1. LOOKS LIKE
1.1. works for Link Deas
1.1.1. "I work for Mr Link Deas."
1.1.1.1. Works at a field so he does not have too much education and is quite average except for his arm
1.2. He is a negro
1.2.1. "Toms velvet back skin began to shine." pg 210
1.2.1.1. This is a disadvantage because of prejudice against race.
1.3. Has a crippling disability
1.3.1. "As he raised his right hand, the useless one slipped"pg 207
1.3.1.1. due to a traumatic injury tom has a deformed left arm and it is entirely unusuable
2. BELIEFS & VALUES
2.1. Christianity
2.1.1. He swears upon the bible on page 195
2.1.1.1. He is christian and that means that he very much part of the negro community because he would attend church. It would also be that the people who know him know that he would not have his fidelity in question.
2.2. He's a second class citizen
2.2.1. "it weren't safe for a nigger to be in a fix like that ."
2.2.1.1. Tom knows that he wouldn't be treated the same as a white man because of the colour of his skin
2.3. Charity
2.3.1. "Yes suh. I felt sorry for her," page 214
2.3.1.1. Tom feels sorry for Mayella because shes the only ewell being productive while the rest just wallow away. Tom takes it upon himself to help out as much as he can with no reward
2.4. Hard work ethic
2.4.1. "you had chores at home...i done em both, sir"pg 214
2.4.1.1. Even though Tom had worked all day, he did chores at the Ewells and then at his own house. He worked for everyone else without complaining.
3. HOW OTHERS SEE HIM OR HER...
3.1. Nigger/trash
3.1.1. "...but one in a courthouse lawing for niggers!"pg110
3.1.1.1. Mrs. Dubose is being rude to Jem and Scout because their dad is representing Tom. She treats them like rubbish just because of the association with Tom.
3.2. Liar
3.2.1. "a jury never looks at a defendant it has convicted...not one of them looked at Tom Robinson"
3.2.1.1. Even though it is clearly seen that he didn't do anything. Tom is convicted because of his colour.
3.3. Innocent
3.3.1. "it aint right, atticus"pg 231
3.3.1.1. Jem says this to Atticus after Tom is convicted. He understands that Tom has been unfairly trailed and dosen't see how people could do that.
4. MOTIVATED BY
4.1. pity
4.1.1. "I felt sorry for her..." pg 214
4.1.1.1. He felt sorry for Mayella so he would do chores for her. This wasn't something a black person would admit, because it made the Ewells look worse than the negros
4.2. despseration
4.2.1. "they shot him...raving charge at the fence."pg 256
4.2.1.1. Tom was upset and distressed for himself and his family. He didn't know if he would see them again even though he was innocent and he thought that he would be proven guilty again and hung.
5. TEXTUAL ISSUES OR CONCERNS LINKED TO THIS CHARACTER
5.1. Prejudice
5.1.1. "Well, Dill, after all he's just a Negro." pg 216
5.1.1.1. Due to being black tom is discriminated against and has his credibility undermined by this because this is still early 90's america where racism runs rampant
5.2. Don't shoot the mockingbird
5.2.1. Tom is the mocking bird from the title according to the blurb
5.2.1.1. apparently all of the bluejays like the ewells can be shot. But you cant shoot the mockingbird because its a sin.