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How Does Courage Influence Decision Making In To Kill A Mockingbird

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How Courage Influences Decision-Making Merriam-Webster defines courage as “the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” Many people use courage to follow their moral values to help them make decisions that follow his creeds. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee suggests that decision-making can be significantly altered by the courageous actions one makes. This is evidenced by Atticus Finch, Scout, and Mrs. Dubose. First, Atticus Finch has the courage to decide to defend Tom Robinson in court even though it goes against the norm. Atticus is appointed to take on Tom’s trial by Judge Taylor. Taylor informs him that he can say no. However, Atticus says he will do it. Because of Atticus’ decision, …show more content…

Dubose has the courage to fight her morphine addiction. When Mrs. Dubose was ill and the doctors made her take morphine to recover. That was until she gets addicted. Mrs. Dubose made a promise to leave nothing to nobody, especially her addiction. Atticus tells Scout and Jem this, “She said she was going to leave this world beholden to nothing and nobody” (Lee 111). Jem acts inappropriately toward Mrs. Dubose and destroys her camellia flowers. So she picks him to help her battle her morphine addiction. Although he ultimately did not know he was helping her for that reason until she dies. Jem let Scout tag along as he reads to Mrs. Dubose every day for two hours. Jem questions Mrs. Dubose if she’s okay, “[ – ] Jem said, ‘Mrs. Dubose, are you all right?’ (Lee 107). Mrs. Dubose ignores him to focus on overcoming her addiction. She finally defeats her morphine addiction before she dies peacefully. Atticus tells Jem and Scout what real courage means, “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 begin anyway and see it through no matter what” (Lee 112). Mrs. Dubose’s decision on beating her morphine addiction helps teach Jem and Scout what real courage is. Jem and Scout reflect on Mrs. Dubose’s actions and realize she had fought her morphine addiction with what was left of

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Dubose and her morphine addiction. Mrs. Dubose had been fighting a terrible disease for most of her life that caused her great pain. Morphine was the only way they knew to ease the pain, but morphine is highly addictive and Mrs. Dubose didn’t want to die an addict. For a while before her death she tried her absolute hardest to become addiction-free and she did free from her addiction, and died in pain. This is one of the smaller examples of courage in the book, but it still serves a very good lesson in courage.

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Dubose’s unseen patience in fighting morphine addiction and her astonishing strength in extending time between doses of morphine, Lee uses Mrs. Dubose’s true intentions to show things are not always as they seem as the theme of the novel. “‘Mrs. Dubose was a morphine addict,’ said Atticus. ‘She took it as a pain-killer for years’” (Lee 147). Atticus explains to his children that Mrs. Dubose used to yell at them because she was fighting morphine addiction and needed some way to get her anger out.

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That lead to Jem overcoming their fear of Boo and even become friends with him. Boo later begins to leave them little trinkets in a tree, returns Jem’s pants, and puts a blanket over Scout’s shoulders at the fire. Later in the story, Atticus holds up Mrs. Dubose as the ultimate definition of bravery, she shows us bravery throughout the book as she battles her addiction to morphine. As mentioned in the story, "Her head moved slowly from side to side. From time to time she would open her mouth wide, and I could see her tongue undulate faintly.

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