This is because Atticus along with Miss Maudie are two of the very few compassionate, non-hypocritical, good, honest people in Maycomb.
When the trial date finally arrives in Maycomb the town's people are very excited. ‘It was like a Saturday' despite the fact that a young man's life is at stake.
Harper Lee is ironising the atmosphere to show the town's excitement. All Maycomb residences attend the trial in their Sunday best. This reflects the town and its small community where nothing really happens.
The majority of the town attended the trial expect Miss Maudie. She says '… I have no business with the court this morning… 't's morbid, watching a poor devil on trial for his life. Look at those folk, it's like a Roman carnival'
This is because Miss Maudie is one of Harper Lee's genuine, virtuous characters. She is a dynamic character and a lively individual and is not racist or hypocritical like the rest of Maycomb.
The trial reveals the town's true racism. In the courtroom the blacks are separated from the whites. This is shown in the quote, ' The Negroes, having waited for the white people to go upstairs, begun to go in… the coloured balcony ran along three walls of the courtroom.' This is because the black people of Maycomb are considered inferior to the whites. This suggest that Tom Robinson will receive unfair treatment throughout his trial due to him being accused of raping a white girl he is guilty before being trialed.
The jury is formed of all white male farmers. This is shown in the quote, ' Sun-burned, lanky, they seemed to be all farmers, but this was natural.' Being farmers suggests that they are uneducated, and them all being white is another factor that proves unfairness in the trial.
Heck Tate is the first person to give a testimony. He says ' Mr Ewell came in, very excited he was and said get out to his house quick, some nigger'd raped his girl.'
This account is biased as he reporting what Bob Ewell has told him. Heck says ' … she had a small throat, anybody could'a reached around it with - ' This is prejudicial evidence.
Bob Ewell is the next character to give their testimony. Harper Lee's portrayal of Bob Ewell's character is not sympathetic. '… a little bantam cock of a man rose and strutted to the stand…' This is not a flattening portrayal and is a metaphor for how full of confidence and arrogant he is.
Bob Ewell is another unreliable witness. He blatantly lies and constantly uses uncouth language. He says, ' - I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin' on my Mayella.'
Bob Ewell is both racist and rude. He says ' … lived down yonder in that nigger-nest, passed the house everyday.' This is blatant racism and is allowed in the court without any objection.
Harper Lee makes it clear to the reader that Mr Ewell's testimony is a well rehearsed tale.
It says ' He'd say it again and again.' This suggests deceit.
Atticus makes the point that Mr Ewell could have beaten Mayella. This is due to the fact that ' her right eye was blacked and she was beaten mostly on the right side of the face, it would tend to show that a left-handed person did it.' and as Tom Robinson's left hand is disabled it couldn't have been him. '… ran his finger under his hand and lifted it … raised his right hand, the useless one slipped off the Bible…'
This is strong reliable evidence unlike the testimonies of Heck Tate, Bob Ewell and Mayella and proves that the trial never should have happened.
All the trial accounts and the attitude of the town's people towards the trial and all the people involved i.e. Tom Robinson, Atticus and the children reveal the town's racist, prejudice, hypocritical nature.
