Journal #7 - Chapters 17-19 - Perspective: Tom Robinson

Dear Diary,
I was blamed for raping a girl but when she came to me and kissed me out of no where. I liked her but its different when I'm a nigger. The weird thing was when Atticus was cross examining Mayella they found out she had no friends and her dad is left handed. One thing that Dill and Jem see in the court session was that Toms right arm was 12 inches shorter than the other. When Atticus was accusing Mayella they found out that her father is a drunk and is right handed. When your right handed, if you were to hit a girl it be most beat up on the left side of her face. So I couldn't be me. Something that Atticus has also found out was Mayella and Bob's story did not match up.

I kind of thought it was funny that Mayella her self could not answer Atticus' questions. He kept on asking her why she did not put up a fight or why did her screams not attract people to come running to see whats up. After asking so many questions they finally got a real answer. Mayella had admitted that she did not get rape her father beat her. Because that he was a drunk and he was left handed also how he could not stay still looking all nervous, it was that that made us believe what happened.

Up next was Me it was time for me to go up because I was the only witness left. I told the court that I always walk passed the house in the morning. I also told them the real story. When I was walking passed the house like I always do Mayella her self had told me that she needed help taking apart a dresser. So I thought I help also because she said she would give me a nickel. The worst part had just begin, Mr Wilmar starting telling lots of questions and trying to prove that I have the strength even with one hand to beat up a girl. I have been trying to prove that I had never caused trouble in all my 8 years of working so why would I start now?