Be The Change You Wish To See Often in literature as in life, characters and people witness and experience discrimination, racial injustice, under education/poverty, prejudice, and pollution. Regardless of the conflict or time period, the characters and people often become negatively affected. Among these negatively affected, there are always those who fearlessly stand up for their beliefs. Standing up for what you believe in also requires a great deal of bravery. In the following three speeches and novel - Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman”, President Lyndon Baines Johnson’s “The Great Society”, Shirley Chisholm’s “Equal Rights for Women”, and Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” - taking a stand with bravery shows. Although the time periods …show more content…
Also, other characters show bravery in less obvious ways including Arthur “Boo” Radley, Scout Finch, and Helen Robinson. They all impact the story greatly although they show bravery in subtle ways. First, Arthur “Boo” Radley. Boo shows immense bravery at the end of the story when he goes and saves Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell. While on their way home from a festival, Bob Ewell attacks them and tries to kill them in the process. Boo arrives to save them not knowing he would end up having to “pull something heavy”, this heavy thing was Jem. He saved Jem from Bob Ewell. This takes a great deal of bravery because Boo did not know what he was getting himself into. He did not know what he was going to have to do or even what he was going see. He also did not know if he would be hurt in any way. Boo took that chance because he thinks it is the right thing to do. Second, Scout Finch. Scout shows bravery in the novel as well. She defends her father Atticus in every way she possibly can. She also obeys him and does what he asks of her. For example, when she and Jem, along with Dill, follow Atticus to town and see him “sitting propped against the front door” of the town jail. They then see several cars pull into town. There were multiple men there and that did not faze Scout. When Jem and Dill follow, the men become frustrated and leave. Scout showed immense bravery because she did not know what the men were there for but she goes and protects Atticus anyway. Finally, Helen Robinson. Helen Robinson was Tom Robinson's wife. She showed a great deal of bravery because although her husband was on trial for something he clearly did not do, she held her head high and did not let anyone phase her. Whenever Atticus went to go see her at her house, she was polite and optimistic, never rude. She also has her kids be extremely polite to everyone although it must be tough
“Real courage is when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” Atticus Finch. This quote is proved to be true in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee as it demonstrates the true definition of courage. The book takes you along the journey of young girl, Scout Finch, during a time where colored people are thought less of. She experiences this first hand as her father, Atticus Finch, has been assigned to defend a colored man who has been accused of raping a white female. Scout along with her elder brother Jem, learn the definition of courage through some of the characters and how they act to the events that occur before and after the trial. In Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, many characters are great examples of trusting yourself when all odds are stacked against you. Throughout the novel the characters that display courage are Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson and Boo Radley.
Majority of my queries involve Mr.Arthur Radley aka Boo. Upon the ending Scout greets him as if he was an old friend, which is appropriate considering all he's done for her and Jem. Leaving trinkets in the knothole, covering up her during the fire, fixing Jem's pants. All of this implied makes Boo out to be the hero. This is why during the event Bob Ewell attacks the Finch children and ends up dead and it is clear that Boo might have
Boo Radley portrayed courage very effectively throughout the novel. In one situation Boo appeared to save Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell, who was attacking them when they were coming back from the Halloween festival. Boo showed courage
Moreover, every other character in the story can be said to have courage, especially Atticus. The book revolves around Atticus and how he has no fear to defend a black man. Atticus is a lawyer that always had justice and never accepts injustice. He defends a black man named “Tom Robinson” who is accused of rapping a white girl whose own father had infact raped. “I’m simply defending a negro his name’s Tom Robinson” “The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this country in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again” (Lee,100). These quotes show that Atticus is not afraid and is brave enough to hold his head up in town even if he defended Tom, an inferior in their society. It also shows how well educated and mature he is that he even connects his job to his kids and he always tries to be good to be the best in his kids’ eyes. He wanted his kids to get along with other people and for them to learn courage from them like Mrs. Dubose, for example.
Boo Radley portrayed courage effectively throughout the novel. In one-situation, Boo appeared to save Scout and Jem from Bob Ewell, who was attacking them when they were coming back from the Halloween festival. This showed courage because first, Scout didn’t view Boo Radley as a human being to her, until he finally came out his house and benefited Scout and Jem as he saved their lives from Bob Ewell. “Thank you for my children, Arthur” (Lee, 276). Boo Radley can inspire people who judge too early on a person, it is vital to wait and learn than come to quick
Undeniably, the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is an interesting yet enlightening read about the discrimination and unfairness African Americans faced in the 1930s through the eyes of a child. There are numerous passages throughout the novel that are life lessons for not just the characters in the story, but the readers. Without a doubt, one life lesson that is displayed in the story is the empathy shown by Atticus. The life lesson of personal integrity is also a major one in the story, as well as persistence. Lastly, the theme of courage is significant and the life lesson of the mockingbird in the story has a deeper meaning than what might appear to readers. Overall, the life lessons of empathy, personal integrity, persistence,
In Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird courage is defined as standing up for what one believes in. Throughout the part one of the book Atticus stands up for what he believes in even though he is heavily criticized. Out of every character introduced so far Atticus has shown by far the most cnjourage. Scout and Jem show courage by trying to communicate with Boo Radley even though all of the terrible rumors.
When people think of heroes, they will likely think of Superman, Spiderman, or the Hulk, but Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, has created a new hero. His name is Atticus Finch. Scout, Atticus’s daughter, says, “Our father didn’t do anything. He worked in an office, not a drug store. Atticus did not drive a dump truck for the county, he was not the sheriff, he did not farm, work in a garage, or do anything that could possibly arouse the admiration of anyone” (Lee 118). Although Scout does not consider her father to be neither youthful nor energetic, he does what all heroes do- he protects the innocent. The main theme of To Kill a Mockingbird is destroyed and preserved innocence, and without Atticus protecting the innocent, all innocence would be destroyed. Atticus embodies the theme of To Kill a Mockingbird and shows heroism by setting a good example for the children and the townspeople, giving insightful advice to his children, and protecting an innocent African American man before the civil rights era had even begun.
One example of a hero from To Kill a Mockingbird is Atticus Finch, the father of the protagonist, Scout. One example of Atticus’s heroism is when he shows courage by defending a black man, Tom Robinson, who was accused of raping a white woman, Mayella Ewell. This shows courage because no one else wanted to defend Tom, and he knew he was going to lose. Atticus says real courage is, “When you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.” This quote illustrates the idea because Atticus knows he will not win the Tom Robinson case, but he shows courage by seeing it through all of the way to the end. Another example of Atticus being a hero is that he always respects everyone. He does not care what people look like, he justs respects them. No one believes Tom is innocent at first just because he is black, but Atticus respects him and trusts him. Also, when he is cross-examining Mayella at the trial he shows respect for her by calling her “ma’am” and “Miss Mayella.” Dill says, “Well, Mr. Finch didn't act that way to Mayella and old man Ewell when he cross-examined them. The way that man called him 'boy' all the time an' sneered at him, an' looked around at the jury every time he answered-." This quote shows Atticus is a polite and respectful gentleman because even though he was cross-examining Mayella and Mr. Ewell, he was considerate. Atticus is just one of many heroes in To Kill a Mockingbird, but he is a major one.
Courage, as defined by Collins Dictionary, is “the quality shown by someone who decides to do something difficult or dangerous, even though they may be afraid”. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee has created many characters who exhibit such courage, even in the face of adversity, and develops this into a major theme. Atticus Finch, Arthur Radley, and other members of the Finch household and Maycomb community, display amazing courage in the things they say, but more importantly in the way they act. These characters all contribute to the novel’s theme of showing courage through adversity.
Some may argue that the most courageous character is Boo Radley. Boo saved Jem and Scout from getting killed by Bob Ewell. Boo may be considered more courageous because he fought off an armed man. Based on evidence from the story, Boo was extremely reclusive and was possibly mentally ill. For example, after saving Jem and Scout, Boo shows signs of extreme anxiety: “When I pointed to him his palms slipped slightly, leaving greasy sweat streaks on the wall, and he hooked his thumbs in his belt. A strange small spasm shook him, as if he heard fingernails scrape slate, but as I gazed at him in wonder the tension slowly drained from his face.” Going outside, let alone fighting
In To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Scout and Jem learn many things about courage, from many different people, throughout the story. I believe that courage is when someone does something, that they might be scared to do, for the well being of themselves or someone else. There are many people that show courage in this novel, but there are three people that show courage that really stick out to me; Atticus, Mrs. Dubose, and Boo Radley. I feel like Scout and Jem really learned a lot about courage from all three of them.
Although Atticus doesn't stand up for himself when Bob Ewell spits on him, he demonstrates his heroism in logical ways because he wants to be truthful with his children and to the people of Maycomb.
In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” there are a few heroes, one is Atticus Finch, but he is not the real hero. Harper lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” is a narration of a young girl called Scout Finch, the daughter of a lawyer in their hometown named Maycomb. Atticus Finch (Scout’s father) agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black man who has been wrongly accused of raping a white girl, knowing that he will lose the case as the town is highly racist and it is very rare for a black man to be deemed not guilty. Harper Lee has looked at in the novel. Some of these include racism, segregation, family, injustice, and a few more. But one of the most visible to readers is examples of heroism. Heroism takes many forms, However, an action must cost the person/hero something and must serve other people positively. Atticus is clearly one of the heroes in the book, but other characters in the book do more heroic things and prove themselves to be heroes much more compared to Atticus Finch.
"I wanted to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun." What kinds of heroism and courage are shown in To Kill a Mockingbird? Discuss.