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In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout, Calpurnia, and Atticus stand out when courage comes to mind. These characters show courage in many unique ways with different situations. In the early 1930s, in the deep south, racial discrimination was a huge conflict, for example, the Jim Crows Laws were in play, and it legalized segregation between blacks and whites. Courage isn’t always shown in situations, but simply throughout growing up.
Courage is not the absence of fear. courageous people feel fear most of the time but manage to overcome that anxiety and replace it with bravery no matter the cost, they take and dominate them. In the Novel To kill a mocking bird written by Harper lee Atticus Finch the father of Jean Louise and Jim finch show more courage than anyone in the book. Courage is shown by Atticus finch when he decides to defend Tom Robinson in the court trial.
In To Kill A Mockingbird courage is a very apparent in Harper Lee’s message in the book. A good example of this is, according to Atticus Finch, one of the main characters 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. " This is exemplified when Atticus takes the trial of Tom Robinson, but we’ll get into that later. Also when Boo Radley fights Bob Ewell in the woods for Scout and Jem, and my last example of when Mrs. Dubose dies in pain to not become a morphine addict. In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee proves that you should always fight for something you believe in, even if it is destined to fail.
However, throughout the trial, Atticus acted courageously, standing up for what he believed to be the greater good, not allowing the fear of people hurting him and his family or damaging his reputation as a lawyer to get in the way of doing what he had to. For example, “We don’t know, but there is some circumstantial evidence to indicate that Mayella Ewell was beaten savagely by someone who led almost exclusively with his left….he swore out a warrant, no doubt signing it with his left hand, and Tom Robinson now sits before you, having taken the oath with the only good hand he possesses- his right hand.” (Lee, 232-233.) This quote shows us a good representation of how Atticus demonstrates the qualities of someone described as a hero. He put aside his safety and that of his family to win the case.
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear” (Nelson Mandela). This quote by Nelson Mandela reminds me of Atticus in the story To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus had enough courage to overcome any obstacle that stood in front of him defending him, his family, and Tom Robinson. In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee many of the characters have similar traits.
Having courage opens a window of infinite possibilities. Courage is maybe doing something that others will not do, or pursuing dreams no matter what obstacles stand in the way. Atticus, Jem, and Scout, all show great courage for the situations they are put in. “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” A quote by Atticus Finch.
Courage means the ability to do something that frightens one. Everyone has had a tough time in thier live when they needed to have courage. Scout and Jem are in the middle of a rough time in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee where they live in Maycomb with their father, Atticus. Maycomb is a place that suffers from a lot of prejudice and racism. Jem changed throughout the story as he learned that it’s important to have courage especially when it gets hard.
Courage has gone through many changes. It has been altered throughout races, cultures, religions, sex, and time. However, the core values of courage has always remained parallel. It is difficult to explain in words the meaning of courage, like describing a color, but everyone knows what courage is, how it feels, and how to perform it. In Harper Lee’s
“I want you to understand that courage isn’t a man with a gun in his hand,” (Lee 112). This is a quote spoken from a courageous man who put himself in other people’s positions and did not believe he was superior to African Americans like many in that time period. Atticus Finch is a lawyer, and also the father of Jem and Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The finches live in a small town called Maycomb during 1933, also known as the Great Depression era. Throughout the book, the town faces many racial discrimination issues, especially when an African American man named Tom Robinson is falsely accused of rape of a white female.
According to Atticus, this is the ability to face adversity and go through with something honourable, even though you realize that it is impossible to win. There are quite a few characters in the book, which show some kind of courage, but there is one in particular, Atticus. Harper Lee made Atticus the hero of moral and a symbol of courage in her novel. He is the figurehead for all three kinds of courage I mentioned. For one he confronts a rabid dog, which displays physical courage.
Courage Through Characters “... Real courage… It’s when you know you’re lcked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” These are the wise words of a character named Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird. This novel by Harper Lee is about two children that have to experience the real world at a young age, during a troubling time in history. These children are exposed to racism and prejudiceness and are forced to grow up, seeing that people are not as they seem.
"Jem, 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 see it through no matter what. " This insightful statement was told by Atticus Finch to his son, Jem Finch. Many people in Maycomb had to deal with racism, hatred, and discrimination because of their skin color or because of the court case.
With Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird we find ourselves in 1930’s southern Alabama, a time that was rich in racism, prejudice, and other hardships. In the novel, we see Mrs.Dubose, Boo Radley and Atticus Finch who work against these tribulations using the true courage they possess. Although as offensive and insulting Mrs.Dubose was, she displayed great bouts of bravery in overcoming what seemed to be impossible obstacles. Despite living a life enclosed within the safety of the walls of his home Boo is gallant and brave when it comes to helping those whom he cares about.
"Courage is when you know you 're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what" According to Atticus Finch, an honest lawyer in Harper Lee 's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. "Real courage" is when you fight for what is right regardless of whether you win or lose. Atticus fits into this definition of what "real courage" is and demonstrates it several times throughout the novel. "The only thing we 've got is a black man 's word against the Ewells '.
“Courage doesn 't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying ‘I’ll try again tomorrow’” - Mary Anne Radmacher. Through this quote one can see the advantages of real courage. One can really understand the true meaning of courage by reading the books To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. The book by Harper Lee is written by a 9 year old’s perspective named Scout.