Carlos Mejia
Mrs. Massey 
English I GT
Feb. 2, 2004
				To Kill a Mockingbird

	In To Kill a Mockingbird, the reason why Tom Robinson's case was nearly impossible to win was because he said that he "felt sorry" for Mayella and that that was the reason why he went to her house and helped her once in a while. He says he never raped her and that he was only trying to help her. While in todays society and court room system this would not have much of an impact on a verdict, it was not the story in Maycomb County and was not the only factor that contributed to the jury's verdict on Tom. 
	Since Atticus became aware of the alleged rape of Mayella Ewell by Tom Robinson he knew that this case was impossible to win. He told Scout that he must argue it to uphold his sense of justice and self-respect and he held on to his word throughout the rest of the novel showing Jem and Scout an unforgettable lesson. 
	In Maycomb County as well as most southern towns in the 1930's it was believed that African Americans were and will always be inferior to whites. For this reason it was nearly impossible for Tom Robinson to have been set free in the first place. The people of Maycomb county would have never beleived a black man over a white womans word. To the it would have been a disgrace to even consider it. 
	At the end of the trial and Tom Robinson was sentenced,  Atticus wanted to appeal but Tom did not allow him to because he knew what was going on . He knew that it would have been a waste of time and the outcome would be the same. Atticus did keep his word and although he was threatened by many, he held on.to his beliefs that all men should be equal. The people stood up for Atticus because they respected all the work that he had done for him and greatly appreciated it. Racismn went far beyond the courtroom in this novel. It affected everyone in the community incuiding Scout and Jem.