Essay On The Sixth Amendment

In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, numerous societal issues that occur in the real world take place. The book is seen through the eyes of a young child and as such, she has a difficult time wrapping her head on some of the big and obscure ideas. An example is how the events in some court cases completely contradict what the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution intended to happen.

The Sixth Amendment in the U.S. Constitution focuses on the rights of an accused person. These rights include an impartial and fair jury where no bias is present or bias is canceled out, a trial held publicly and as close to the origin of the crime as possible, and the right to a trial as quickly as possible. Other rights included in this amendment focus more on the accused such as the right to know why they are put in jail, the right to ask questions, the right to bring any witnesses that could contribute to the case, and the right to an attorney. If the accused does not have the money for an attorney, the problem would be worked out to insure they receive one. While this sounds fair and solid, there are several reports in history of trials going completely against these rights and rules, primarily when it comes to a black defendant.

It is without a doubt
Harper Lee stays true to this embarrassing fact of U.S. history in To Kill a Mockingbird. The text depicts the black population as living in a separate part of town from the whites and characters like Bob Ewell and the mob that confronted Atticus at night were examples of racist white people. The inclusion of the world’s very real racism in the courts was shocking and never before seen in society when it was first released. The book is seen as a statement and a way to open people’s eyes to how unfair we really are to each other. Hopefully, the world can learn from the lesson Lee teaches in her famous