To Kill A Mockingbird Quote Analysis

Courage Through the Fear

“Nothing gives the fearful more courage than another's fear.” This quote from the infamous Pablo Escabar ties surprisingly well with the ending to To Kill A Mockingbird. This quote is trying to emphasize that as someone sees fear in others they are more likely to gain courage to stand up for what they believe. Harper Lee’s story To Kill A Mockingbird tells an engaging story that follows a young girl, Scout Finch, in the height of the great depression. Social standards have changed a lot in the past years and people are still trying to adjust. This story makes a social standpoint on the prejudice and social circles of that time period, which was quite relevant at the time of release, 1960. This story shows the importance

Throughout this Atticus shows courage through everything he does in the entire novel. In chapter 11 Atticus shows his courage when he is asked to deal with a rabid dog that is creating danger to the townsfolk. At this time it specifically says that Atticus does not want to shoot the dog when he pushes back by saying “I haven’t shot a gun in thirty years--” then Heck continues to press Atticus and the book states “Mr Tate almost threw the rifle at Atticus.”(Lee 127) Then finally Atticus accepts to shoot the rabid dog as he felt he had to. This scene shows that Atticus has the courage to step up to help the people he loves no matter what it means. Even though Atticus does not want to shoot the rabid dog, due to him never wanting to use his talent of shooting to make a scene. He realizes though, if he doesn’t shoot the dog the people in the town will be in danger so thus he has courage and steps up. This is courageous because he had to put his personal preference out of the way to help those he loved. Another moment that Atticus shows courage in his actions is when he is defending Tom Robinson in the jailhouse. The mob has come to lynch Tom and says to Atticus “You know what we want” they then continue to tell Atticus to leave. Atticus in response says “You can turn around and go home again, Walter” and Harper Lee uses the term “Atticus said pleasantly”(Lee 202) to emphasize the

Throughout the story Tom has to go through misaccusation, attacks, and death and throughout it all he keeps his stance firm, that is true courage. In the jailhouse once the mob had dissipated Tom asked Atticus a calm sad question “They gone?”(Lee 206). This simple question of distress shows how Tom Robinson is as a person. He did not want any harm to come to him or the mob. This mindset is truly courageous, the normal man would be angry and aggressive if he was put in this position wrongfully, but not Tom. Tom accepted his scenario and didn’t want anyone to get hurt because of it. When Tom is on the witness stand he shows courage in his testimony. At one particularly important moment Tom states this “I felt right sorry for her, she seemed to try more’n the rest of ‘em” (Lee 264). This statement shows Tom’s courage because in the era of the book, white citizens had much higher rights and social standards than black people. Thus when Tom states he felt sorry for a white lady, that was courage. He socially could not say things like that because that was cause for mobs and lynchings. Tom standing up for what truly happened and stating the truth even if societally it was wrong shows his courage. Furthermore, Atticus and Tom both show lots of courage but arguably neither of them show as much courage as Arthur