Tom Robinson

Tom Robinson, played by Brock Peters in To Kill a Mockingbird, did NOT deserve what he got.

He went out of his way to help Mayella Ewell by doing her chores for her out of sympathy for her, and instead of being grateful, she got him in trouble by lying about him raping her – which, for a black man, is a public offense punishable by death if he allegedly does this to a white woman.

Most other white people automatically choose to believe this lie - and even after the sympathetic and brave Atticus Finch proves Tom to be in fact innocent, Tom is found guilty anyway – only because he's black. He's murdered soon thereafter. Very tragic – and unjust.

Although Tom is murdered for a crime he didn't commit, at least he knew Atticus – a white man - made every effort to prevent this. Tom Robinson was punished for doing the right thing, which is why I call him a mockingbird.