In ¨To Kill a Mockingbird¨ by Harper Lee, one memorable quotation comes from Atticus finch as he speaks to Scout.
¨But there is one way in this world in which all men are created equal-there is one human institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein, and the ignorant man the equal of any collage president. That institution, gentlemen, is a court. ¨ (p. 220)
This statement is made by Atticus during his closing argument in the trial of Tom Robinson, a black man wrongly accused of raping a white woman. Atticus is attempting to appeal to the jury’s sense of justice, urging them to set aside their racial prejudices and deliver a verdict based on the evidence, not societal biases. I like this quote because it highlights Atticus’s firm belief in the power of the justice system to provide equality, despite the flaws and injustices in society. It reflects his integrity and unwavering sense of morality, showing that he has not given up on the potential for fairness and righteousness. Even though we know that Tom Robinson’s trial is tainted by the prejudices of the time, this quote still stands as a powerful reminder of the idealism of the law and the hope that, in the right circumstances, true justice can prevail. It encapsulates the themes of equality and fairness in the novel, which are at the heart of the social struggles the book addresses.