To Kill a Mockingbird The Trial – Charting the Testimony

First – Create a chart of the various people who testify and their comments on the stand.
Put the information into point form.
● The testimonies of the various witnesses and what they reveal both explicitly and
implicitly about the case. There is an example done for you.
● Include everybody who speaks during the court scene.

Character’s What did he/she reveal? What facts What does the testimony or
name do they specifically reveal? statement IMPLY?
“I just want the whole lot of you to Tom is a good worker for Mr Deas
Link Deas know one thing right now. That and doesn’t cause harm or trouble.
boy’s worked for me eight years and Mr Deas - a white man will stand
I ain’t had a speck o’trouble outta up for him against another white
him. Not a speck.” man.
Tom is more productive than Bob,
meaning he offers more to his
community than Bob does.

Sheriff Heck “She was pretty well beat up” Someone with no left arm could
Tate no one called a doctor not have done what was described
beat up on the right side of her face about her injuries - someone else
and had bruises coming on her arms, must have done it. No one called a
finger marks all the way around her doctor because Mr Ewell didn’t
neck. see her injuries as enough, it was
never about getting revenge on
Tom for her.
Mr. Gilmer “Given 30 days once for disorderly Trying to imply Tom is aggressive
conduct” and has been convicted for
“You were convicted weren’t you?” attacking someone before.
“you’re pretty good at busting up Tom is strong enough and has used
chiffarobes and kindling with one his right hand enough to be able to
hand, aren’t you?” hurt a woman with only one arm.
“You felt sorry for Her, you felt Tom, as a black man, put himself
sorry for her?” above Mayella, a white woman.
Bob Ewell coming back from getting kindling As a white man he has power and
heard Mayella screaming, ran, got those of colour are beneath him, so
tangled in the fence, got out, ran to his word should be believed over
the window and saw “that black theirs no questions asked. shows
****** ruttin’ on my Mayella” how much he disgraces and resents
the room was “all slung about like those of colour and doesn’t see
there was a fight” them as people but more like
“Jedge, I’ve asked this county for animals in a ‘nest’
fifteen years to clean out that nest being left handed and disrespectful
down yonder, they’re dangerous to gives the implication that he over
live around ‘sides devaluin’ my hardworking and obedient Tom
property-” would be more likely to have
Agrees with the sheriff's testimony harmed Mayella
He can read and write and is left
handed
Mayella Shes 19 She lives a very secluded and
Ewell Dad asked her to chop up a rough life, has grown to think
chiffarobe but she wasn’t feeling extenuating circumstances are
strong enough and when she was normal, and anyone saying
sitting on the porch and Tom walked differently is trying to antagonize
past she asked him to do it for a her. Her home life is not frivolous
nickel, when she went to get it, she or loving, implying unnatural or
turned around inside the house and conventional relationships within
he was on her. Grabbed her around the family - father could or most
the neck and hit her over and over likely is the one harming her.
while she was fighting She requires help for a lot of things
‘tooth and nail’ and “hollerin’” then and after being so secluded for so
he took advantage of her long she slipped up and enticed a
"Won't answer a word you say long black man, the gaps in her story
as you keep on mockin' me," imply it was made up - a cover up
Seven siblings, she's the oldest, no - to hide what she doesn’t want to
mom, 2 maybe 3 years of school, admit
relief cheque is not enough - dad
drank it away - hauled water in
buckets from dump spring, no
friends.
"He does tollable, 'cept when-"
"Except when he's drinking?"
*nods*
 "He slung me down and got on top
of me"
Rev. Sykes "He got it caught in a cotton gin,
caught it in Mr Dolphus Raymond's
coffin cotton gin when he was a
boy...like to bleed to death...tore all
the muscles loose from his bones-"
“Now don’t you be so confident, Mr.
Jem, I ain’t ever seen any jury
decide in favor of a colored man
over a white man. . . .”

Tom “Were you so scared that she'd hurt

"No suh, I's scared I'd be in court,

"Scared of arrest, scared you'd have

"No suh, scared I'd hafta face up to

After you complete the chart, sum up your thoughts and feelings on Tom Robinson’s trial.
Please make sure you consider each of the following:

● The attitudes of the town’s people and their responses and reactions to the trial and
the testimonies given in it.
● The reactions of the children and the degree to which they understand and question
what is going on.
● The strength of character demonstrated by Atticus Finch.
● The possible thematic statement that is revealed by all of the events of the trial.

Please make sure you: