Tom Robinson's Ethos In To Kill A Mockingbird

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In order to convince the jury that Tom Robinson was innocent, Atticus first had to establish ethos for Tom. He did this by utilizing delayed sentences in his speech. When Atticus said that Mr. Ewell signed his name “with his left hand, and Tom Robinson, [took] the oath with the only good hand he possessed-- his right hand,” it not only established credibility to Tom, but also took credibility away from Mr. Ewell. The way Atticus used a delayed sentence to create more impact at the end of the sentence had a bigger effect than if he stated his point in the middle or end of the sentence. Because Mr. Ewell lost his credibility, and Tom gained more credibility, Atticus was able to influence the citizens of Maycomb’s opinions.
Other literary devices Atticus used to prove Tom’s innocence were allusions. Atticus talked about how the court is a place where “... a pauper [is] the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein.” He informed the jury and the people …show more content…
Atticus talked about how Maycomb County assumed that “all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around women, an assumption one associates with minds of their caliber.” This created guilt within the people who were watching the trial. The audience knew what atticus was saying was true, and they felt ashamed. The use of allusions further developed a feeling of pathos because every time Atticus repeated “all Negroes,” there was more emphasis and impact in his words. Another way anaphora helped convey pathos was afterwards when Atticus changed his phrasing and said, “some Negroes lie, some Negroes are immoral, some Negro men are not to be trusted around women-- black or white.” Atticus used “all” when talking about what Maycomb County assumed, but used “some” when talking about the truth. This shows that Maycomb county was wrong about assuming that all negroes were bad, and created more

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