Question

"Justice was tolerably fair. The ordinary rule was to avoid courts."

Hint:

This line is from Harper Lee's *To Kill a Mockingbird*, highlighting the themes of racial injustice and societal norms in the American South during the 1930s.

Answer 1

Explanation: This line is from the prose piece "A Pinch of Snuff" by Manohar Malgonkar. It reflects on the traditional system of justice in Indian villages. The statement is somewhat ironic. It suggests that while the formal justice system existed and was reasonably fair, the common people generally preferred to avoid it. The "ordinary rule" or common practice was to resolve disputes within the community itself, through village elders or local councils (panchayats). This was often because courts were perceived as time-consuming, expensive, and complex. The line highlights a preference for informal, community-based justice over the formal, bureaucratic legal system.