The rare quality of courage is highly praised in society today. For some, courage entails daring feats of bravery; for others, it simply means doing the right thing, whatever the outcome. In her novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee switches many of the traditional stereotypes. Children and old folks display outstanding valor, while grown, able-bodied men exude extreme cowardice. Those who have courage in the novel risk their safety and reputation. While many characters in the book show bravery, the actions of Atticus, Jem, and Scout Finch remain the most prominent.
Out of all the characters in Lee’s book, Atticus demonstrates the most courage. He commits to defend Tom Robinson, a black man, in court, a deed that costs him the respect and social status he once had with many whites in the town. He helps Tom outside of court as well, going so far as to face a mob of angry men to protect him. When explaining his position to Jem, he says, “Courage is… when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what” (149). Though many in the town talk badly about him, Atticus sticks to defending Tom
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As if passed down from father to son in the gene pool, his son Jem also shows remarkable ability to conquer his fears. Though for a time he would not even go by the Radley property without running, his friend Dill eventually coaxes him to touch the house and even sneak into the gate at night. After Mr. Radley shoots at him, Jem goes back to the house to retrieve his pants. Later, when a group of men arrive at his house to tell Atticus of the possible danger that Tom faced that night, Jem sneaks out of the house again to make sure his father remains safe. “I’ve just got this feeling”, he says when Dill asked about the trip (199). Even though peer pressure incites many of his daring acts, Jem manifests himself as one of the most courageous characters in the