When Does Atticus Show Courage

Atticus says that courage is, “it’s when you know you’ve been licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win but sometimes you do.” Atticus shows courage by his willingness to defend Tom Robinson even though he is black. He also shot the rabid dog even though he says it isn’t courageous it still shows courage because he stopped the dog before it could. He is also courageous because he puts up with Bob Ewell 's threats he gets because Bob knows Atticus will prove that Tom is innocent and Bob is really the guilty one. Atticus showed courage when he shot the rabid dog because he knew he was going to kill the dog because he’s a good shot but Heck Tate was relying on him to keep everyone safe and unharmed. He says that this isn’t courageous but I disagree because if he kills the dog and doesn’t miss. “ 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 you see it through no matter what.(Pg.128)” Atticus thinks that this isn’t courage because he wants his kids to see you can be courageous without a gun, a gun is never the answer. So, that’s why Atticus doesn’t think shooting the rabid dog was courageous.

Atticus was obviously going to accept the job because that’s what he does and he said, “This case, Tom Robinson’s case, is something that goes to the essence of a man’s conscience-Scout, I couldn’t go to church and worship god if I didn’t try to help that man.(Pg. 120)” Atticus shows courage by defending Tom because he doesn’t care what the public thinks and will do everything in his power to try and get Tom free and back to his family. Atticus actually proves that Tom is innocent and Bob is really the guilty one but since Tom is black no one believes that he is truly