Admin
Guilt and Innocence 
  • At several points in the story, we see innocent people get punished for things that are perceived as crimes, but might actually be justified (i.e. Scout reading, Uncle Jack misunderstanding Scout’s fight with Cecil Jacobs, Tom Robinson).  Does this happen in real life? 
  • Why is it easier to punish people like Scout and Tom Robinson, than the people who might actually be guilty like Bob Ewell or Cecil Jacobs?
Posted by On October 13, 2014 at 11:16 AM  15 Comments

Comments
Emma S. (Guest) said On November 12, 2015 at 9:06 PM
Yes, innocent people are being punished in reality. For example, it had just come to light that a college professor was accused of being racist for correcting a black student's grammar. The professor was simply doing his job by correcting the student's error and is now being disliked for doing so. In the novel, it might be easier to punish people like Scout and Tom Robinson because Scout is younger and people think she's not very knowledgeable, and it is easier to punish Tom because he is black and has prejudices held against him. It's easier not to do so for Bob Ewell because in the trial, for example, Mayella is trying to make it seem like Tom beat and raped her, not her father, and the jury back then were more likely to take the word of a white person rather than a black person.  
Jada H. (Guest) said On November 12, 2015 at 7:00 PM
Throughout Scouts life she watches innocent people get punished for crimes they either didnt commit or that could have been justified. Some examples are Tom Robinson, Herself, Jem, and even Boo Radley were people wrongly punished for their “crimes”. Everyday in courts we see people thrown in jail or put to death for crimes that they were wrongly convicted for. There are numerous reason as to why poeple would do this to innocent people. The most popular reasons are for racial preference, sexuality, gender, and even social class. Bob Ewell didnt have respect from anyone in the town of Maycomb but, he did have his skin color which gave him leverage in court over Tom Robinson. This is were racial prfence comes into play because they only said Tom was guilty because he was African American. By Atticus having Tom Robinson’s case this did help people see that their prejudices were getting out of hand because they were going to convict and innocent man of rape. Change was happening in Maycomb but it was going to take a while for the town to accept it.  
Erran D. (Guest) said On November 12, 2015 at 12:16 PM
No one likes taking the blame. No one wants to be told they were the ones who did wrong. Its part of being human. So to avoid it, they put it one someone else. Especially people who are considered beneath them. Tom was shot an excessive number of times while trying to escape. Some would say it was wrong to use such excessive force. But instead they say that Tom deserved the punishment. Because he was considered less important to most people, they blamed him. This is just one example of this kind of event. Even today people are being accused of acts when they are completely innocent. All because someone of a higher rank said so.   
Erran DePass (Guest) said On November 12, 2015 at 12:12 PM
No one likes taking the blame. No one wants to be told they were the ones who did wrong. Its part of being human. So to avoid it, they put it one someone else. Especially people who are considered beneath them. Tom was shot an excessive number of times while trying to escape. Some would say it was wrong to use such excessive force. But instead they say that Tom deserved the punishment. Because he was considered less important to most people, they blamed him. This is just one example of this kind of event. Even today people are being accused of acts when they are completely innocent. All because someone of a higher rank said so.   
Amanda L. (Guest) said On November 12, 2015 at 12:01 PM
Things like this do in fact happen in real life. In certain parts of the U.S. there is still racial profiling. People still get punished or even die when theyre innocent. Women and people of color and different races are easier to target because of all the generalizing, stereotypes, and profiling. It can be easier to blame people like that because of all the generalizing and since one person of that race was guilty that means all of them right? The people who are actually guilty might have power or money or even just a good reputation, they usually automatically have the upper hand.  
Krutik P (Guest) said On November 11, 2015 at 7:59 PM
There are innocent people who get punished for things that are supposed as crimes, however are right. Moreover, people often blame others for the actions that are justified. Scout loves to read and does not want to stop. For instance, Scout’s crime was she had the ability to read in 1st grade because of the teachings of the teachers. People can sometimes be accused of committing a crime for justifiable reasons. Additionally, killing someone for lives of many more would be justifiable because you are killing a person who is bad and saving more that are innocent. In Tom Robinson's case, he was accused of what he did not do. Tom was accused of raping Mayella. She found it easy to accuse Tom because he was innocent man, trying to help a woman in need. Lastly, Mayella did not want to face the consequences of the problems of attraction to a man of the opposite race.   
Amina A. (Guest) said On November 11, 2015 at 2:25 PM
In real life some innocent people do get punished for things that are perceived as crimes. Whether they be small things such as Scout reading or big things such as the Tom Robinson case. In some cases the innocent get punished because it's easier. People like Scout and Tom Robinson are the easy targets. In Scout's case her innocence gets her punished not just because, she's a child but because she's a girl. She's valued less in her society but not as little as Tom Robinson. Tom was punished mainly because of the color of his skin.But, for the people that are guilty they are viewed more in society. Such as, Bob Ewell and Cecil Jacobs. They are capable of getting their town to stand on their sides just because they know what people want to hear and they know what people fear if they don't. If everyone follows the same customs that no one wants to change then you're good with the society but, as soon as you voice your opinions on the flaws of the society you're quickly looked down upon. Some of the towns people might even feel guilty about it but, as long as they have a strong majority rule then their guilt is looked over.  
Amatya P. (Guest) said On November 10, 2015 at 5:07 PM
People can get wrongly punished very easily. When someone strongly believes or is taught something, it can be difficult to convince them otherwise. Everyone is naturally adamant and latch on to any evidence supporting their claim to argue. It is easier to punish the innocent people like Scout and Tom Robinson because there seems to be a lot of evidence favoring the claim that they are guilty. However, it takes a wiser, more tolerant person (like Atticus in the novel) to peer past the wall of rivaling evidence.  
Emily N (Guest) said On November 09, 2015 at 9:58 PM
In the story, we see innocent people get punished for things that are perceived as crimes, that might actually be justified. This does happen in real life. A case is solved way more simpler if they accuse the ones everyone wants to see guilty. It is so much easier to punish people like Scout and Tom Robinson, than people who might actually be guilty like Bob Ewell or Cecil Jacobs. This is because of the racial issues going on in that time. The stereotype is that black people are always guilty, and they are the enemy. While white people aren't. That isn't always case, but back then that is how they saw it. Living in their daily life, they saw black people as people who were lower and under them. Automatically they assume because of the fact they are black, they are the criminal. They give no thought that maybe Bob Ewell or Cecil Jacobs are guilty because they are white. It is easier to assume than to go through real evidence. They let the color of someone's skin determine the truth in justice.  
Mital P (Guest) said On November 09, 2015 at 9:34 PM
There has been several times in which innocent people have been punished for crimes they did not commit. For example, the case with Carlos DeLuna where, in 1989, DeLuna was executed for the stabbing of a Texas convenience store clerk and almost 20 years later, Chicago Tribune uncovered evidence that showed DeLuna was likely innocent. The evidence showed that Carlos Hernandez, a man who even confessed to the murder many times, actually did the crime. It was easier to punish people like Scout and Tom because they were weaker and viewed smaller in the society.   
Shri P. (Guest) said On November 09, 2015 at 8:52 PM
Throughout the reading, there are innocent people who get punished for things that are perceived as crimes, but might actually be justified. People often blame other people for the actions that are justified. For example, Scout's crime was having the ability to read in the 1st grade, she was able to read because of the teachings of the teacher. For that reason, people can sometimes be accused of committing a crime for justifiable reasons. Moreover, Scout loves to read and she does not want to go back one step, when she already know that step completely. Another good example would be, killing someone for lives of many more. This is justifiable because you are killing one and saving more than one life. In Tom Robinson's case, he is not punished for a justifiable crime, but he was accused of what he did not do. Tom was falsely accused of raping Mayella. Mayella Ewell found it easy to accuse Tom because he was innocent man, trying to help a woman in need. Also, she did not want to face the consequences of her own problems of attraction to a man of the opposite race. Lastly, Tom was accused of what he did not do or he was falsely accused.   
Anisa K. (Guest) said On November 09, 2015 at 6:39 PM
I don't think it happens in real life because the world is more just today than it was back then. It's easier to punish people like Scout and Tom Robinson because of the prejudices that surround them. For example, Tom is black so people automatically think he's a bad person and is wild and aggressive. Scout is a girl so her teacher expected her to know less than she should  
Kunj P. (Guest) said On November 09, 2015 at 5:15 PM
From the beginning to the end of the story there are so many innocent people who get punished for things they have not done. Life is not about black or white. If my hand is black your hand is white it doesn't make a difference because both of you are still humans. There are people in this world who are racist and blame other people because they don't like them but they forget that they are one of the reasons why racism still exists in the world. It is very easy to punish people like them because they won't talk because of how calm they are and people make decisions even before listening to the other persons story so just like when Scout beat up Francis and then the uncle beating Scout without listening to her side of the story. People make many mistakes in the world but it can be fixed if you try to fix it.   
Taha S. (Guest) said On November 09, 2015 at 4:53 PM
Miss Caroline told Scout that she literate or that she had the ability to read when she was in the first grade. This is no where a problem and far off of a crime. Scout enjoys reading and sees Atticus doing it all the time. These sort of acts that appear to be crimes that turn out to be just justifiable do exist in real life. Sometimes in rather extreme situations in involves you to take a life to save a dozen more. in other situation it means stealing to benefit yourself or your family members. It generally becomes easier for people to blame others like Scout and Tom Robinson for being guilty rather than Cecil Jacobs or Bob Ewell. This mainly due to a number of factors like age, race, and gender. Scout is a girl and very young. People don't see her as a clever and curious girl. They consider her unlady like and naive. For Tom Robinson he was a negro, and much younger than Bob Ewell. People were generally more inclined to take the side of the older and white Mr. Ewell.  
Taha S. (Guest) said On November 09, 2015 at 4:06 PM
Miss Caroline told Scout that she literate or that she had the ability to read when she was in the first grade. This is no where a problem and far off of a crime. Scout enjoys reading and sees Atticus doing it all the time. These sort of acts that appear to be crimes that turn out to be just justifiable do exist in real life. Sometimes in rather extreme situations in involves you to take a life to save a dozen more. in other situation it means stealing to benefit yourself or your family members. It generally becomes easier for people to blame others like Scout and Tom Robinson for being guilty rather than Cecil Jacobs or Bob Ewell. This mainly due to a number of factors like age, race, and gender. Scout is a girl and very young. People don't see her as a clever and curious girl. They consider her unlady like and naive. For Tom Robinson he was a negro, and much younger than Bob Ewell. People were generally more inclined to take the side of the older and white Mr. Ewell.  
Leave Your Comment
Security Measure