How Does Lee Show Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee was published in 1960 and is set in the American South during the 1930’s; Lee grew up during this harsh time, which paints a vivid and clear picture of what it was really like during the events that had unfolded. “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen” (Winston Churchill). In the plot, there is many themes that can define the characters, and how they carry themselves in life. Some are good standing people, some abuse their power, and a couple of them don’t understand and are innocent. In this story, created by Lee, there are three common themes that help shape both good and bad characters, morality, courage, and justice.

Morals are

“Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death.” (Omar N. Bradley). Atticus demonstrates bravery many times throughout the plot. One of which is when he protected Tom’s life while he was in the jail, and the town's men came to lynch him. Though his children came to protect him, the thought is what counts. In another act of bravery, he didn’t give up in the trial of Tom Robinson, and proved valid, unarguable points to prove his innocence. Boo Radley is possibly one of the bravest of the bunch, he has a bad history, but is a good person and saves Jem and Scout. He protected them from Bob Ewell on Halloween, and brought Jem home and Scout fallowed. He is also brave for stepping out into the world for the first time, but as an adult. We all know that stepping out into the world for the first time is hard, but we usually have someone to help, and Boo didn’t. Someone else, who you wouldn’t suspect, protected Atticus from the mob at the jail. Mr. Underwood the newspaper editor, a well known and respected man, stood up on a perch with a shotgun, to protect both Atticus and Tom. He had also wrote an article after Tom Robinson’s death, on how wrongly the town had treated the poor man and is a major cause in his death. Obviously there were many acts of bravery in this novel, but there is a few that played a major role in the

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (Martin Luther King, Jr.). There are many occurrences where justice is served, and where it is not in the plot of To Kill a Mockingbird, but there is few that majorly affect the outcome of the story. One of which, that had affected the story, is Boo. For most of his life he had experienced injustice, yet made justice. Boo Radley had killed Bob Ewell in order to save Jem and Scout, so therefore he can’t hurt anyone for the rest of time. After Boo had enough of his father he stabbed him in the leg with scissors, then was kept in the courthouse, and eventually in the basement of his home, yet somehow he ended up a good person. Tom Robinson experienced major injustices, which affected everyone entirely. Even though he had been to jail before and is treated like a useless, broken shovel, he helped Mayella when ever he can because he feels bad for her. This proves he is a gentleman and wants to do justice for Mayella. Though when he tried to do good, he received the frayed end of the rope, and ended up in a trial for rape. Overall, justice plays a big role in the story, for every character, and in many