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Atticus Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the small city of Maycomb, an interesting town with quiet folk, and a place where prejudice and racism run high. The people of Maycomb accept classical Southern traditions and have no desire to change their ways. In this city lives Atticus Finch, a middle-aged lawyer with two young children. Atticus challenges the racist traditions of Maycomb by defending Tom Robinson, a black man, and treating everyone with undeserved respect. Through his humility, wisdom, and courage, Atticus demonstrates a strong commitment to morality and desire to establish justice in his community. Atticus' moral compass influences his everyday actions, and his admirable qualities make him a popular figure in Maycomb. Although …show more content…

He strongly believes in following his conscience, no matter the cost. For example, Atticus defends Tom Robinson, a slave, knowing that he cannot win the case and that he will get ridiculed for defending a black man. Nevertheless, he persists in defending Tom to the best of his ability, telling Jem that "Courage is . . . when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what" (149). Another example of Atticus' courage occurs in Chapter 15, when he goes to the county jail to defend Tom from a mob seeking to lynch him. Unarmed and completely defenseless, he attempts to reason with the mob before Scout appears and amazingly disperses them. Atticus shows that true courage requires standing up for what is right, no matter the circumstances and no matter the consequences. Throughout the novel, Atticus retains the same basic characteristics and core values. His ideas challenge the existing traditions of Maycomb, and his actions prompt real change in the city. His humility, wisdom, and courage make him a principled hero in a callous community. Atticus proves that leading by example inspires action. He proves that one man can have a profound impact on others. Most importantly, he proves that high morals and integrity can change the

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362 Words | 2 Pages

In the book To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus tells Scout that courage is “when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.” Atticus has shown a lot of courage to his kids. Atticus showed courage by accepting the Tom Robinson case, by standing his ground at the jailhouse, and by standing up to Aunt Alexandra about Calpurnia. He even tries to get his kids to follow in his footsteps.     What Atticus meant when he told Scout what courage was, was that even if you know that you're going to lose something it doesn't mean you shouldn't try.

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523 Words | 3 Pages

He stands up for what he believes in even if that means ruining himself or possibly putting those around him into danger. Atticus Finch is a very determined, earnest, and ambitious

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401 Words | 2 Pages

Atticus’s definition of courage is going through with something you believe in even when you know it might go wrong. In the book, there are many courageous acts that happen but Atticus Finch shows the most courage all around. Atticus willingly takes on the Tom Robinson case knowing many risks and threats could come from his decision. Atticus is a honest lawyer that

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516 Words | 3 Pages

Atticus honestly tried his best to win the case for Tom, but the town had already made their decision when they first heard of the case. It took incredible courage to defend a black man in the 1930s. He tells Scout “ Simply because we are licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.” Atticus also displayed courage when he stood in front of the jail and protected Tom. He knew a mob of drunk countrymen would try to pull something and he was right.

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596 Words | 3 Pages

Logan Daniels Mrs. Ahart English 9 09 January 2023 Draft To kill a mockingbird is to sin by killing that that does nothing but sing. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, many characters exhibit courage during a time of tension in their town. Characters such as Scout and Atticus portray many types of courage to protect themselves and others. To start, Atticus exhibits courage by standing up for his beliefs and protecting those he holds close. First, an example of when Atticus portrays courage is when he takes the case to defend the black man accused of rape.

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1052 Words | 5 Pages

Atticus doesn’t believe in social norms or prejudices and he isn’t afraid to stand up to Maycomb society. He is willing to fight the losing battle just because it’s the right thing to do. 2. Atticus shows courage because he goes against Maycomb society in defending Tom Robinsion. He knows that the people of Maycomb will not support him, that he will not win the trial, and that it will change his and his kids life

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888 Words | 4 Pages

Showing them the harsh reality of life with honesty and fearlessness. During this time the Great Depression was hitting the southern town of Maycomb. This novel compares many of its characters to mockingbirds, a symbol of pure innocence. One summer, Atticus, who is a lawyer, finds himself in the middle of a controversial case, involving a African American man, Tom Robinson and a white woman, Mayella. Despite the town throwing hatred towards Atticus and his family, he doesn’t back down because he takes pride in helping the innocent.

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920 Words | 4 Pages

He teaches them to be fair and to consider everyone's point of view. He makes sure that everyone knows that they have a voice. Atticus is characterized as an angel. He helps make them open their eyes the quality and has a view that most of the characters you're not. And two, here.

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1317 Words | 6 Pages

He is a talented man, he is good at a variety of things from being the best checker player in the town to being an honest and fair lawyer, and he can even play the Jew’s harp. Atticus is seen as a great father even though the odds are against him he does not give up therefore he is admired and respected for his courage. His attitude and personality does not change. For instance Miss Maudie says, “Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets” As a parent Atticus has a special way of teaching values he not only tries to explain how to behave but also why to behave in that way. Instead of telling and stating instructions what is wrong and right he uses real life occasion as a medium.

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828 Words | 4 Pages

To Kill a Mockingbird - Courage "Courage is when you know you 're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what" According to Atticus Finch, an honest lawyer in Harper Lee 's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. "Real courage" is when you fight for what is right regardless of whether you win or lose. Atticus fits into this definition of what "real courage" is and demonstrates it several times throughout the novel. "The only thing we 've got is a black man 's word against the Ewells '.

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859 Words | 4 Pages

"(Lee 221). This is an example of how Atticus shows courage because it takes a lot so courage to show kindness to a man that has accused an innocent man and that spits in your face. Also Atticus even teaches courage to his children so that it can be passed down for

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980 Words | 4 Pages

Atticus became not only a role model for Scout and Jem but a role model for the whole town. He taught you not to be so quick to judge everything. From Boo Radley to Walter Cunningham, he shows how to accept people for who they are and to get know them before you judge them. “Because that is they only way he can pay me, he has no money” (Lee 21). When Scout saw the Cunninghams paying in different things like Hickory nuts and Stovewood, she was quick to question the payment.

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352 Words | 2 Pages

Another example of courage is that Atticus continues to read to Scout even with the disapproval of her teacher, Miss Fisher, this shows Atticus’ ability and courage to keep a strong bond with his children by reading despite the teacher saying that his ways of teaching was

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740 Words | 3 Pages

Jem further understood the true meaning of moral courage when he saw Atticus defending Tom Robinson, a black man. Although Atticus was hugely outnumbered and even cornered by Mr Cunningham and some other people, he did not back down from them. Instead, he seemed even more determined to win the case and prove Tom Robinson 's innocence to all of Maycomb County. Almost everyone in Maycomb County had criticised Atticus and his children for taking up the case of defending Tom Robinson and they were even called "nigger lovers" by many. At first, Jem did not understand why his father chose to defend Tom Robinson when he knew that people would whisper and gossip about it and that the possibility of him winning the case was very low.

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Atticus is one of the very few characters who never has to rethink his stand on a subject. Many of the other characters such as Mayella Ewell do not think about other people or the situation they are in when they say or do something. Atticus Finch is an admirable father for his morality, persistence, and for his wisdom. Atticus Finch presents this in the situations he is portrayed in, in To Kill a Mockingbird.

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