At the beginning of Chapter 9, Scout asks Atticus why Cecil Jacobs said that he defended niggers. Atticus explains to Scout that he will be defending a Negro named Tom Robinson and encourages her to keep her cool and not react with violence when provoked. Scout then asks Atticus if he is going to win the case, and Atticus responds by saying, "No, honey" (Lee 49). Scout is confused at his answer and asks why he chooses to defend Tom. Atticus says,
"Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win" (Lee 49).
Towards the end of Chapter 9, Atticus has a conversation with his brother, John Hale Finch, about accepting the Tom Robinson case. Uncle Jack asks Atticus how bad the case is going to be because Atticus hadn't said much about it. Atticus tells Jack that it couldn't be worse. He says that there is no evidence, and it is simply a black man's word against the Ewells'. Atticus comments, "The jury couldn’t possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson’s word against the Ewells'" (Lee 55). Atticus knows that he doesn't have a chance to win the case, but mentions that he wants to "jar the jury a bit" before the trial is over. However, Atticus does think he has a reasonable chance on an appeal.
Atticus then mentions that he hoped to get through life without a case like this, but he was chosen to defend Tom and plans on representing him to the best of his ability. Atticus says, "I’d hoped to get through life without a case of this kind, but John Taylor pointed at me and said, ‘You’re It.’" (Lee 56). When Jack asks if Atticus will let the case pass from him and not defend Tom, Atticus responds by saying,
"Right. But do you think I could face my children otherwise? You know what’s going to happen as well as I do, Jack, and I hope and pray I can get Jem and Scout through it without bitterness, and most of all, without catching Maycomb’s usual disease" (Lee 56).
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