During chapter 16 the suspense is built up before the court case, lee describes the courthouse as old and rundown as we learn that the courthouse has crumbling pillars left over from when the original courthouse burnt down in 1865. It has a Greek style as the use of large pillars is used inside the building. In the courthouse, the black people sat upstairs on the balcony and the white people sat downstairs creating a sense of racism which has been evident throughout the book, whites don't mix with blacks and blacks don't mix with whites.
so when chapter 17 moves onto the actual trial nothing else could be expected but the same between the two races, they both speak differently, and in may comb are both treated differently. As the case starts we find out about the seriousness of the trial and we find out more information about the crime Tom Robinson has been alleged to of committed. Mr Ewell stands up as one of the witnesses and gives a relatively detailed account as what was supposed to of happened, he tells the courthouse about how he found the victim on the floor "pretty beat up." he then continuous to say that when he asked the victim who did this to her she replied with "Tom Robinson."
Atticus shortly follows this up with a question, a question that is repeated 3 times not in succession but is never answered in full extent by Mr Ewell before the judge has to tell Atticus to stop repeating the same question.
