...Dictionary defines courage as, “the ability to control your fear in a dangerous or difficult situation.” Harper Lee agrees with this statement in her own way by having Atticus tell Jem, 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. It's when you know you're licked before you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. (Lee 112) She also agrees with this definition by demonstrating courage in these ways throughout the novel. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the three characters that demonstrate outstanding courage are Boo Radley, Mrs. Dubose, and Atticus. Boo Radley demonstrates noteworthy courage by making himself vulnerable to save Scout and Jem from Mr. Ewell’s attack. He makes himself physically vulnerable since he could have also been attacked, but exposes himself to save the children. He does not want to be seen or known, but briefly overcomes that fear when he hears the cries of trouble. This makes him feel emotionally vulnerable. He also indicates his courageousness by staying in the Finch house after the attack. He feels insecure around people but stays to ensure Jem’s safety. Finally, Boo expresses courage by admitting he was uncomfortable...
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...To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee speaks tales of courage in society, and what it takes to uphold it.The story embarks with Scout Finch, a young daughter of a lawyer who becomes enveloped in a world of racism, prejudice, and injustice.Through the eyes of Scout, she looks up to her father, a figure of respect among many in Maycomb county, in times where his morals are pushed to the limits. .In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee stems Courage from the struggles of a community, where moral values allow many characters to stand up for themselves and others. Many characters such as Jem, a young boy who learns of world around him through his experiences and Ms. Dubose, a hot-tempered old lady with the hidden secret of fighting her addiction gives meaning to the symbol of about their flowers, Camelias. A character that encompasses these traits is Atticus, a lawyer who was tasked to defend a African man during a time of racism. Atticus became a prominent character who shows his colors during his Town's needs, such as the attack of the Rabid dog. Scout, the main protagonist who learns from these characters, their decisions and values which demonstrate what it means to be courageous. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee distinguishes many characters for their acts of courage, putting them in situations that push their morals and beliefs.After returning from Ms.Dubose's house, Scout questions her father about Ms.Dubose intentions concerning Atticus defending Tom Robinson...
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...“Courage: the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery” (Dictionary.com). Courage appears all around us in all different types, such as in tv shows, movies, books, and in real life. For example, there are many controversial types of courage shown in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. To Kill A Mockingbird is about the people who live in an imaginary town in Alabama, called Maycomb, during the Great Depression. When racism and justice collide head on in Atticus’s courtroom, it is important to be courageous and brave no matter what the circumstances. Three examples of courage from the book are, when Jem stands up to save Atticus at the jailhouse, Boo Radley secretly laying the blanket over Scout, and Mrs. Dubose quitting her morphine addiction. The first...
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...“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (Lee 85). The advice given by Atticus Finch to his daughter in the book, To Kill a Mockingbird, manifests the idea that compassion is based on sympathy. To understand why an individual acts a certain way, even if not agreed upon, reveals how one’s compassion can vary. Being in someone else’s skin proves to show that unless experiencing the other’s adversities, it’s difficult to understand what kind of background someone is coming from. Literature opens the window to a variety of life lessons that can be taught for the greater good. Throughout the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, life lessons like what the...
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...History? To Kill a Mockingbird, for various reasons is marked top and a must read before you die, because of its outstanding lessons through the eyes of a little girl. This book teaches history and life lessons better than any textbook or teacher. Society strongly believes there is no reason for banning this book, because it teaches about racism, shows courage, and gives a mental vision of how society has changed since then. It’s very difficult when people have decided your verdict by just seeing the color of your skin. People shouldn’t be judged by how they look; in the end we’re all human, nothing more nothing less. There are different types of courage shown throughout the book. It ranges from how courageous a kid could be and an adult too. Society has come a long way, and it has changed for the best. When you realize in the book how society was, you think to yourself how could people be so cruel? Although years after, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. himself said, “…I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character…” (King). To Kill a Mockingbird, teaches racism better than any textbook, “I thought it taught things about racism and tolerance better than a history textbook,” (Oakley Ebscohost). Even though racism is a sensitive subject to some, people of today’s world need to know what kind of cruel things used to happen, that way we know it’s wrong and how much people...
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...exists a right and wrong, that decency will somehow triumph in the end.” Harper Lee's novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” shows how courage can be shown in different ways and that even the most subtle act of courage makes a difference. According to Atticus Finch, an honest lawyer in Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" teaches the children that courage can be portrayed as both physical bravery and strength, but fighting for what is right regardless of whether you win or lose takes more strength in character, and that is ultimately more courageous. Many characters show real courage in Maycomb, such as Scout, Atticus, and Tom Robinson. Courage is shown in different ways. Early in the novel, Scout illustrates the courage she is full with. On her first day of school, Scout acts as a leader for the entire class and takes the duty of informing Miss Caroline of Walter Cunningham's situation. Miss Caroline had just scolded Scout for her ability to read, however, Scout still feels the class is in need of leadership. This is courageous because most children at her age would fear speaking to the teacher is such a bold fashion. A very good example of courage is when Atticus asked Scout not to fight anymore. "When I committed myself to a policy of cowardice. Word got around that Scout Finch wouldn't fight anymore, her daddy wouldn't let her." The fact that Scout quit fighting was an act of great courage not because she used to fight a lot, but because she had promised to her father that she would...
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...In the novel, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, a character that shows true courage during the trial is Atticus Finch, lawyer and loving father to Jem and Scout. True courage is being able to defend and fight for something despite the circumstances.Numerous times Atticus shows courage in the story which all relates to the theme, having to be faced with the harsh reality of the world which ruins your innocence. Atticus Finch stays strong and practical during the trial, defending Tom Robinson with his life. Atticus’s effort during the trial shows his courage because, despite it being tricky to get the judge and people of the racist South to side with Tom Robinson, compared to Mayella, who claims to be the victim. Atticus does not give up and continues to fight for Tom Robinson’s justice. Atticus shows courage through logical...
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...In the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, one consistent theme is based around how Atticus Finch positively impacted the town of Maycomb. The location was Alabama during the 1930’s. During this time period, citizens of Maycomb showed extreme chauvinism towards one another. For people to not give into this way of life truly must have been very audacious. One person that proved to be able to show such audacious acts was a man named Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch willingly defended an African American which in the time period was perceived as very taboo. Out of all the characters in the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper lee a man named Atticus Finch proved to have the most courage and by the end of the book the most moral growth. The fact that he went against the normal way of life in his town, and willingly defend an African american by...
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...To Kill a Mockingbird, by Nelle Haper Lee was published in 1960, after the 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education and during a time of increasing civil rights unrest (Johnson). It was also a time of great social change in the United States, and a novel about the racial injustices of 1930s Alabama carried a powerful message to its readers. After the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, literature and literacy were used to expose and educate on racial injustice (Prendergrast 2). The dominant theme of the novel is prejudice and ultimately the courage needed to overcome prejudice. There are three main types of prejudice that are explored in the novel; racial prejudice, social prejudice and fear of the unknown. Racial prejudice is present throughout the novel in the people of Maycomb’s everyday life, as it is a novel set in the ‘deep south’ of America in the 1930’s. This period is not so long after the American civil war, so slavery’s abolishment had occurred not all that long ago, and the horror of slavery was still on the mind of many black people at the time (Brundage 86). Because of this, most people’s attitudes towards black people had not changed very much. The situation that shows the best examples of racial prejudice is the trial of Tom Robinson. In his trial, Tom Robinson is misjudged and mistreated because he is black. One of the clearest examples of this is the way in which Mr. Gilmer, Tom’s prosecutor, calls Tom “boy.” He uses a tone of voice towards...
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...How symbolism can help you better understand To Kill a Mockingbird In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee uses symbolism to reveal an overall theme of human dignity. Maycomb County is a typical sleepy southern town that is blinded by the disease of racism. An innocent black man becomes a victim of the disease when he is accused of rapeing a white woman. Firstly the symbols Jem’s pants and the rolly-polly show the important theme of maturation. Furthermore the symbols Tim Johnson and the snowman highlight a theme of destroying racism. Lastly one-shot Finch and the perfect white waxy camellia symbolize true courage. Harper Lee uses Jem’s pants and the rolly-polly as symbols to convey a theme of maturation. Jem and Scout where in the Radley’s backyard trying to get a look at Boo Radley when Jem see’s a shadow the children immediately flee form the house. As the children were running through the collards as they hear the roar of a shotgun. As Jem and Scout are fleeing the scene Jem’s pants gets caught in the fence and he has to leave it in their backyard if he wants to survive. Later that night he says how he needs to go back and retrieve his pants not for him but for Atticus, “‘Atticus ain’t never whipped me ever since I can remember, and I wanta keep it that way.’” (Lee 75). He goes back to get his pants to keep his relation shit with Atticus. There is a evident theme maturation in Jem at this point, from when he thought turtles could not feel, too now when he is showing...
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...Courage Your time is limited, so do not waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition (brainy quotes). The current dictionary’s definitions of courage intend to be a little inadequate because they only really reference to physical courage and omit instances of inner strength. Three commonly used dictionaries agree closely on the definition although they differ in the order of importance. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes courage as "an attitude of facing and dealing with anything recognized as dangerous, difficult or painful, instead of withdrawing from it," and the American Heritage Dictionary gives a similar explanation. While the Oxford Dictionary affiliates with this meaning, it states that the primary definition is "spirit, mind, or disposition." Courage is a state of mind: that enables a person to overcome fear, pain, danger, or hardship. Although different from one another, all aspects of courage involve taking risks. Physical courage is linked to every human body. Courage is not just found in the soldiers who can display shiny medals or in the detectives who bravely risks their life for justice as portrayed on television. It is not an elementary school girl who agrees to fight, but she who can stand up against it. A six year old boy who...
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..."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. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what"- Atticus Finch. Also courage is a part of growing up but it's the type of courage that determine whether a person matures or evolved from once they once were. In addition, to this in novel To Kill a Mockingbird there are two children Scout and Jem, that experience things a child should never go through. However, by going through a time of Great Depression and dealing with a prejudice town they have evolved from the naive kids they used to be. Except, in this essay it's about who has evolved the most throughout the novel. Therefore, Jem has changed the more than Scout in "To Kill a Mockingbird" because he has proved more mature than Scout. Towards the middle of the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Jem evolves by following Atticus as a role model.For example Jem shows maturing by stating 'I reckon if he'd wanted us to know it, he'da told...
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...There will always be a challenge waiting for one to overcome, waiting for one to face their fears and take a stance in what they believe in. As demonstrated in Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, there are many ways to act courageous. Standing by ones morals and acting against ones fears represents true courage. In To Kill a Mockingbird, true courage can be shown through moral courage, mental courage, and physical courage. In To Kill a Mockingbird, standing up for what one believes in shows moral courage. Firstly, Atticus defending Tom Robinson even when he knew he would lose shows moral courage. Atticus is a well-known and respected figure in Maycomb. Choosing to defend a...
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...such as Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, and the film, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, directed by Mark Herman, undergo various changes and transformations, not only physically, emotionally and intellectually, but also in their understanding and perspectives of the world around them. Studying texts such as these provides the audience with valuable insight into the aspects of changing worlds, perspectives, relationships and selves, which they are then able to relate to their own lives. Characters in both To Kill A Mockingbird and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (hereafter referred to as Mockingbird and Pyjamas respectively) change their attitude to society’s notions of the superiority of certain races and religions over others, creating a valuable moral imperative through the historical nature of the texts. Harper Lee’s Mockingbird is set in the small American town of Maycomb amidst the 1930s civil rights movement, and is centred on Scout’s moral struggle when questioning the racism and discrimination present. At the start of the novel, Scout blindly follows the discriminatory beliefs of society, although as she experiences more of the world for herself, she begins to question the hypocrisy of society, “How can you hate Hitler so bad an’ then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home?” Through the use of colloquial language, the author demonstrates Scout’s criticism and confusion concerning the hypocritical nature of society, and how she’s developed into a free-thinking...
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...I found the definition of courage has various meanings, and there are three main themes or descriptions that show or prove courage. Mostly it is physical courage, emotional courage, and moral courage. The literature of English 421 taught me that it may take a little or a lot of courage to stand up for yourself in order to reach your goal, and you may find courage you never knew you had. I will describe situations of courage that I think were important in the three novels we read, beginning with the novel displaying the least courageous characters and finishing with the novel displaying the most courageous characters. A Midsummer Night’s Dream It is my opinion this novel did not have the type of characters I would think of as courageous. So, when I was trying to come up with examples of courage from this novel, I thought of Hermia, and the courage she showed when standing up to her parents about Lysander. She loved Lysander, but was supposed to marry Demetrius. There were many conflicts in the novel, mostly about who loved who, and the confusion around why things were happening, not necessarily acts of courage. Hermia stuck to what her heart wanted and that took courage no matter what the Royal parents thought. It takes courage for Hermia to stand up to her father. This is a pretty good example of emotional courage. (Shakespeare, 64) Lord of the Flies Ralph is the main character in Lord of the Flies. He wants to be leader of the boy’s tribe because the boys voted...
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