The Negative Effect of the Tom Robinson TrialA small town in Alabama is seeing its personality change from admirable and friendly to unjust and prejudicial, simply because of a trial important. In the 1930s there were many trials that saw African Americans falsely accused. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a perfect example of this injustice. Many people have debated whether the trial affected Scout and Jem positively or affected them negatively. Because this process almost leads to their deaths, causes neighbors to criticize them, and puts them in dangerous positions, the process has had a negative effect on Scout and Jem. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The trial directly led to the attempted murder of Jem and Scout. Because Atticus attended the trial and actually defended an African American, Bob Ewell held a grudge against Atticus and his sons. In the darkness, after a play, Jem and Scout were walking home. Bob Ewell slowly walked up behind them and, “…slowly squeezed the breath out of me (Scout)” (Lee, 351). If it weren't for Arthur Radley saving them, Jem and Scout would have been murdered by Bob Ewell. This is a direct threat to Jem and Scout's safety. If Atticus hadn't taken the case, Jem and Scout would never have found themselves in that situation. Mr. Ewell was not the only neighbor to have changed his opinion of the Finch family. Many previously friendly neighbors have changed their minds because of the Tom Robinson trial. This led to the neighbors harassing and criticizing Jem and Scout. The Cunningham family did business with Atticus and were helped in court by him. The relationship between the Finch family and the Cunningham family was strong until the trial emerged. Mr. Cunningham participated in a mob that was attempting to kill Tom Robinson. This negatively affected Jem and Scout because they were put in a dangerous situation. Mrs. Dubose usually gave Jem and Scout a hard time when they passed her house. The insults intensified when Mrs. Dubose described the Finch family's future, "not just a Finch waiting tables but one in court defending the Negroes!" (Lee, 135). This makes Jem and the scout angry, annoyed, and worried about walking past Mrs. Dubose's house. Scout and Jem are very defensive towards their father, which is why Mrs. Dubose's comments irritate them. This is significant because Scout and Jem have to pass Mrs. Dubose's house on their way to town; this limits the number of times Jem and Scout go to town. Although the trial changed the neighbors' opinions, some of their protests put Jem and Scout in dangerous positions. The anger shown towards Atticus and the Finches has put Jem and Scout in dangerous positions. An example that demonstrates this is when the mob came to the prison attempting to capture Tom Robinson. Scout and Jem were both there in the middle of an angry, drunken mob. One of the mob members, “….grabbed Jem roughly by the collar. It almost lifted Jem off the ground. "Don't touch it!" I kicked the man quickly. (Lee, 203-204). This occasion demonstrates how dangerous it is to even be associated with this process. Even though Jem and Scout played no decisive role in solving the trial, they were still targeted because they are Atticus' children. Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird shows the amount of danger that comes from Atticus's defense of Tom Robinson. This decision almost gets his children killed because Bob Ewell.