And, as unfortunate as this was, he accepted that for he had tried his best. This allows the juxtaposed words to be as . Definition and Examples of Antithesis as a Literary Device. " Here are the two reasons he gives to develop his argument. Atticus Finch, one of the towns best lawyers has an insurmountable task ahead of him when he takes on the case of defending Tom from an extremely biased jury. Speakers use antithesis to drive home the stakes of what they are saying, sometimes by contrasting two distinct visions of the future. 271 -275) Identify the rhetorical appeals being used and how they are used Example: "The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence to the effect that the crime Tom Robinson is charged with ever took place" (Lee 271). 9.02 EXAMPLE OF A CLOSING ARGUMENT The following example should give you a feeling for the scope and structure of a closing argument. The Project Gutenberg EBook of Bacon's Essays and Wisdom of the Ancients, by Francis Bacon This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts o By taking on this case, Atticus is honoring his morals to persuade as much as he can to get the jury on the right side, instead of what feels right to them. The aural patterning of the antithesis, its tightness and predictability, are critical to appreciating how the syntax of the figure can be used to force semantic opposites" ( Rhetorical Figures in Science, 1999). Structurally, the contrasting ideas (be it concepts, words, phrases or sentences) are placed in sharp juxtaposition and sustained tension, i.e. Even the black, Tom Robinson is a young African-American who's been accused of raping and abusing Mayella Ewell, a young and closeted white woman. The antithesis of everything about her quite little life. Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven. Some examples of oxymorons include: The focus of antithesis is opposites rather than contradictions. . Atticus, thus, comes up with logos as his last option to convince his audience that Tom is indeed innocent of the charges. Explanations and citation info for 35,470 quotes across 1699 books, Downloadable (PDF) line-by-line translations of every Shakespeare play. Atticus starts by building pity for Mayella Ewell. Atticus Finchs final speech to the jury in Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird inspires readers of all ages. It was customary to believe a white persons word over a black persons word, just based on skin tone alone (274). Ford 9 Inch Rear End Gear Ratios Chart, Despite knowing the true cause of Mayella Ewells injuries, Atticus knew he would lose the case. 2. Fundamentally, writers of all types use antithesis for its ability to create a clear contrast. No guts, no glory. Atticus also says All men are created equal, a phrase that the Yankees and the distaff side of the Executive branch in Washington are fond of hurling at us. When Atticus says this it reminds the jury to have compassion because all men are created equal. When Atticus was first assigned Tom Robinsons case he received many jeers such as the above. Our courts have their faults, as does any human institution, but in this country our courts are the great levelers, and in our courts all men are created equal. This relates to Atticus's belief that all people should be treated equally especially in a court of law, where people should not be convicted solely the race they are, but rather the evidence against them. Atticus' neighbor states, " don't see why you touched it in the first place You've got everything to lose from this Atticus. Let those who worship evil's might Beware my powerGreen lantern's light! He relates the jury the honorable and trustworthy trait of the court. Tom Robinson now sits before you, having taken the oath with the only good hand he possesseshis right hand. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs. Examples of Antithesis in Literature 1. In the name of God, do your duty. Atticus becomes very passionate during this last moments of his closing argument, almost pleading or even begging the jury to make the moral, and just decision; to actually analyses the evidence, and events. Honor is crucial no matter the situation, so to compress the film version of To Kill a Mockingbird by eliminating scenes that encourage honor, discards a valuable principle for viewers to grasp. They show how he mentions living and dead putting them side by side. She did something every child has doneshe tried to put the evidence of her offense away from her. From the moment Atticus accepts Robinson 's case, he knew he would have a slim chance of winning the court 's vote, yet if Atticus decided to not defend Robinson, all the times he told Scout and Jem to do the right thing would have been prodigal. The witness for the statehave presented themselves to you gentlemen, to this court, in the cynical confidence that their testimony would not be doubted, confident that you gentlemen would go along with them on the assumption--the evil assumption--that all Negroes lie, that all Negroes are basically immoral beings, that all Negro men are not to be trusted around our women it does require you to be sure beyond all reasonable doubt as to the guilt of the defendant. I have asked my client to leave the courtroom, as I had asked him not to be here during the medical . In "To Kill A Mockingbird", Atticus Finch's closing argument has multiple elements that allow him to get his point across. Antithesis is a literary device designed to highlight the difference/s of two irreconcilable opposites. The novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, set in the 1930s, details the lives of Atticus, Jem, and Scout Finch, an atypical family living in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, having to face the hardships that come with the times they live in. Learn the antithesis definition and see antithesis examples in literature and other fields. I guess it was because Atticus wasn't a thunderer. Present a stark choice between two alternatives. Here are some examples of antithesis from famous speeches: "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." - Martin Luther King, Jr. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your country. Plural: antitheses. Ex. Atticus explains to Scout the reason as to why he must fight for Robinson is due to the fact that if he chose not to accept this case, his purpose for being who he is in this town would be meaningless. One of the most famous examples of rhetoric in literature is Atticus's speech in Chapter Twenty of To Kill a Mockingbird. Likewise, counsel in closing argument must not appeal to the jury's economic fears and passions. Parallelism is an important part of antithesis. In the Temptations Song "My Girl," the singer uses antithesis when he says: "When it's cold outside, I've got the month of May.". All of the personal beliefs of the characters were affected by their, Atticus Finchs closing argument in Tom Robinsons criminal trial attempted to prove that Tom Robinson was innocent of the crime of raping Mayella Ewell, and thus should be found innocent by the jury. Those who had white skin, received more privileges than those with dark skin. Each "side" of the phrase has the same number of words and the same structure. They're ugly, but those are the facts of life" (220). He believes all people make mistakes, everyone is human, and that no race is superior than another because of skin colour. She has committed no crime, she has merely broken a rigid and time-honoured code of our society, a code so severe that whoever breaks it is hounded from our midst as unfit to live with. Should I stay or should I go now? The state has not produced one iota of medical evidence. Ethos,Pathos and Logos to prove to the jury that his client is innocent and can walk out of court that day a free man. Antithesis works best when it is used in conjunction with. What was the evidence of her offence? As any book critic will tell you Atticus gives one of the greatest speeches in literary history in order to defend Tom Robinson. "A perfectly formed antithesis," says Jeanne Fahnestock, combines " isocolon, parison, and perhaps, in an inflected . Also, he was emotionally invested in this case, and he knew that his conscience would not allow him to do what was not right, regardless of others opinions. the stupid man equal of an Einstein, and an ignorant man equal of any college president. Atticuss last plea to the jury, trying one final time to persuade them.I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. I know not what course others may take: but as for me, give me liberty or give me death. Name four key points of Atticus' closing arguments. Even though Atticus showed courage in helping Tom, people could not take a black person's word over a white's. The antithesis is found in multiple aspects of this quotation. This principle seems to guide Atticus's commitment to doing right even when there is no hope of success. The structure of the words around the contrasting ideas is usually identical, at least in . The White Savior Complex: a white individual will engage in an activity to benefit those of color for personal satisfaction. That institution, gentlemen, is a court. examples of antithesis in atticus closing argumenthas anyone won awake: the million dollar game Instead of making his speech specifically about Tom Robinson, Atticus stated that some people of a race may lie, but that is true for all humans, no matter what the color of their skin is. Last updated: Sep 29, 2021 3 min read. In this catchy oath, Green Lantern uses antithesis to emphasize that his mission to defeat evil will endure no matter the conditions. Antithesis can be defined as "a figure of speech involving a . Examples of Antithesis: 1. (84)"Popped me like a cork on pavement." Taylor knew that Finch would work diligently toward Robinson's case, when compared to other attorneys. Cha c phn loi . You can't "excite and inflame the minds of the jury against one of the litigants [or] appeal to their passions and prejudices." 2A M.J. It was clear that the people in the court do know that what Atticus says is true. In brightest day, in blackest night, No evil shall escape my sight. (52) For instance, Neil Armstrong used antithesis when he stepped onto the surface of the moon in 1969 and said, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." there is one institution that makes a pauper the equal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man equal of Einstein in our courts all men are created equal. We must, as moral people, take ourselves out of our bodies, and place our minds into another man's mind, a human being's mind, one of Tom Robinson and imagine the trials and tribulations he must face as an innocent man. This statement is used to remind the jurors of their important duties. Authors and speakers use antithesis between characters, concepts and situations to draw contrasts in their work which can be a very effective way to persuade an audience to support a character, vote a certain way or even buy a particular product. So, both in court and in daily life, a black mans word was seen as less valuable than a white mans word, and therefore was less valid in their eyes. Tom Robinson now sits before you, having taken the oath with the only good hand he possesses--his right hand. Atticus shows empathy and and incites those around him when he says, "There is not a person in this courtroom who has never told a lie, who has never looked upon a woman without desire" (Lee). Authors and speakers use antithesis between characters, concepts and situations to draw contrasts in their work which can be a very effective way to persuade an audience to support a character, vote a certain way or even buy a particular product.