I knew my dad he was a kind man, he may
have had a disability but he always helped people out. It
was sad to find out that my father was found guilty, my
entire family knew he wasn't it is just so frustrating. 

I knew he was innocent, my father tried all he could but we
just couldn't change those people. Everyone in that
courtroom had to know he was innocent, it was obvious. My
father presented him perfectly, he couldn't have lost. But
those jurors are just so racist and stubborn.
 
If I were a juror I would have made sure that Tom Robinson
went free. Everything in that case went for him. Tom
Robinson should be a free man right now. It is obvious that
the same case is viewed differently through the eyes of
different people. Each person: Jem, one of Tom Robinson's
children, and a juror, each viewed the case differently. It
is just a fact of life, although they all felt Tom to be
innocent, not all of the people in that courtroom felt
that.