Having had the justice system of Maycomb County fail him at the trial despite Atticus's proving him incapable of making the marks upon Mayella, Tom Robinson has no faith in an appeal, even though Atticus has encouraged him to be patient and trust him. For, there are simply too many other factors in the his environment which cause him to be mistrustful and terrified:
- The Jim Crow Laws are still in effect; he is marginalized by society
- The jury for an appeal trial will again be 12 white men
- The mob came for him once before; they may well come and lynch him now--or worse (burning, beating, torture, etc.)
- He has probably known of other men like himself who were falsely accused, yet were beaten or killed.
- He may feel like a caged animal and suffer from tremendous stress as he imagines what can befall him.
- He may have completely despaired, thinking his only chance is flight.
Many question Tom's decision because of Atticus' reassurance that he be patient and wait for the appeal. Remember, though, that Atticus had clearly proved Tom was innocent. Mayella had practically admitted on the stand that he was innocent. The judge had said aloud that Tom could not have beaten Mayella. And yet the jury still found him guilty. Tom had no hope left.
Tom flees because he has already been let down by the justice system once and has absolutely no faith that an appeal will do him any good. The reality that he will "get the chair" looms large.
When the news comes, Atticus explains to Aunt Alexandra (Ch 24): "They shot him...he was running. It was during their exercise period. They said he just broke into a blind raving charge at the fence and started to climb. Right in front of them...". Atticus continues, "We had such a good chance. I told him what I thought, but I couldn't truth say that we had more than a good chance. I guess Tom was tired of white men's chances and preferred to take his own."
What does Atticus give as the reason why Tom Robinson attempted to escape from prison?
Atticus comes home during the middle of the day while Aunt Alexandra and Scout are hosting the missionary society meeting at their home. In the kitchen, he tells Miss Maudie, Aunt Alexandra, Calpurnia, and Scout about Tom Robinson's death. During the exercise period at Enfield Prison Farm, Tom had taken off running for the fence. The guards had yelled at him and fired warning shots, but he didn't stop. Just as he went over the fence, they shot to kill--filling him with seventeen bullets.
Atticus wants Calpurnia to come with him to give the news to Tom's wife, Helen. Although Atticus appears in control, his sister Alexandra knows that "it tears him to pieces."
He explains that he had tried to give Tom as much hope as he could, telling him he thought they had a good chance of winning the appeal that would overturn Tom's conviction. But Atticus was unwilling to over-promise. Knowing the racism that courts...
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and juries in Alabama were rife with, Atticus understood that the solid case they had proving Tom's innocence might not be enough. So, Atticus said, Tom decided to take his own chance rather than trust his fate to "white men's chances."
Tom's decision is later clarified in Maycomb's newspaper in an editorial written by Mr. Underwood, its owner.
Atticus had used every tool available to free men to save Tom Robinson, but in the secret courts of men's hearts Atticus had no case. Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed.
This is no doubt what Tom realized, and why he "broke into a blind raving charge at the fence and started climbing over." Tom knew that he was not likely to win an appeal to the "secret courts of [white] men's hearts."
What does Atticus give as the reason why Tom Robinson attempted to escape from prison?
Atticus said that Tom Robinson attempted to escape because he wanted to take matters into his own hands, and was tired of white men deciding his fate for him.
Tom Robinson’s escape is one of the saddest parts of the book. We are rooting for Tom throughout, and saddened when he is convicted. It is obvious he could not have committed the crime he was accused of, because he is physically incapable of attacking Mayellla Ewell in accordance with her injuries. We know that racism is the reason he lost the trial.
Atticus explains why Tom ran for the fence in chapter 24.
“We had such a good chance,” he said. “I told him what I thought, but I couldn’t in truth say that we had more than a good chance. I guess Tom was tired of white men’s chances and preferred to take his own. Ready, Cal?” (chapter 24)
Tom made his own choice. He wanted to end his life on his own terms, because he had no other way. Tom has faced a life of racism, and does not want to face white men making decisions for him anymore. He took the decision away from them. It was really the only power he had.