In Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, Tom Robinson's death comes as a bit of a shock. Immediately after the trial, there is the (slim) possibility of getting an appeal, but then Atticus abruptly announces Tom Robinson was shot and killed while trying to escape prison. Though there are many valid opinions regarding why Lee had Tom Robinson die, I believe she included this plot point to illustrate the hopelessness and despair of the black community in racist Maycomb. Tom Robinson tried to escape because he knew he was never going to get a fair trial; his attempt was an example of extreme desperation. By including this moment in the plot, Lee illustrates the hopelessness a black individual feels in a white, racist community, and she further emphasizes the extent of the obstacles facing those trying to fight racial prejudice.
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