To Kill A Mockingbird Essay - Paragraph 1 Hi! I'm writing an essay for my English class, but wanted someone to help me peer-check it. This is only the first paragraph. Thanks a lot! CLAIM: In the book “To Kill A Mockingbird” Harper Lee demonstrates the destruction of innocence through racial injustice, in childhood as well as in good intentions. In “To Kill A Mockingbird” Harper Lee demonstrates how innocence can be destroyed through racial injustice. In the story, Tom Robinson, an African-American man is accused of raping and abusing Mayella Ewell, whom the townsfolk call “white trash.” During Tom’s testimony we learn vital facts, such as his left arm is “useless” and is described as “rubber-like.”(p254) Additionally, the court finds out Tom was simply helping Ms Ewell, and denied payment, stating he “knowed she didn’t have no nickels to spare.” (p256) All these extracts are an indication towards the basis that Tom is an innocent man. However, his testimony proved to be in vain, as he was later imprisoned and shot whilst serving out his sentence. From his testimony, it’s easy to see how Tom is an innocent man. Harper Lee has constructed a man that is incapable of the crime both mentally and physically. However, a turning point in the case is when Tom is questioned about denying payment, as he replies that he “felt right sorry for her.” (p264) Which is met with a negative reaction. From this particular extract we can see an unspoken social hierarchy announce itself. Admitting to feeling sorry for somebody is equivalent to saying they are worse off, or less fortunate than yourself. Though the Ewell family is regarded as “white trash” and are located at a lower tier of the social hierarchy, they are still held in higher regard than African people, or “Negroes,” who hold the lowest social position possible. From this extract we can see how this society does not function on the basis that all people are innocent until proven guilty, but all African people are guilty until proven otherwise. Tom was sentenced to prison as he was the first man to truly challenge the court, and thus challenging this hierarchical society. The court, obviously afraid of a shift or a change in the hierarchical society in which they control, sentence him to prison, not based on whether if he is guilty or innocent, but because he is black and not white. From this we can see how Harper Lee demonstrates the destruction of Tom’s innocence and good intentions through racial injustice.