In 'To Kill a Mockingbird' many morals about the themes in the novel are portrayed through different issues and events. The major themes are appearance vs. reality courage, maturity and prejudice. Each of these themes has an event in the novel that help the reader understand its message. Courage is shown by different characters in varying ways throughout the novel. These characters are Jem, Boo Radley, Mrs. Dubose and Atticus. Jem shows a small amount of courage when Atticus decides to face a lynch mob. Jem understands who they are and what they want to do, but he still refuses to go home and remains to defend his father. Boo Radley also shows courage by putting all his fears of the outside world behind him to save Jem and Scout's lives. Atticus displayed a large amount of courage in the novel, especially through accepting the Robinson case. He knew that defending Tom Robinson meant downgrading his social status and possibly risking his and his children's lives, but he still did what he had to do. He also displayed courage when he decided to face a lynch mob alone to protect Tom Robinson. Atticus lived up to his own definition of courage. Atticus knew that his children didn't like or understand Mrs. Dubose and he made them read to her every day for a month. After her death he explained to them that Mrs. Dubose was a morphine addict and her goal was to give it up before she died. Through this, he taught his children what real courage is and this sends a direct message
Courage within Atticus is not restrained to his professional life, but also evident in his family life. It is hard for Atticus to raise his children without a wife, and to face the constant family ridicule. At one point the reader is convinced Atticus has lost his courage, and has succumbed to the clutched of Aunt Alexandra, her opinions. However, as the scene progresses the reader is further exposed to the courage of Atticus and his decision to
Throughout the book, many characters show true courage. The three characters that show this the most are Atticus Finch, Mrs. Dubose, and Boo Radley, who is also known as Arthur Radley. Atticus Finch, father of Jem and Scout, shows all readers just what courage really is.
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.
The first sign of courage is when Miss Maudie tells Scout on page 46 that, “Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets”. This quote says a lot about Atticus’s character because it takes courage to act the same all the time and not care what others think about you. Atticus did not let people change who he was or make him act differently. Atticus did not care if people judged him or disagreed with him. His beliefs
People often ask, “what is courage?”. Courage is doing what is right, no matter what the circumstances are. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch shows what real courage is throughout the novel. Real courage is when someone fights for what is right, no matter what the final decision is. Atticus is the perfect person to display real courage. Atticus is a courageous man, honest lawyer, and a great role model for his two kids Scout, formally known as Jean Louise Finch, and Jem, formally known as Jeremy Atticus Finch. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus represents the importance of doing what is right while being courageous.
Courage can be shown in many different ways. Some people have a hard time of showing it while others do not. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird courage is shown through the characters of Jem and Atticus. These two characters show their courage in many different ways.
Atticus shows courage by doing things people don’t want to do. He stepped up to the plate, despite his beliefs, for the good of everyone else. Consequently, he shoots the ‘mad’ dog that was wandering the streets when nobody wants to. The dog was rabid, and frightened the neighbors. In the novel it reads, “In a fog, Jem and I watched our father take the gun and walk out into the middle of the street…Atticus rubbed his eyes and chin we saw him blink hard.” This shows him taking on the task, knowing it was the right thing to do. He started with not wanting to do it himself, but the job was put in his hands. It takes courage to do the things nobody wants to do, and having everyone looking at you to do the right thing.
The theme of courage is represented by three characters, Atticus, by defending Tom Robinson, Mrs. Dubose, when she kicks her morphine addiction even though she knew she was going to die, and Boo Radley, when he saves Scout and Jem from Mr. Ewell. First, Atticus showed courage by defending Tom Robinson. In the 1930’s, especially in the south, defending a black man was a big deal. It took Atticus a lot of courage to take the case knowing all the hate he would acquire. In a quote by Atticus, “…If I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town,
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.
On August 9, 2014,a young man by the name of Michael Brown was shot and killed by a police officer. It is little known why the shooting occurred, but the boy was unarmed.This could be one of many cases of modern day racism and segregation. In 1930, “even after the abolishment of slavery in 1865, blacks were still almost powerless(BBC 2)”.Blacks were heavily segregated and had almost no rights.Many cases of segregation in the 1930s caused a lot of current day racial tension in the united states.
Atticus demonstrates both definitions of courage in many parts of the novel. Atticus was talking to Scout when he said, “‘Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win’” (Lee 76). This demonstrates Atticus’s own definition of courage because he knows he’s not going to convince the jury that Tom was innocent but he was still going to put his best effort in and fight till the end. Equally important, Atticus shows little acts of courage throughout the
Atticus says to Jem that he wants his son “To see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand”. Courage is simply defined as having strength and power when faced with any problem that's frightening. Courageous people show characteristics such as being fearless, daring and bold. Courageousness is expressed greatly throughout “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Atticus and his kids. Although they did show a lot of courage by standing up to those who sought to bring down the Finch name, others in the novel showed courage as well such as Arthur “Boo” Radley, Tom Robinson, and Mrs. Dubose. Atticus was greatly put down by the people of Maycomb because he was defending a black man, Tom Robinson, which
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.
“You never understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Atticus Finch, To Kill A Mockingbird. When I was nine years old my family and I moved from Marshall, Texas to Harleton, Texas. Making this move had a significant impact on my childhood due to the fact that I was taken from the town I had spent the first nine years of my life in only to begin an entirely new life in another town I had never even been to. I was taken from my friends and family, and I was faced with having to adjust to a whole new world. I didn’t realize it at the time, but this move and the experiences I would have would shape my life and make me the person that I am today.
Both definitions of courage can apply to Atticus because of what he does throughout the novel. Atticus’ own definition is shown when he is explaining to Scout why he has to defend Robinson. Atticus was talking to Scout when he said, “‘Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win’” (Lee 76). Atticus puts forth his best effort even though he knows there is nothing he could do to prove Robinson is innocent, proving how hard Atticus will fight and persevere till the end. Equally important, Atticus shows