Examples Of Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird

2. (a) Recall: Why does Tom go out on the ledge? (b) Connect: Is his decision surprising given his character? Explain.

Atticus shows true courage by defending Tom Robinson, a black man charged with the rape of a white woman. Atticus continues to fight for justice despite knowing he can’t win the case because he is

An example where courage is shown is when Atticus explains to Jem and Scout that the dying Mrs. Dubose displayed “real courage” and his children are puzzled because Mrs. Dubose said awful statements about Atticus. On page 116, Atticus says, “‘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.” This is an example of courage because Atticus is explaining to his children that courage isn’t always physically shown and can be shown in other ways than this. He is saying that Mrs. Dubose displayed courage just by not wanting to die a morphine addict and accomplishing this. This act shows “real courage” because Mrs. Dubose depended on the morphine for so long and died the way she wanted to die. Even though Mrs. Dubose showed a different type of courage then a man with a gun in his hand, she still displayed immense courage and strength before she died, according to

“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.

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.

Atticus is going up against all of the odds. Atticus shows courage through standing up against the standard of society. A black man could have never won against a white man. Atticus knows that the case could harm his reputation as a lawyer and a man, but is courageous enough to attempt to give Tom Robinson justice. As a final point, Atticus shows his courage through raising two children as a single parent. Atticus is what the children look up to. When Heck is trying to prove Bob Ewell fell on his knife, Atticus says this about his kids, “Sometimes I think I’m a total failure as a parent, but I’m all they’ve got. Before Jem looks at anyone else he looks at me, and I’ve tried to live so I can look squarely back at him…” (Lee 273). Atticus tells Heck that raising his kids by himself is hard. He always has to set the perfect example for his children because he wants them to be successful. Atticus has to be courageous at any challenge his kids present him. He is their role model. Atticus shows her courage by being his kids hero, and the perfect father through horrible

Atticus reveals there was no evidence to prove Tom Robinson’s actions towards Mayella. Atticus tries to appeal to the jury with hard physical evidence, for the jury to look at Tom Robinson as an equal not as an African American man. The use of ethos is evident in Atticus’ argument, by convincing the jury with credibility, “‘I am confident that you gentlemen will review without passion the evidence you have heard, come to a decision, and restore this defendant to his family. In his name of God, do your duty’” (Lee para.13).

Atticus’ most important act of courage was when he voluntarily decided to take up Tom Robinson’s case. He takes up the case knowing well that there is no chance of winning due

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee there are many important themes but one that I think really comes up a lot is that courage is doing the right thing. This is a theme because there are many times where people do the right thing no matter what people think about them. One quote is from Nelson Mandela “Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace”. This relates to the book because when you are courageous like Atticus then you try to make peace with the people around you and one thing you can always do is forgive.

Atticus is a lawyer, which allows him to have a say in court cases to prove someone innocent. When Tom Robinson is accused of rape, Atticus is the only lawyer willing to fight Tom’s case. Atticus was known to be one of the best lawyers the town had. Bob Ewell (the person who accused the rape) was in fear of going to prison seeing that one of the most powerful lawyers was against him. On page 23-25, “They shot him,” said Atticus. “He was running. It was during their exercise period. They said he just broke into a blind raving charge at the fence and started climbing over. Right in front of them…”. The amount of power instilled in Atticus caused Bob to create false accusations once again in order to save himself. Atticus was a true figure that resembled what must be done with great

In the end, Tom lost the battle against society because of his

In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus shows moral courage because he respects every person equally and has the courage to think differently than everyone else. An example of this is when he is talking to Scout after her unfortunate first day of school. She is mad at her new teacher, Miss. Caroline for getting her in trouble twice in one day. Atticus says “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around with it.”

Atticus displays acts of personal courage in his willingness to keep others safe and his response to racism based threats. Many of the citizens of Maycomb County and its surrounding area were upset about Atticus, a lawyer, taking the defense case of Tom Robinson, a black man who was accused of raping a white woman. Mr. Link Deas and Mr. Heck Tate, along with some other men in Maycomb, come to tell Atticus about the Old Sarum lynch mob coming to kill Tom. The next night, Atticus goes down to the county jail and tells the mob to go home and leave Tom alone (Lee 194 and 202). The lynch mob comes to kill Tom, so they could potentially hurt Atticus, too. The amount of courage Atticus has to display to defend Tom outside of the courthouse and stand up to a dangerous mob of men is extremely high, considering the risks he takes. Atticus comes home from work one day, after the trial is over, and is approached by Mr. Bob Ewell, the victim's father: "According to Miss Stephanie Crawford, however, Atticus was leaving the post office when Mr. Ewell approached him, cursed him, spat on him, and threatened to kill him... Atticus's peaceful reaction probably prompted him to inquire,'Too proud to fight, you [Negro-lover]?' Miss Stephanie said Atticus said, 'No, too old', put his hands in his pockets, and strolled on"(291). Mr. Ewell is upset that Atticus had tried to prove that Tom was innocent and that Mr. Ewell had hurt his own daughter. He also believes that

Any normal person in his situation would have given up by then, but tom, however; is not willing to give up and forget about the paper that easily, because he wants his promotion. He once again lets his perseverance guide him blindly into a perilous situation, and all he thought about was where the paper would get him, “They were the beginning of the long, long climb to where he was determined to be, at the very top.” (Finney 114:1) He only thought of the future, he didn’t stop to think of the situation he was in now, and kept fighting to get to the paper. Tom’s perseverance led him onto the ledge to get the paper, but while out there when he nearly died, he finally realizes the little importance the paper actually has.

The novel shows different issues and morals, one of this morals is bravery. In the scene when Jem had to read to the mean old lady, Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose every afternoon as his punishment for demolishing all her Camellias until she went to her final resting, the siblings learns about real bravery.