07/26/1935
Dear Diary
Today Jem, Dill and I went to Tom Robinson’s trial. Jeepers! I ain’t
nine yet so I couldn’t really understand the entire case n’ I was confounded.
Dill asked Reverend Skyes what it was all about, but Reverend Skyes said he
didn’t know. But I could tell somethin’ was wrong though when those lawyers’
faces looked mad.
According to Mr. Heck Tate’s testify; Mr Ewell thinks ‘some nigger’d
raped his girl n’ beat her’ I remember Mr Ewell pointing at Tom Robinson and
said, ‘I remember I seen that Black negger yonder ruttin’ on my Mayella!’
Which I didn’t really understand what he meant. I felt sorry for Mayella
because she looked so fragile. When Atticus asked her if she had any
friends, she looked puzzled. I think she doesn’t have friends like I do. I
know I have friends, like Dill. I wonder what her life is like…
I remember Mr. Gilmer asked Mr. Ewell whether he was
am…ambideksterus or ambidextrous? Somethin’ like that, I c’n spell properly,
too hard. I didn’t know what he meant but I think he meant someone who can
write or do other things with both hands. The minute when Tom went up to
that podium, I found myself believing in him… he seemed to be a respectable
Negro. MOST IMPORTANTLY!! Tom was definitely not ambideksterus
because his left arm was much shorter than his right, and looked dead at his
side. I saw Tom crippled when he walked, so I don’t think Tom Robinson could
choke ‘n’ beat Mayella again ‘n’ again.
Hmmm… honestly! I had a bad feeling before judge Taylor read out
the verdict. A bad bad feeling, a lonely, isolated feeling. It was exactly the
same as a cold February morning, when the mockingbirds were still.
They called it a sentence, which means they didn’t believe him. I don’t
understand why… he seemed to be an innocent man. How come after all
Atticus had done for him, he was still charged as guilty?? Was it because he
was a Negro? I am sad, I know a lot of people are racist against Tom
Robinson’s color. No matter how hard Atticus tried to defend him, nothin’
changed. I couldn’t help but to question myself: “Who in this town did one
thing to help Tom Robinson, just who?” Even my cousin, Francis made fun of
me because Atticus was to defend Tom Robinson in court. I punched her
because she upset Atticus by saying that he was ruining the family.
I remember Atticus once said to me: “ You never really understand a
person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into
his skin and walk around in it.” I think I know what Atticus is trying to say
now. Although Tom Robinson might’ve been innocent, nobody chose to believe
him because of his skin color. I realize that ain’t nobody in Maycomb acts
like Atticus; ain’t nobody acts with good intentions. Although Atticus didn’t
win the trial, he is still the BEST father in the world! I learned from him
that the outcome was not important as long as I follow the principles. Just
like Atticus, despite that he didn’t win the trial; he still did what he believed
to defend Tom Robinson, when the majority of Maycomb was against his
actions 
Word count: 560