Atticus demonstrates courage multiple times throughout the novel when working on the Tom Robinson case and when he stands up to the men at the jail. Before he even took the case, Atticus knew that he would be criticized for helping a black man. He is brave, however, and does what he believes is right. Atticus tells his children, “I wanted you to see what real courage is….It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” (Lee 149). This demonstrates how Atticus knows it would be immensely difficult if he took the case but he does it anyway. Atticus knows that many of his neighbors and friends will be gossipping about the trial and how he’s turning into a “nigger-lover” (87) but he is
“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.
Atticus shows Real Courage many times in TKAM especially in Tom Robinson's case. Atticus fought for tom robinson even though he knew he was fighting a losing battle. Atticus knows that he will be disliked for trying to help a black man. His own sister even tells him he is being a disgrace to the family.Atticus showed real courage by standing up for what he knew was right even though he got hated for it. He shows this when he says, "Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try and won." Atticus wants people to hear the truth about Tom, "That boy may go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told." (Page 146) Atticus even stands up for Tom after he is thrown in jail by protecting him from a
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.
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,
It took an unimaginable amount of courage for Atticus to take the Tom Robinson case knowing he and his children would be harassed by all the other townspeople. For instance, when “My folks said your daddy was a disgrace an' that nigger oughta hang from the water tank” (105). Also, Atticus knew he had a very low chance of succeeding in winning the case, but he took it anyways. He knows the town will think differently about him solely because he is defending a black man. He also knows that his children will be shown a lot of hatred. Even knowing this, Atticus takes the case and tries his best. Not only did he know he would take hatred, he also knew he would lose. But, he knew this case would define who he was “every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally”(96). While talking to the Judge he knows that he will most likely not win, but that does not change his mind. He knows just because Tom Robinson is black that he will not win. The Jury will see the white man who claims his white daughter was raped and believe him with no doubt. No matter what Atticus says to try to change the jury’s mind, he knows he can only try his best. To summarize, Atticus shows courage knowing not only that the town would hate him, but also that he would lose the
In To Kill a Mockingbird, a great deal of courage is shown by Atticus throughout the story. An excerpt from the book illustrates Atticus's courage perfectly, " Lemme tell you somethin' now, Billy," a third said, "you know the court appointed him to defend this nigger." "Yeah, but Atticus aims to defend him. That's what I don't like about it" (Lee 163). Atticus again displays courage at the beginning of chapter 23, after
of the characters. Atticus shows courage throughout the whole book: one example is when he took the offer of defending Tom Robinson's case. He knew what the
Lee presented many examples of courage in To Kill A Mockingbird by illustrating all the scenes leading up to and after the Tom Robinson trial. The first example is that Atticus had the courage to defend Tom Robinson to his full extent despite the town’s disapproval. During the Great Depression, racism was still a major problem and everyone was always willing to trust a white man’s word over a black man’s. When Judge Taylor assigned the case to Atticus, no one expected him to actually try to prove that Tom Robinson was not guilty. Lee foreshadows the consequences of Atticus’s actions when Link Deas says, “You got everything to lose from this, Atticus.
Atticus shows courage in his job, in his community, and in his family. One way Atticus shows courage is in his job. Atticus decides to defend a black man, Tom Robinson, in a case knowing that people would hate him because of it. He also knows that he would lose the case,yet still defends Tom as if he would anyone else.
Courage Showing Courage is the quality of mind that enables someone to face difficulty. Courage is something that everyone should learn to have, because it can get you through tough times. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, different characters show courage in different ways throughout the story. Jem, for example, is courageous by going up to the neighborhood’s mysterious residence, the Radley’s. Atticus Finch, the father of Jem and Scout, shows he has courage by standing outside the jailhouse to protect Tom Robinson from the mob that awaited him.
As people rush from a burning building, smoke filling the blue brushed sky, a man runs in to save a child stuck under a fallen support beam. Is this “true courage”? What is true courage? True courage could be defined as a way or feeling that prompts someone to do something and makes that person able to do it. How do people display true courage?
Atticus portrays courage as “Its when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do” (Lee 128). Atticus clearly demonstrates exactly what his definition of courage is by defending a black man in court, and giving his best effort. At this time black men were severely disadvantaged in court simply because they were black and would never have a fair trial due to the Jim Crow laws.
Isn't courage and empathy important to have when there are issues going on today such as social inequality and racism? To Kill a Mockingbird is about a girl named Scout and her brother that live with their father Atticus. He is a lawyer that's helping Tom Robinson so that he's not proven as guilty because of his race. An example of courage is when Scout was talking to Mr.Cunningham because him and a group of people were trying to hang Tom Robinson while he was in the jail cell. This made him feel guilty because he knew Atticus, so he and his mob left.
When Scout speaks up to her teacher about how Walter Cunningham doesn’t have enough money for lunch money and that he would never accept money from someone she is showing courage because she is correcting an adult. Atticus defending Tom Robinson even though he knew lots of people weren’t a fan of him and that were racist shows he can do what is right even when others threaten him. He still, no matter what, defended him and put everything he could into this trial. When Miss Maudie's house burnt down Atticus went into her house and grabbed her rocking chair. That showed lots of courage because he didn’t have to go into the burning house but instead he risked his life.
To Kill A Mockingbird Courage Courage is something that can apply to anyone. It takes a lot of courage to do something that one may have never done before. Courage is the ability to do something that frightens one, which may take a lot of mental strength for one to use in life. Courage can be a physical act that puts a person in some kind of danger, or it can be purely mental if you are just trying to face your fear. Courage applies To Kill A Mocking bird in a variety of ways.