Examples Of Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird

Courage in To Kill a Mockingbird Courage is defined by the willingness of an individual to attempt challenges that frighten them. Most times, this definition is showcased through superheroes battling groups of evil villains, or through dangerous actions such as skydiving or bungee jumping. While the attempt of these actions are surely courageous, rarely are other definitions of courage advertised or hardly even understood. In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, the theme of courage among others, is explored through its characters and their actions. Although she does illustrate physical courage, Lee’s characters also show emotional and moral courage. Specifically, characters like Atticus Finch, Ms. Dubose, and Boo Radley depict the types of

His job was to defend Tom Robinson, and African American man who has been wrongfully accused of raping 19 year old Mayella Ewell. Atticus understands a definition of courage that not many do. While having a conversation with his son, he exclaims “ I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.” This quote defines a type of courage that is largely overlooked. Atticus shows this type of courage himself in To Kill a Mockingbird. Although he was just doing his job, Atticus shows courage simply by defending a black man during the 1930’s. Throughout that time period, African Americans experienced many injustices as a result of racism and were viewed as inferior. When it came to jobs, “African Americans were the first to see hours and jobs cut, and they experienced the highest unemployment rate during the 1930s''(Klien). This illustrates the injustices African Americans faced during that time period. While White Americans also experienced employment issues due to the great depression, African Americans took a much larger hit during that era. According to the Novel To Ask for an Equal Chance, Cherryl Greenberg explains, black unemployment rates in the South were double or even triple that of the white population. In fact, nearly 70% of black workers were jobless in Atlanta during the year of 1934. This provides an example as to how African Americans were viewed as inferior, and how Atticus is showing bravery by defending a black