I proved him a liar but John made him look like a fool. All the time Ewell was on the stand I couldn't dare look at John and keep a straight face. John looked at him as if he were a three-legged chicken or a square egg. Don't tell me judges don't try to prejudice juries.

“I proved him a liar but John made him look like a fool. All the time Ewell was on the stand I couldn’t dare look at John and keep a straight face. John looked at him as if he were a three-legged chicken or a square egg. Don’t tell me judges don’t try to prejudice juries.”

– Harper Lee

To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 27. Atticus, recalling Judge Taylor’s confused, incredulous expression when he looked at Bob Ewell during Tom Robinson’s trial. The implication being that the Judge was looking at Ewell that way to convey the impression to the jury that his testimony against Robinson was nonsensical.

Harper Lee Quotes