Chapter 18/19: Why does Dill cry? Explain the situation in detail. How does this relate back to Atticus’s comment about having a police force of children? (210) (Jack)

       Dill cries because he feels that Mr. Gilmer is being racially unjust to Tom Robinson during his prosecution. In Chapters 18 and 19, the reader learns more about what happened on the night of November 21st of the last year. Mr. Gilmer prosecutes Mayella and Tom Robinso, but when prosecuting Tom Robinson he uses language like "boy" and speaks to him in an unprofessional and uncivil manner. While prosecuting Tom Robinson, Mr. Gilmer says, "Are you being impudent to me, boy?" (Lee 265). This reveals that Mr. Gilmer isn't showing Tom Robinson respect as he does Mayella. Tom shows Mr. Gilmer respect and is very polite and respectful when he speaks to him. He knows very well that he did not rape Mayella and shows to Mr. Gilmer that he has nothing to hide.

       After Dill and Scout leave the courthouse, Dill says, "That old Mr. Gilmer doin' him that way, talking so hateful to him---" (Lee 265) Dill doesn't understand how Mr. Gilmer can be so unjust to Tom Robinson when Tom was doing nothing wrong. He says that Mr. Finch doesn't treat black people that way and says it is sick that Mr. Gilmer would use that type of language to put Tom Robinson down and make him feel small. Scout says that Atticus is the same in the courtroom as he is on public streets, which is ironic because Mr. Gilmer is the complete opposite. Mr. Gilmer ignores the facts and evidence and places the blame on Tom Robison solely because of the color of his skin. He has no empathy for Tom Robinson and doesn't understand how it feels to have your name be in the same sentence as rape. Tom was only trying to help Mayella but was put in a sticky situation and convicted of rape because he is a black man in the 1930's who was at the scene of a rape.

       This relates back to Atticus's comment and the topic of empathy because it shows that even if someone like Mr. Gilmer has blind spots, he is still human. If Dill can have empathy for Tom Robinson, so can a grown adult like Mr. Gilmer. Dill's tears in this chapter are like the police force. If Mr. Gilmer were to see his tears and see the empathy Dill has for Tom Robinson than it would force him to step into Tom's shoes and realize that his racial unjustness is completely wrong.