How Does Lee Show Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird

“[Courage is] when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what” (Lee 112). When courage is mentioned, one may think of “a man with a gun in his hand” (112). This is a myth that Harper Lee debunks in her book To Kill A Mockingbird. Courage is a recurring and vital theme in her book because many of the characters show the other townspeople what courage looks like. To begin with, the concept of courage comes into play constantly when Mrs. Dubose is mentioned. Jem and Scout show courage when they read to Mrs. Dubose everyday after school and on weekends. Atticus tells his children that they should “read to her out loud for two hours… for a month” (105). This is because he wants them to

In one situation, he gives Scout a blanket, risking that he would be seen by many people. Atticus say, “Someday, maybe, Scout can thank [Boo Radley] for covering her up” (72). During the house fire that takes place in winter, Boo sees that Scout is cold and he wraps a blanket around her. Also, Boo protects Jem and Scout when Bob Ewell attacks the children. Mr. Tate tells Atticus that “Bob Ewell’s lyin’ on the ground under that tree down yonder with a kitchen knife stuck up under his ribs. He’s dead” (266). When Jem and Scout are attacked, Boo jumps in and bravely fights off Bob Ewell. After the incident, Atticus tells Boo, “thank you for my children” (276). Boo has an abundance of courage, risking unwanted attention and risking his

When a dangerous and vicious dog comes into the neighborhood, Atticus is the one who shoots it: “[Atticus] brought the gun to his shoulder. The rifle cracked. Tim Johnson flopped over… in a brown-and-white heap” (96). Atticus knows that this is a one shot job. As he holds the gun to his shoulder, he knows that he has to have perfect aim because anyone could be right around the corner. Another courageous act is when Atticus takes on the Tom Robinson case. He informs Jack that “The evidence boils down to you-did--I-didn’t. The jury couldn’t possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson’s word against the Ewells’” (88). Knowing that he will lose this case, Atticus still gives it his all. Atticus is one of the bravest people in the small