is convicted.

Tom Robinson's conflict is with a justice system that delivers no hope of justice for him because of his race. Although Atticus is appointed because he represents Tom's best hope, the jury cannot be swayed to dismiss the charges against Tom. Twelve white men sit on his jury, and only one actually considers the evidence. While Tom's character is impeccable, the Ewells are known as being troublesome. Nevertheless, the jury sides with Mayella's obviously false claims because she is white.

Because of his true desire to defend Tom Robinson, Atticus finds himself in conflict with Bob Ewell following the trial. Atticus is willing to accept Bob's verbal assaults (and even at least one instance of Bob spitting in his face) in an effort to spare Mayella some harm; however, he fails to consider that Bob will eventually strike where it hurts Atticus most—his own children. Eventually, this places Jem and Scout in a deadly conflict with Bob Ewell.

Here are a dozen examples of conflict within To Kill a Mockingbird.

• Boo Radley and his father. Boo's father hid him away inside the Radley house following Boo's arrest. Boo later stabbed him in the leg with a pair of scissors.
• Miss Caroline and Scout.  Miss Caroline didn't approve of Scout's ability to read and write cursive.
• Miss Caroline and Burris Ewell.  Burris threatened his teacher after she complained about his dirty appearance and head lice.
• Scout and Walter Cunningham Jr.  Scout beat up Walter after she determined it was his fault that she got in trouble with Miss Caroline.
• Scout and Calpurnia.  Calpurnia punishes Scout after Scout questions Walter's use of syrup on all of his food.
• Scout and Aunt Alexandra.  Aunt Alexandra refused to allow Walter to visit the house because "he is trash."
• Scout and Cousin Francis.  After Cousin Francis calls Atticus a "nigger-lover," Scout split her knuckle on his teeth.
• Jem and Mrs. Dubose.  After Mrs. Dubose insulted Scout and Atticus, Jem destroyed her camellias. Jem then had to read to her for a month, extending the conflict even further.
• Bob Ewell and Atticus.  Bob spit tobacco in Atticus' face and threatened him.
• Bob Ewell and Helen Robinson.  Bob stalked Tom's wife and threatened her.
• Mayella Ewell and Tom Robinson.  Mayella's accusations got Tom arrested for rape; Tom denied it and blamed Mayella.
• Miss Maudie and Miss Merriweather.  After Miss Merriweather insulted Atticus, Miss Maudie icily retorted.

The major conflict throughout the novel centers on Atticus's decision to represent and defend Tom Robinson in front of a prejudiced jury and community. Atticus's decision to defend Tom is extremely unpopular throughout the racist community of Maycomb and causes his family problems throughout the novel. Atticus and his children are ridiculed, and he is labeled a "nigger-lover." Scout and Jem are forced to defend their father on more than one occasion and encounter dangerous situations because of Atticus's stance. In chapter 15, the Finch family ends up preventing a lynch mob from harming Tom Robinson before the trial. Later on in the novel, Scout and Jem are attacked by Bob Ewell, who wishes to enact revenge on their family after Atticus "ruined" his reputation. Tom's wrongful conviction leads to his subsequent death as he is shot escaping from the Enfield Prison Farm, and Atticus's children are forced to alter their perspectives on their hometown.

In addition to the main conflict revolving around Atticus's defense of Tom Robinson, other significant conflicts involve Scout understanding the true identity of her reclusive neighbor, Boo Radley and the Finch family's response to the malevolent Bob Ewell.

It's not really possible to pin down a single conflict in Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. There are actually two major plots: Part One of the novel focuses on Jem's and Scout's fascination with their unseen neighbor, Boo Radley. The primary conflict in this section is the children's fear of Boo vs. their unquenchable urge to get a look at him. The children eventually come to realize that Boo is friendly enough, though the section ends with Boo still being invisible to them.

Part Two of the novel deals with the trial of Tom Robinson. There are many conflicts concerning the trial: Atticus' decision to defend a black man accused of raping a white woman is the major one. Whether Tom will receive a fair trial because he is black is another. The family's standing in the town is compromised because of Atticus' decision, and eventually, all of the Finches come to realize that Bob Ewell's threats following the trial may be for real.

The final conflict of the novel arises when the two plots are tied together in the end. When Bob Ewell, who had made the false charges against Tom, attacks Jem and Scout on a dark Halloween night, it is Boo who emerges to save them, killing Bob in the process. Though it is never discussed, Boo's decision to protect the children must have been a trying one; Sheriff Tate then has to resolve the conflict with a decision of his own.

The main conflict in Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird is the clash between races that permeates the author's narrative. A story that takes place during the 1930's in the American South, To Kill a Mockingbird revolves around the racial tensions surrounding the trial of a black man accused of raping a white woman -- the most emotionally-charged of issues during the pre-Civil Rights era. The approach of Tom Robinson's trial, including the arrival at the town jail of a lynch mob that confronts the accused's attorney, Atticus Finch, the moral compass of this fictional town of Maycomb, the trial itself, and the trial's tragic aftermath provide the singular focus that holds Lee's novel together. Certainly, the Finch children's (together with their friend Dill) preoccupation with the mysterious figure of Boo Radley comprises an important subplot, but it is the racism that infects Maycomb that constitutes the novel's most compelling conflict. 

The depth of the racism that characterizes Maycomb in To Kill a Mockingbird is not confined solely to the views of the town's white residents, especially the character of Bob Ewell. The Finch family's African American housekeeper, Calpurnia, exposes Jem and Scout to the hostility among some blacks towards whites when she takes the children to her church. Such hostility, Lee is careful to reveal, however, is confined to the character of Lula. Unlike the institutionalized racism of the region's whites, the racial hostility directed towards Jem and Scout is limited in scope, with the overwhelming majority of the church's congregants openly welcoming of this unique visit by the white children. 

To reiterate, the main conflict in To Kill a Mockingbird is that dividing the races of Lee's fictional town. The story takes place in the Deep South when institutionalized segregation was the norm, and blacks survived at the pleasure of whites. The trial of Tom Robinson was but a microcosm of that dysfunctional social milieu.

There are several conflicts but typically we consider the main character and their journey when finding the "most important" conflict in a novel. In TKAM, this is Scout, and Scout's main conflict is Character v. Society as she is trying to cope with her childhood world changing as she realizes what her society is actually like.

This is seen through her interactions concerning Boo Radley and the trial of Tom Robinson. With Boo Radley, we see his myth and childlike ideas like the Boo Radley game dominate the early part of the novel. The children dare each other to touch the house and make up lies and repeat rumor and gossip about Boo. However, by the end, Scout realizes that Boo is nothing like the stories she has heard and told, but instead, is simply different and withdrawn from the society she finds out has quite an ugly side.

With the trial, Scout and Jem realize that justice isn't always served, and people are not always concerned with right and wrong like their father Atticus, but instead they see people allow their prejudices and ignorance influence their decisions. 

All in all, these issues all come down to a conflict of character v. society.

The two major conflicts in To Kill a Mockingbird also concern the two main plots of the novel: the trial of Tom Robinson and the repercussions that affect Atticus and his family; the story of Boo Radley and the Finch children's attempts to make contact with him. A major conflict of the Robinson trial relates to Atticus decision to defend Tom, an African-American accused of raping a white woman. Atticus knows that defending Tom will bring trouble for him and his kids, but he takes the case because he knows Tom will not receive a fair defense from anyone else. Bob Ewell's reaction to his treatment on the witness stand causes more problems to those who opposed him.

Jem and Scout have mixed emotions about Boo Radley. They are frightened of him early in the novel, but they can't resist the temptation to get a peak at him. Even after Atticus warns them to leave Boo alone, they are still enthralled with the idea of meeting him. From the gifts they receive from Boo, the children finally realize that he is a caring, kindly man--a fact that Scout discovers for herself when Boo saves her life in the final chapters.

One example of a minor conflict in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is the conflict between Scout and Calpurnia, which we can call a character vs. character conflict.In the first chapter of the novel, Scout expresses adamant dislike for their cook Calpurnia. Calpurnia began working for the Finches shortly after Jem was born, and their mother passed away when Scout was only two; therefore, Calpurnia has been in Scout's life since she was born and has served as a surrogate mother for Scout, not just as a cook. Since Scout is young, she feels that every mothering remark from Calpurnia is antagonistic. As a result, Scout and Calpurnia fight a lot. Scout describes that their "battles were epic and one-sided" because Atticus always took Calpurnia's side. Scout further describes that she had "felt [Calpurnia's] tyrannical presence as long as she could remember," showing us just how much Scout dislikes Calpurnia at first.However, this minor character vs. character conflict begins to be resolved as the novel progresses. As Scout begins to mature, Calpurnia is able to treat her differently. Calpurnia even invites Scout into the kitchen anytime Scout feels lonely as a result of Jem growing up. Scout particularly begins to see Calpurnia differently in Chapter 12 when Calpurnia brings Scout and Jem to her church. While walking home from church with Calpurnia, the children enter a conversation with Cal about why she talks grammatically with the Finches but ungrammatically when talking with members of her own race at church. Through Calpurnia's response, the children learn a lesson in humility that particularly influences Scout. It's at this moment that Scout decides she wants to spend more time with Cal to get to know her better and asks, "Cal, can I come to see you sometimes?" Cal responds by saying that Scout would be welcome at her home anytime she wishes, putting an end to the character vs. character conflict.

Most folks are familiar with the main conflict of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and the famous trial scene that goes along with it. However, there are other, smaller conflicts that happen throughout the book that are less well known, but that also have important thematic significance. One of these conflicts occurs toward the beginning, when Scout is rebuked for being a good reader and ahead of most of the class when she begins attending school. It might not have the far-reaching implications of the Tom Robinson trial, but Scout's conflict in the classroom is nonetheless important, as it functions as Lee's critique of the public school system. Rather than presenting public school as a place of education, Lee instead presents it as a place burdened by bureaucracy that stifles children's learning. Most readers often overlook this important theme, moving right along to the novel's depictions of race and racism. The main conflict against racism is obviously important, but so is Lee's educational conflict, as it reveals the ways in which children are encouraged to be ignorant and receive little real education. 

There are many more, smaller conflicts in the novel dealing with topics as diverse as class, reputation, gender, and more. I'd encourage you to read the novel carefully to see how many you can find, as the book truly is a sweeping representation and critique of American society in general. 

Harper Lee provides few examples of discontentment between African Americans within their own community. Perhaps the lone example is provided when Jem and Scout join Calpurnia at her church, and the obstinate Lula is the lone dissenter for allowing "white chillun in nigger church." The rest of the congregation backs Calpurnia's decision and welcomes the children, pushing Lula into the background. Needless to say, there may have been trouble with the white community if the First Purchase congregation had forbidden Jem and Scout from entering, and this may have been a factor in their polite allowance for the white children to visit their church. Of course, they were the children of Atticus Finch, the Negroes' best white friend in all of Maycomb, so the children's acceptance is not all that surprising. The congregation may have reacted differently if Bob Ewell had tried to enter with Mayella and Burris.

Atticus is certainly in the Maycomb minority when it comes to his liberal views toward race relations. Atticus has his friends and supporters--Miss Maudie, Dr. Reynolds and Link Deas among them--but most of the white community is solid in their segregationist attitudes. The jury's decision is not welcomed by Jem or Scout or Tom's friends, but the rest of the spectators seem happy. Jem's

... face was streaked with angry tears as we made our way through the cheerful crowd.

Most of the town was not bothered by Tom's death, despite the strong editorial from B. B. Underwood.

     Maycomb was interested by the news of Tom's death for perhaps two days... To Maycomb, Tom's death was typical. Typical of a nigger to cut and run. Typical of a nigger to have no plan, no thought for the future, just run blind first chance he saw. Funny thing, Atticus Finch might've gotten him off scot-free, but wait--? Hell no. You know how they are. Easy come, easy go... Nigger always comes out in 'em.

One character who seems to unify the races is Boo Radley, who both whites and blacks fear.

A Negro would not pass the Radley Place at night, he would cut across to the sidewalk opposite and whistle as he walked.

Yet, Boo was still a white man, and when he was arrested, the rule of segregation applied to him, too.

The sheriff hadn't the heart to put him in jail alongside Negroes, so Boo was locked in the courthouse basement.

Dolphus Raymond, on the other hand, was a white man who was not accepted by his own community. A wealthy plantation owner, he chose to live with his black mistress apart from white Maycomb, but even he was not accepted fully by the black population. He had several "mixed children.

     "They don't belong anywhere. Colored folks won't have 'em because they're half white; white folks won't have 'em 'cause they're colored, so they're just in-betweens, don't beling anywhere." 

No doubt, racism existed in the town of Maycomb during Tom Robinson's trial. In fact, a group of racist, white men come to the jail to take Tom Robinson even before the trial begins. This group of white, racist men have one common goal. Their plan is to lynch Tom Robinson before his trial begins.

Atticus Finch stands guard over Tom during the night of this scene. Atticus is determined to protect Tom. Thanks to Atticus' children, Jem and Scout, the lynch mob is shamed into getting in their vehicle and leaving the scene at the jail which housed Tom Robinson. Tom is unharmed thanks to Atticus and his children.

Truly, racism is found at the very heart of Maycomb in To Kill A Mockingbird. Tom Robinson cannot get a fair trial even though Atticus presents evidence that proves Tom Robinson is not guilty of charges raised against him. Atticus proves that Tom could not have assaulted Mayella due to the fact that the assault was carried out by a left-handed man. Tom Robinson's left arm is crippled. He could not have committed the assault against Mayella, but, in the town of Maycomb, racism prevailed. Tom Robinson is found guilty due to the racism of the twelve, white, racist jury members.

Tom dies an innocent man due to racism. This narrative explains in detail about how prejudices existed during the time of Tom Robinson's trial:

Scout's narrative relates how she and her elder brother Jem learn about fighting prejudice and upholding human dignity through the example of their father. Atticus Finch has taken on the legal defense of a black man who has been falsely charged with raping a white woman.

Despite Atticus' excellent representation, he cannot free Tom Robinson due to the jury members' prejudices. No doubt, Harper Lee has captured the essence of people's attitudes found deep in the heart of Maycomb:

Lee's story of the events surrounding the trial has been admired for its portrayal of Southern life during the 1930s, not only for its piercing examination of the causes and effects of racism, but because it created a model of tolerance and courage in the character of Atticus Finch.

Like any exceptional novel, there are many layers to Harper Lee's novel; on one level, it can be seen as a coming of age story of a young girl, on another, a depiction of Southern lifestyles during the Great Depression.  However, the central conflict concerns an innocent black man named Tom Robinson, accused by a local alcoholic of assaulting his daughter.  Atticus Finch is handed the case, and sets "tongues wagging" in the little town of Maycomb when he makes it clear he intends to provide Robinson with the best defense possible--even though it will almost certainly be in vain, for in the South in the years between the Civil War and the Civil Rights movement, a black man accused by a white person of anything was guilty--period.  A trial might be held, but it was a foregone conclusion that the verdict would be guilty. 

And so Atticus is in conflict with Maycomb's "old school" population (man versus society) in his quest to help Robinson in his conflict with Bob Ewell (man vs. man) despite well-entrenched racism and prejudice (man vs. society).  Robinson's fate, of course, is sealed before the trial even begins, but Atticus's conscientious defense keeps the jury out for an unprecedented length of time, seen by some as a small victory.  Robinson goes to prison, ignores Atticus's pleas for him to be patient as he engineers an appeal, tries to escape and is shot to death. 

On a related note, the far less sympathetic character Bob Ewell is looked down upon by everyone in Maycomb, and in some ways wages his own battle with society, which nearly ends on a tragic note when he attempts to kill Scout and Jem.  One could probably also make an argument that Ewell's alcoholism was a catalyst for a "man vs. self" type of conflict. 

Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird actually has two central plot lines and, therefore, has two central conflicts. The first plot line concerns the children's coming-of-age-story; the second concerns Atticus's decision to defend Tom Robinson in court, a decision that significantly influences the manner in which his children mature as they grow older.The children's coming-of-age story involves many minor conflicts as the children encounter people and situations that influence their thinking. Many of these minor conflicts are character vs. character conflicts that reflect the children's fears. For example, the children enter into conflicts with Arthur (Boo) Radley and Mrs. Dubose, characters the children are afraid of. However, the central conflict in the children's coming-of-age story is best identified as character vs. self.Scout is in conflict with herself because, being a tomboy, she wants to act like a boy; yet, because she is a girl, she also has feminine instincts. Her feminine instincts particularly surface when Jem and Dill begin playing the "Boo Radley" game. Scout hesitates to participate because she fears for their safety if they antagonize their neighbor Arthur Radley, whom they call Boo. Scout expresses her fears when she says in reply to Dill's question if she is scared, "He can get out at night when we're all asleep ..." (Ch. 4). As a result of her feminine instincts, that summer, she has to let the boys go off on their own and enact their boyishly foolhardy schemes while she spends most of her time with Miss Maudie. As the book progresses, Scout resolves her internal conflict by accepting the amount of courage it takes to be a lady, as demonstrated by her Aunt Alexandra and Miss Maudie.Similarly, as Jem matures, he faces the internal conflict of being foolhardy vs. being a brave gentleman. He soon comes to learn that being brave isn't necessarily doing anything rash, like trespassing on the Radleys' property when he could get shot, but rather doing what he knows is right despite the odds of being able to complete his goal. Jem learns this lesson from his father's actions in defending Tom Robinson and from Mrs. Dubose, who fought against her morphine addiction despite the fact that she was on her deathbed. Jem learns what true bravery is from Mrs. Dubose when Atticus explains he wanted Jem to get to know Mrs. Dubose because he wanted Jem to see that courage is not "a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what" (Ch. 11).In contrast to Jem and Scout's internal character vs. self conflicts in their coming-of-age story, the conflict in the plot line concerning Atticus's decision to defend Robinson can be seen as an external conflict. In defending Robinson, Atticus is acting contrary to the rest of the members of society, who automatically judges Robinson to be guilty due to their racial prejudices. As a result, Atticus and his children suffer a great deal of ridicule. Therefore, this conflict can be considered a character vs. society conflict. The children grow a great deal as a result of experiencing the conflict.

"To Kill a Mockingbird" is brimming with examples of conflicts and difficulties.  One underlying difficulty is the Great Depression, during which the story takes place.  Another is that Scout's first grade teacher, Miss Caroline, is not happy that Scout can already read and write, claiming that she will have to "undo the damage."

Scout has trouble understanding others' viewpoints in the earlier portion of the novel, but she eventually learns how to "climb into" other people's "skin and walk around in it."

Jem and Scout have typical sibling conflicts throughout the novel, and gender stereotypes weave their way through the story as well.

Racial prejudice plays a substantial role in the story when a black man, Tom Robinson, is accused of raping Mayella Ewell, the daughter of the local ne'er-do-well, Bob Ewell.

When local townspeople threaten to lynch Robinson, Scout's impetuous nature saves the day when she asks Mr. Cunningham to tell his son "hey" for her and goes on to declare that "entailments are bad."  Though she doesn't fully understand what's happening, she has managed to defuse the situation, and the mob disperses.

Later, Robinson is shot and killed, an innocent victim, falsely accused of a crime he did not commit.

Finally, Ewell attempts to murder the Finch children and is killed in self-defense by Arthur "Boo" Radley, the town misfit, who has befriended the children in his own shy way, himself an object of local discrimination and gossip.

There are many conflicts in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird. One of the main conflicts deals with the supposed crimes of Tom Robinson. Atticus Finch is persecuted by some members of the town for his role in defending Tom. The town is deeply divided by the trial. While most town's people know Mr. Ewell's violent tendencies, they are still prejudiced against Tom. Even after Atticus proves that Tom could not have hurt Mayella, he is still convicted. We see the deeply rooted ideas of the townsfolk when they take offense to Tom's admition of feeling sorry for Mayella. The trial serves as a catalist for some of Scout's realizations. She begins to lose some of her childish innocence and ideas as she sees the injustice of segregation and the treatment of Tom. Scout and her brother Jem witness many conflicts that arise from the trial and the effects of these conflicts on the town. Scout is even teased at school because of her father's role in the courthouse events.

This is an excellent question and one that has no concrete answer. Scout faces conflicts on her first day of school with her teacher, Miss Caroline, as well as with her classmate, young Walter Cunningham. She and Jem both feel the pressure from Atticus to "stop tormenting that man," Boo Radley; and they both have to deal with the town's disapproval and racial insults concerning Atticus's decision to defend Tom Robinson. There are more conflicts involving the children than anyone else, but Atticus still has to make the biggest decision of all: whether to defend Tom Robinson or not. In Atticus's mind, he has little choice: Judge John Taylor has thrust the problem upon his shoulders, saying "You're It." Atticus has "hoped to get through life without a case of this kind," but he knows that he cannot hold his head up in town if he declines, despite the dangers it may bring him and his family. More importantly,

"... do you think I could face my children otherwise?"  (Chapter 9)

Author Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird takes place between the years 1933 and 1935. It is set in the fictional Alabama town of Maycomb (based on Lee's own hometown of Monroeville, Alabama) during the height of the Great Depression. Every scene takes place within the borders of the town of Maycomb or Maycomb County itself, creating a sheltered life for the Finch family and the inhabitants of the area. The two primary conflicts concern two human mockingbirds: One is Boo Radley, a reclusive neighbor with a troubled past who becomes the object of curiosity by Jem and Scout Finch and their friend, Dill. The other, Tom Robinson, is a black man falsely accused of raping a white woman. Scout's father, Atticus, decides to defend Tom, creating a backlash among many white people in the decidedly segregated town that eventually leads to threats upon the life of Atticus and his children.