Revenge can lead to justice, but justice may also lead to revenge. Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee the idea of justice is challenged and revenge is served to someone who deserves it. Justice and revenge are shown within the novel because Judge Taylor elected Atticus to represent Tom Robinson, Bob got Tom sent to jail, and Bob Ewell died. During the time of the novel coloured people would not get a good lawyer because they were considered minorities, but Judge Taylor picked Atticus for a reason.
If it were someone coloured other Tom Robinson Judge Taylor would have picked the newest lawyer to represent Tom, but he knew that Tom had a shot at winning so he elected Atticus so that Tom would a fair shot at winning the trial. “Jem did it ever strike you that Judge Taylor naming Atticus to defend that boy was no accident?” (Lee, 289) Miss Maudie is explaining to Jem that Tom really did have a fair trial because Judge Taylor picked Atticus to defend Tom. Justice is shown because Judge Taylor would usually have to pick the worst or newest of lawyers to represent a coloured person, but instead he went against what everyone else’s values were and elected Atticus because he would try his hardest to pledge Tom innocent and give him a fair trial. “Scout, simply by the nature of work, every lawyer gets at least one case in his life time that affects him personally. This one’s mine I guess.” (Lee, 101) Atticus is explaining to Scout why he has to try to defend Tom as best he can and how much the trial affects his life personally. Atticus is showing justice because he doesn’t care whether he is black or not he will still do his greatest to give Tom the fairest trial possible. If it were any other lawyer they would the trial as a joke but Atticus will take it seriously because he is a man of moral and justice and that is what he has shown to everyone. Justice is served a throughout the novel but justice sometimes can’t always be served.
Bob Ewell has to be the most racist person to ever walk on this earth. Tom has stepped foot on his property so many times to help Mayella out that he just could not stand seeing him on his property. The one thing that would be Bobs mind at all times would be to get Tom as far away from his property for as long as he can, and the only way to do that is to get Tom sent to jail. “Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty.” (Lee 282) A member of the jury has just walked up to tell Judge the verdict on the trial of Tom Robinson. Atticus had done the best he could to represent Tom but the jury had still considered him guilty. No matter how hard Judge Taylor and Atticus tried to win Tom the trial in the end he still was pledged guilty. Atticus questioning Mayella Ewell who is on stand, he then asks Tom to stand up so that Mayella way take one long look at him. “It most certainly is.” (Lee, 249) Atticus questioned Mayella if Tom truly was the man that has raped her. Mayella truly knowing the truth of what happened that spring evening, just wanted all the evidence to be gone and the last piece was Tom, sending Tom to jail would help her forget what she has done. Bob had put the bruises on Mayella so that everyone would believe that Tom was guilty. Everything piece of evidence of Tom being guilty traces all the way back to Bob Ewell. Justice had clearly not been served. If justice isn’t served then there will be revenge to come along with it.
Though justice played a big role in the theme of the novel, revenge as well had played a big role. Just after Jem and Scout had been attacked by someone, Heck Tate had rushed to the finch home and determined that Bob Ewell was the man had attacked them and he was lying there dead under a tree with a kitchen knife under his ribs. “Let the dead bury the dead” (Lee, 369) Heck Tate was telling Atticus that Bob Ewell had fell on his knife. Heck Tate is stating that revenge has played its part this issue between Bob and Tom. Bob Ewell had got Tom Robinson sent to jail and then later on killed in prison, then revenge had played its part against Bob when he had died soon after Tom Robinsons killing. “Mr. Ewell fell on his knife” (Lee, 370) Heck is explaining to Atticus that Bob Ewell had fallen on his knife and no one had killed. What a coincidence that someone would fall on their knife isn’t it? Revenge had clearly played its part in claiming revenge against Bob for putting Tom’s life away.
Though there were many different underlying themes in the novel revenge and justice were the two main themes that had stood out the most. Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee justice is served and challenged, as well revenge was given to the person who deserved it. Though in live it may seem that as soon as justice is served it ends, sooner or later revenge will come and strike.
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