How Does Atticus Decide To Defend Tom Robinson In Court

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In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the author, Harper Lee, tells a story about a family and their experience in Maycomb county from the young daughter’s point of view. There are different groups of people in Maycomb county who get along in different ways. The father Atticus, made a bad decision to defend Tom Robinson in court for three reasons. Defending Tom could put Atticus’s children in danger and they could end up getting hurt. Atticus is also being very disrespected during the trial.
Atticus should not have taken this case because it could get his kids hurt or get them made fun of. Atticus is talking to his brother Jack about agreeing to defend Tom Robinson. “...I hope and pray I can get Jem and Scout through it...without catching Maycomb’s disease.” (Harper Lee 117) Maycomb's disease is racism and Atticus does not want Jem and Scout to …show more content…
Atticus realizes that they could get Maycomb's disease but he takes the case anyway. This gives the kids a chance to be influenced with this rather than Atticus saying no and not risking it. When Scout overheard them talking, she got really confused. “...a third person said ‘ you know the court appointed him to defend this nigger’...It was confusing.” (Harper Lee 218) Scout is now interested in this case and wants to find more out about it because it is confusing her. This could make her get in trouble with the judge or even get hurt if she gets caught doing something she shouldn’t be. If Atticus didn’t take the case, there would be no chance of her getting in trouble. If Atticus would have said no to the case, there would be no chance of Jem and Scout getting hurt. Atticus was sitting at the jail one

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