Question

To Kill A Mockingbird

Miss Maudie and Atticus offer Jem a number of reasons why the Tom Robinson case showed signs of progress in the fight against prejudice, even if these were only “baby steps.” Name one reason that Miss Maudie gives Jem and another that Atticus gives him to explain this progress.

Answer 1

Miss Maudie and Atticus highlight the jury's lengthy deliberation and some members' willingness to consider Tom Robinson's innocence as indicators of incremental progress against prejudice in 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.

Step-by-step explanation:

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Miss Maudie offers Jem the perspective that the fact that Atticus was appointed to defend Tom Robinson and the jury took a long time to deliberate are signs of progress against prejudice. It indicates that instead of an instant, thoughtless conviction, there was careful consideration, which is quite a step forward for the time and place. This small change in the judicial process suggests a slow but growing movement towards greater empathy and justice for African Americans. Similarly, Atticus sees the willingness of some of the jury members to consider Tom's innocence as a sign of progress. He recognizes that despite the eventual guilty verdict, the mindset among the people was shifting, albeit gradually.

Answer 2

After the trial, Jem, Scout and Dill go over to Miss Maudie's house to eat cake. Jem is disappointed with the outcome of the trial, and he now thinks less of the townspeople. However, Miss Maudie tells him that not everything is lost, and that Atticus still made a significant contribution to the town.

One of the reasons Miss Maudie gives is the fact that Atticus made the people think about the issue for longer than anyone had before. She thinks this is a good sign and a step towards the future, even if it is just a "baby step."

Atticus, on the other hand, has a more concrete source of hope. After being devastated with the outcome of the trial, he tells Jem that hope should not be lost yet, as there is a chance that the case can be appealed in a higher court.