Walter Cunningham does not approve of Atticus defending Tom Robinson.
Walter Cunningham is the father of one of Scout’s classmates. He is part of a family of poor white farmers who are on the lower levels of Maycomb’s power structure. Like many people of Maycomb, he does not approve of Atticus defending Tom Robinson. Walter and a group of others decide to do something about it.
One night before the trial, Atticus stays up outside the jail waiting for something. The children do not know what, but when they show up they realize there is a mob of people. They are trying to get Atticus to let them get to Tom Robinson.
“You know what we want,” another man said. “Get aside from the door, Mr. Finch.”
“You can turn around and go home again, Walter,” Atticus said pleasantly. “Heck
Tate’s around somewhere.”
“The hell he is,” said another man. “Heck’s bunch’s so deep in the woods they won’t get out till mornin‘.” (Ch. 15)
This is a lynchmob. However, Atticus will have none of it. He wants to protect his client at all costs, because he is a good lawyer and because he is wily. He finds out what is going to happen and gets in the way, making it harder for them to get to Robinson.
Scout later asks Atticus if Walter Cunningham is a bad man, but he tells her that he was just part of a mob. Cunningham had a blind spot, and until Scout stepped up and started talking to him he didn’t realize it.
“…A mob’s always made up of people, no matter what. Mr. Cunningham was part of a mob last night, but he was still a man. Every mob in every little Southern town is always made up of people you know—doesn’t say much for them, does it?” (Ch. 15)
Atticus reminds Scout that every mob is made up of people. While there are many in Maycomb who do not approve of Atticus defending Tom Robinson, he does not think that Walter Cunningham would have hurt him badly. He thinks that Walter just got a little carried away with the excitement of the trial.
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