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Examples Of Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Courage Redefined
According to French Author and Nobel Literature Prize winner André Gide, “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” Likewise, humanity will not be able to grow and develop without the knowledge and possession of courage. Throughout the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the author Harper Lee teaches the definition of true courage. The story takes place in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama, where Scout is growing up. The first part of the story is mainly focused on Scout’s childish adventures. Everything changes in the second part when Scout’s father Atticus defends Tom Robinson, a black man who is accused of a capital offense he did not commit. Scout witnesses firsthand the injustice of racism at the trial of Tom Robinson, and the events surrounding it. Throughout these events, Scout learns about what courage is perceived to be, and what it really is. Harper Lee’s book teaches that courage is the ability to back down from …show more content…

When Atticus decides to defend Tom Robinson, a Black man falsely accused of raping a white woman, the white population of the town is baffled as to why Atticus would defend somebody whom they believe is surely guilty. The information spreads that Atticus is defending Tom, and Cecil Jacob, one of Scout’s classmates, announces in the schoolyard that Scout’s father defends “niggers”. Scout fights Cecil at first, but when Cecil again brings up that topic the next day, Scout “...drew a bead on him, remembered what Atticus had said, then …walked away”(102). Although there will inevitably be some name calling directed at Scout after this incident, Scout is undeterred and backs down from the fight, knowing that the insults will not affect her in the long term. This shows that Scout has the courage to know that unimportant matters are not worth fighting

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