Final answer:
The Scottsboro Boys and Tom Robinson from 'To Kill a Mockingbird' share similar experiences of racial injustice, with both being African American males falsely accused of raping white women and facing biased trials. The main difference is that the Scottsboro Boys were real people, whereas Tom Robinson is fictional. The outcomes also differ, with the Scottsboro Boys' case undergoing several legal turns, while Tom Robinson's story ends within the novel.
Step-by-step explanation:
The similarities between the story of the Scottsboro Boys and the story of Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird are numerous and revolve primarily around themes of racial injustice in the American South during the early 20th century. Both cases involve African American males falsely accused of raping white women, and both are subject to trials that are heavily influenced by racism. The defendants in both cases suffer from the biases of an all-white jury, illustrating the widespread prejudice and systemic discrimination of the time. There are, however, crucial differences. The Scottsboro Boys were actual people who faced these injustices in Alabama in 1931, while Tom Robinson is a fictional character from Harper Lee's novel, set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama. Another difference lies in the aftermath, with the Scottsboro Boys facing a series of trials, appeals, and retrials over the years, while the story of Tom Robinson concludes within the novel itself.