Reading Response #6

"I had a feeling that I shouldn't be here listening to this sinful man who had mixed children and didn't care who knew it, but he was fascinating." (Lee 228) This is showing that clearly he doesn't care if his children are mixed or not but clearly other people do if he doesn't or not.

"He blacked your left eye with his right fist?' 'I ducked and it glanced, that's what it did. I ducked and it glanced off.' Mayella had finally seen the light. 'You're becoming suddenly clear on this point. A while ago you couldn't remember too well, could you?' (Lee 212) They had good evidence that the person who hit him was left handed and not right handed. The jury should have a different option because clearly she was lying. 

"Dill watch out now," I warned. Dill released the straws and grinned. "Scott, it's nothing but Coca-Cola." Mr. Raymond sat up against the tree trunk. He had been lying on the grass." "You little folks won't tell on me now, will you? It'd ruin my reputation if you did."( Lee 227). They always thought poorly of Mr. Raymond because of the bad/mean things they heard about him. They then found out that the rumors they heard were not true when they talked to Mr. Raymond. I don't agree with the verdict but sadly I am not surprised with how it turned out. They only won due to the color of their skin. "He blacked your left eye with his right fist?' 'I ducked and it glanced, that's what it did. I ducked and it glanced off.' Mayella had finally seen the light. 'You're becoming suddenly clear on this point. A while ago you couldn't remember too well, could you?' (Lee 212) Atticus provided evidence on how it was most likely that if someone that is left handed hit another in the face it would leave marks/bruises on the others right side of their face. Taking this in and knowing this I would have thought the jury would have come up with a different verdict rather than what they did. 

“I had a feeling that I shouldn’t be here listening to this sinful man who had mixed children and didn’t care who knew it, but he was fascinating.” (Lee 228) I think this gave Scout a different perspective on how she views people that may not be accepted in society. I think this was more important than hearing the cross examination because it shows us how Scout is changing her way of thinking and learning that there was nothing wrong with Mr. Raymond just people didn’t accept his way of life. I wasn’t very surprised by the verdict but in todays court I would be because I would like to think we are past that as a society. “He got it caught in a cotton gin, caught it in Mr. Dolphus Raymond’s cotton gin when he was a boy… like to bled to death … tore all the muscles loose from his bones” (Lee 211) This was convincing that the opposite verdict was coming and can convince the reader that the trial is swaying in Tom’s direction but in all reality it isn’t.

"You mean all you drink out that sack's Coca-cola? Just plain Coca-Cola?" "Yes Ma'am," Mr. Raymond Nodded." (Lee Page 228) Although it's just coca-cola, everyone around him and in Maycomb thought he was a drunk. But, this was just an act that he put on, and when Scout finds out, shes surprised. She begins to question him, but doesn't want to offend him, and backs off. He later explains that people believe he is drinking whiskey, and that's why he is the way he is, and he can't change his ways.  When in reality, he acts that way in order to be left alone.

I think it was important that we followed Scout and Dill instead of listen to the cross-examination because we start to realize how much is wrong with the community. Mr. Raymond has to pretend drunk in order for people to leave him alone and for the people to have an excuse as to why he acts like that. He has mixed babies, which is not okay in this time period. Although he is white, he prefers to be with the black community. There is a lot wrong in this community, specifically racial, and I think it was important that we followed them, as we got a little bit more of an in depth look at it. 

I was not surprised but the verdict, although I feel it was not the right decision. It was not surprising due to the racism that we saw so often earlier on, it was expected that they would go against a black man. ""You were screaming all this time?" "I certainly was" "Then why didn't the other children hear you? Where were they? The Dump" No answer." (Lee Page 213) During this whole interaction of all these questions, Mayella didn't say a word. This had made me believe that the verdict would be the opposite, and she had not expected him to ask a question such as that, and had no lie made up to answer.

The impact that moments like these have on the reader is it makes us think that Atticus may somehow be able to flip the ruling in their favor. 

"'Cry about the simple hell people give other people-without even thinking. Cry about the hell white people give colored folks, without even stopping to think they're people, too."' (pg.229 Lee) I think In this quote we get to see Mr. Rayominds true colors and what type of person he is, and this quote leads to Scout and Dills's opinion on the caser because they realize the severity of the case in a sense of how important it is.

In my opinion, the guilty verdict is no surprise, considering the circumstances of the case, the color barrier between the accused rapist and everyone else like the JUdge, lawyer, and jury would have made it hard for Mr. Robinson to win.

"Why don't you tell the truth, didn't Bob Ewell beat you up?" (Lee 213) Atticus had good evidence about how Mr. Ewell was a lefty and it made it look like the case was a turning point to go in Atticuses favor.

"I had a feeling that I shouldn't be talking to a sinful man who mixed children and didn't care who knew it, but he was fascinating"(Lee 228). I believe that scout and dill both are young but yet old enough to understand little parts of whats going on and them being in that courtroom probably wasn't the best idea so when they went and talked to Mr. Raymond I think it was good for them not to hear what is being said but also to have someone else talk to them about it. The verdict for me was saddening and very surprising because there was stuff that was brought up that in today's world would have been found not guilty. "She said she never kissed a grown man before an she might as well kiss a n****r. She says what her papa do to her don't count... I say Miss Mayella lemme outta here an tried to run but she got her back to the door an I'da had to push her"(Lee 221).  

“‘Here,’ he said, offering Dill his paper sack with straws in it. ‘Take a good sip, it’ll quieten you.’ Dill sucked on the straws, smiled, and pulled at length…’You mean all you drink in that sack’s Coca-Cola? Just plain Coca-Cola?’ ‘Yes ma’am,’ Mr. Raymond nodded…” (Lee 227-228)

This is Mr. Raymond offering Dill a sip of Coca-Cola from his bag, that everybody assumes is alcohol. Mr. Raymond explains that his way of living is different, and if he pretends to be drunk all the time, everybody just thinks that he is drunk. 

It is very important that we see this scene instead of the cross-examination, because Dill and Scout need to understand that everybody is truly good, if you bring it out of them. Mr. Raymond is the example of this, by everybody thinking he is drunk, when he is actually a very nice person. 

In order to understand deeper into the trial, we need to keep that in mind, so we can understand how horrible Tom Robinson’s situation actually is. 

Once Scout and Dill return, the verdict is that Tom Robinson is guilty, and will be sentenced to prison. I am not surprised at the verdict, given a white man’s word will almost always overpower a black man’s word, in this time period.

I thought that the verdict would have turned out to be innocent, given Mr. Ewell was found out to be left-handed. “Atticus was trying to show, it seemed to me, that Mr. Ewell could have beaten up Mayella. That much I could follow. If her right eye was blacked and she was beaten mostly on the right side of the face, it would tend to show that a left-handed person did it.” (Lee 202) If it was shown that Mr. Ewell was left-handed, and the injuries showed a left-handed person cold have done it, Mr. Ewell should have been found guilty.

"I had a feeling that I shouldn't be here listening to this sinful man who had mixed children and didn't care who knew it, but he was fascinating." (Lee 228) I think this quote is important because Scout thinks of Raymond differently now. She was always taught that Mr. Raymond was an evil man but he made her believe that he's not. Mr. Raymond has taught Dill and Scout that not everybody is what you think they are. I thought the verdict was kind of sad because Atticus lost and he basically did everything he possibly could. But the outcome didn't surprise me because I knew that the racism going on during this time would probably be a factor. "Who beat you up? Tom Robinson or your father?" (213) Atticus was making some really good points and he had a lot of good evidence. Moments like this can make the reader believe that Atticus was going to win.

"I had a feeling I shouldn't be here listening to this sinful man who had mixed children and didn't care who knew it, but he was fascinating." (Lee 228) I think that Scout and Dill are both old enough to know at least some of what is going on in the courtroom. I also think that Scout thinks of Raymond differently because everyone always told her he was a bad man and now she knows he's not. I was surprised by the verdict because in todays world I feel like we are passed that point and our society has changed since then and it surprised me a little.He blacked your lef teye with his right fist? I ducked and it glanced, that's what it did." (Lee 212) Thus was very convincing to me and from this statement I thought the verdict would've gone the other way because she said that it would most likely be someone who is left handed becuse the marks would've been on the other side and this definitely made me feel that the verdict would've gone the other way. 

'"I had a feeling that I shouldn't be here listening to this sinful man who had mixed children and didn't care who knew it, but he was fascinating"' (Lee, 228). I feel this is a good quote, because it changes Scout's point of view on the initial situation, as mixed children were far from common back in this time, so he was viewed as "evil" for that fact, as that was how people that back at that time.

"You mean all you drink in that sack's Coca-Cola? Just Plain Coca-Cola (Lee 228)."  This quote describes that Mr. Raymond never was an alcoholic and instead he drank soda out of a paper bag to show children that looks can be quite deceiving.  

It's important for the story to follow Scout and Dill instead of attending the Cross-Examination to build up the anticipation of the final verdict of the court and we mostly follow Scout and Dill because Scout is narrating as well and she didn't see the event.

"Dill watch out now," I warned. Dill released the straws and grinned. "Scott, it's nothing but Coca-Cola." Mr.Raymond sat up against the tree trunk. He had been lying on the grass."You little folks won't tell on me now, will you? It'd ruin my reputation if you did." (pg 227 Lee) This shows dill and scout how bad society is, this man would rather have people think he's a drunk than that he enjoys living in black society. This is more important because it gives us a different perspective and the story follows a young naive girl who doesn't see everything for what it is. Obviously I didn't like the verdict, but I actually was surprised. "Who beat you up? Tom Robinson or your father" No answer."(pg 213 Lee). Atticus made a very good case, so I thought maybe they would win. Quotes like these kind of put you in the shoes of someone young like jem or scout. We didn't live in this time period so we don't know how the jury would reacts, it keeps you guessing.

"Scout, it's nothing but Coca-Cola." Mr.Raymond sat up against the tree trunk. He had been lying on the grass."You little folks won't tell on me now, will you? It'd ruin my reputation if you did." (Lee 227) This gives us the idea that everyone is given a reputation and that could either allow them to be invisible, be normal, misunderstood, or used for something they didn't do. "His left arm was fully twelve inches shorter than his right, and hung dead at his side... I could see that it was no use to him" (Lee, 211) When this got said I instantly thought he was innocent because well it's common sense. this tells the reader how much of an influence the community has on the law and how people are convicted. 

'"I had a feeling that I shouldn't be here listening to this sinful man who had mixed children and didn't care who knew it, but he was fascinating"' (Lee, 228). This quote a good fit because it shows Scouts point of view in the situation, biracial children was not anything ordinary back in these times. He was viewed as "evil" for not caring about who knew his kids were mixed. 

"Scout, it's nothing but Coca-Cola." Mr.Raymond sat up against the tree trunk. He had been lying on the grass."You little folks won't tell on me now, will you? It'd ruin my reputation if you did." (Lee 227)  This shows that Mr. Raymond isn't an alcoholic after all. This whole time he has been drinking nothing but coca-cola. However, he makes the joke of having his reputation ruined because everyone in town thinks he is this bad, bad man who drinks a lot. 

These quotes put you into the shoes of a younger person during this time, Atticus made a good case but he still wasn't able to make it good enough to win the case.

¨I had a feeling that I shouldn't be here listening to this sinful man who had mixed children and didn't care who knew, but he was fascinating.(Lee 228) This quote shows how the black and white community interacts with each other, but however, scout now has a better understanding of Mr. Raymond. I think the kids are understanding that mixed kids are just people even thought people are calling this man who had them sinful.

You were screaming all this time? I certainly was. Then why didn't the other children hear you? Where were they? At the dump? No Answer. Where were they? Why didn't your screams make them come running? The dump's closer than the woods isn't it? No Answer (Lee 213)." This quote shows Mayella being left speechless whit no answer, with questions she couldn't answer to in trial he become gilty by Mayella just saying he did it. this is unfar to Tom and was later killed for her actions. 

this give the reader a point of view on what it was like in this time, it was very dangerous for African Americans to just live in this time and the book gives the reader a good poit of view on this.

"I had a feeling that I shouldn't be here listening to this sinful man who had mixed children and didn't care who knew it, but he was fascinating."(Lee 228) This quote is a good example because it shows Scouts point of view in the moment. Mixed kids were nothing normal back in those times so he was seen as evil. He was seen as evil because he did not care about the mixed children. "Scout, its nothing but Coca-Cola."(Lee 227) This quote shows Mr. Raymond showing Scout an example of "don't judge a book by its cover". Everybody believes he is a alcoholic so he made a joke about not telling anybody because it will ruin his reputation.  

"'I try to give'em a reason, you see. it helps folks if they can latch onto a reason. when i come to town, which is seldom, if i weave a little and drink out of this sack, folks can say dolphus raymond's in the clutches of whiskey - that's why he won't change his ways. he can't help himself, thats why he lives the way he does.'" (Lee 229) What i understood from this quote is that Mr.Raymond does this as his excuse for why he is with an african american women and their children. I think that this is important for scout to hear because she was one of them who believed that he was just a drunk and he lives his life because of that. Raymond showing her that it's not is kind of a subtle way of saying that the way he lives is the only way he can without push back from others because of his interracial relationship.

Its better that scout and dill hear Mr.Raymond because she shows a childlike perspective on the situation to make it more meaningful to the reader and showing them what lengths people go to just to live their life.

I feel like the verdict was going to be the outcome it was before they every started. many people in maycomb are racist and believe that african american lives don't matter as much as caucasians lives do. they don't care that they are ruining this mans life and his families because they dehumanize them because of their race. i am not surprised by the verdict because no matter how strong the case was just from seeing what i saw from this town people were not going to change their views for the trial.

"what did her father do? we don't know, but there is circumstantial evidence to indicate that mayella ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left. we do know in part that mr ewell did:...--he swore out a warrant, no doubt signing it with his left hand, and tom robinson now sits before you, having taken the oath with the only good hand he possesses-his right hand."(lee232)

I think the writer includes moments like these to try and convince the reader that something else is going to happen and then when the opposite happens they are shocked and it might intrigue the reader to read more.

"I had a feeling that I shouldn't be here listening to this sinful man who had mixed children and didn't care who knew, but he was fascinating"(Lee 228) I think that this quote shows how the White and colored communities share and differ on perspectives on their relationship with each other.

"Who beat you up? Tom Robinson or your father?"(Lee 213) This gives insight into the case because Atticus is aware that it was her father and was trying to get her to confess that it was her father. Atticus was devastated to find out he lost this case because this was very personal and special to him. He believed that her father was the one that should be going to jail rather than Tom.

"then pretend your half" (lee 228) scout and dill need to understand Mr. Raymond is not actually a drunk and it is all an act.  he has mixed babies and at the time was not seen as acceptable. in Scout's perspective, I don't think we would have understood as well either was as if Mr.Raymond were to explain it we could best understand it. I was not surprised about the verdict at all but I was disappointed in it though.  "why don't you just tell the truth, didn't Bob Ewell beat you up?" (lee 213) I think since Atticus couldn't win he turned the tables and showed the community that bob beat his daughter, this impacts the read to show Atticus never stopped until the end 

“Cry about the hell white people give colored folks, without even stopping to think that they’re people, too.” (Lee 229) Scout and Dill are already both better minded than many people at this time. With Scout constantly being taught by her father that race doesn’t make a person better or worse, and Dill having such a severe reaction to how Tom Robinson was being treated in trial, it shows that both children have the mental openness to really absorb what Mr. Raymond is explaining to them. I think it was better for Dill and Scout that they heard what Mr. Raymond had to say rather than hearing the cross examination because it's good for them to hear how another adult views black and white people. Now that they know Mr. Raymond isn’t a kooky drunk, but rather a normal man who believes in equality among races, they can start to think further about what's really keeping colored people from being treated the same way as white people. 

If I hadn’t heard what the verdict was before reading it I think I would have been surprised by it based on Jems enthusiasm and Atticus’s confidence during his closing statement. “Atticus was speaking easily, with the kind of detachment he used when he dictated a letter. He walked slowly up and down in front of the jury, and the jury seemed to be attentive:” (Lee 230) Moments like this give the reader hope for a different outcome than previously anticipated, and then they are forced to re-look the reasons as to why the outcome was what it was.

"I had a feeling that I shouldn't be here listening to this sinful man who had mixed children and didn't care who knew it, but he was fascinating." (Lee 228) This quote explains that talk the children had with Mr. Raymond and I chose this quote because it seemed to fit the best. The kids needed to have this talk with Mr. Raymond because if they did not they probably would not understand as well as they probably do now. Seeing things from another person perspective makes things better understanding and since they had talked to him about it and he does not think it is a huge deal that he did have mixed children (which was very frowned upon) shows the kids that it's almost okay that he did and that everyone else is allowed to have their own opinion but he genuinely doesn't care as long as others are happy. The kids missing that part was probably a good things because now they can see that it is not a huge deal that that had happened. Them seeing the trial play out instead probably would have made them think it was a bad thing.