...Courage is a virtue that is needed more in this world. There are many men and women who fight using guns and many weapons, but is that what courage really is? Courage is described in To Kill a Mockingbird as “when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.” (149). Meaning to finish what you started even when you know you won’t succeed. Many characters show this courage in To Kill a Mockingbird, including, Mrs. Dubose, Atticus, and Boo Radley. Mrs. Dubose doesn't seem very courageous at first, but her case proves that courage isn’t always easy to see. It wasn’t until after she died that the children found out what she had been going through. The children found out that all her fits and strange...
Words: 671 - Pages: 3
...“I wanted 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,” stated Atticus. Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird takes place during 1930’s, a period known as the Great Depression. Harper Lee creates the setting in the little town of Maycomb, Alabama.One of the main conflicts that takes place revolves around a racial issue. Atticus, a father, and a lawyer, ponders the question whether he should defend a trial. The trial includes an 18 year old girl by the name of, Mayella, who comes from a family of poverty and has an abusive father. Mayella falsely states a black man by the name...
Words: 622 - Pages: 3
...Galvez, Steven January 16, 2013 English TKaM Essay: Courage Harper Lee’s To kill a Mockingbird is an American classis based on the author’s childhood. In this book 3 children portray 1 character, Boo Radely, as a “malevolent phantom”, a monster and also an inferior. These 3 children, Scout, Dill and Jem, essentially treat Boo as if he weren’t human, just like Maycomb treats Tom Robinson, a black man wrongly accused of rape. The kids and the town of Maycomb act on the same social level, treating Boo and Tom essentially the same way. A malevolent phantom, a monster, and his own name describes the prejudice these children felt against Boo, but the kids were naive and young and there image of Boo was only based on a game and silly stories. Their “game” was based on the false pretense that Boo was a frightening creature and the whole idea was to lure Boo to come out of his home. Unknowingly they did accomplish this goal. Once Boo left treats for Jem and Scout in a knothole of an oak tree. Again Boo came out during the cold night when Miss Maudie’s house burned down and secretly covered scout with a blanket. Even if Boo enjoyed the kids’ presence the children thought otherwise. Maycomb had the same feelings about Tom Robinson. When Tom testified he humbly said that he felt sorry for Mayella, but Mr. Gilmer, angered and frustrated, replied “you felt sorry for her, you felt sorry for her?” (Lee, pg. 200). He was implying that no black man or woman can feel sympathy for a superior...
Words: 325 - Pages: 2
...“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...
Words: 840 - Pages: 4
...Courage is defined by Merriam-Webster as, “the ability to do something that frightens one.” In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the main characters have to understand what it means to be courageous in the face of prejudice. Growing up in Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression are two siblings named Scout and Jem. As the children get older, they learn the true meaning of courage through the characters, Mrs. Dubose, Atticus, and Scout even sees courage through her own brother, Jem. Throughout the novel, Courageousness is demonstrated by Mrs. Dubose, as she was struggling to fight against her morphine addiction. She dealt with plenty of emotional and physical pain in the overcoming of her addiction before she died. However, she never...
Words: 451 - Pages: 2
...Courage: To Those Who Break the Chains of Tribulation Courage. This word brings up stories ranging from famous superheroes defeating evil villains in tremendous displays of bravery, to mere mortals that face dangerous situations for the greater well-being of those around them. According to Atticus Finch, main character in To Kill A Mockingbird, courage is “when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what”. This type of courage makes infrequent occurrences in social media and news outlets, yet is one of the most inspiring. In Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, author Harper Lee displays three characters, Atticus Finch, Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose , and Mr. Walter Cunningham, that exemplify the definition of courage in the face of unfair, seemingly unchangeable situations. Atticus Finch, a defense lawyer, fought through an extremely difficult case with dignity, while facing racial prejudice in the justice system. On page 100, Atticus states, “I’m simply defending a...
Words: 717 - Pages: 3
...In To Kill a Mockingbird,Harper Lee suggests courage means doing something difficult to defend or to protect others through Boo radley saving the children and Atticus finch defending Tom Robinson. Arthur Radley or Boo proves what courage is because he saved the kids from getting attacked by Bob Ewell,”His arms were like steel. He slowly squeezed the breath out of me. I could not breathe suddenly, he was jerked backwards and flung on the ground”(Lee 351). This quote suggest courage because Bob Ewell was trying to choke Scout to death until Boo flung him to the ground to protect or save scout from dying by Bob Ewell. Finally Boo saves the kids with a devastating blow to Bob in order to protect these kids from ever getting harmed again.”Bob Ewell's lyin’ on the ground under that tree down yonder with a kitchen knife...
Words: 435 - Pages: 2
...in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, is courage. Courage is the ability to do something that frightens one. Atticus, along with many other characters in this book show courage through their fearless actions. Courage is defined in this novel as standing up for what is right regardless of overwhelming opposition. Atticus shows his courage by helping Tom Robinson, a black man, who allegedly raped a woman. Atticus took a chance and tried to defend him knowing that he had no chance of winning. Instead of doing what any other lawyer would do, he does what he knows is right, defending an innocent man. Even though he knows that the trial could put his and his family’s life at risk, he proceeds to help Tom. “They are perfectly willing to let him do what they are...
Words: 468 - Pages: 2
...Courage is the strength to do things that you fear. Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird is packed full of examples of courage and bravery. Some subtle some very direct. One of the many examples being Boo Radley's house. Many of the direct examples of courage was seen there. Harper Lee uses courage to create rising action and to develop or further a character's motives and beliefs. Like in the beginning of the book they showed Dill running to Boo Radleys gate and touch it at a time when most of the children in the neighbourhood feared him. Atticus and the entire court scene was also filled with courageous acts even if most were subtle and not easy to spot at first glance. Boo’s house even went though a few phases that we saw that greatly influenced others view on the house and of Boo himself. In the book almost all examples of courage was done to progress or tell the reader something about that character from totally changing...
Words: 782 - Pages: 4
...Courage is a way of not backing down from a fight. As seen in To Kill A Mockingbird, When Scout Finch got in a fight with a fellow classmate at recess about her father’s choices. Scout Finch is an excellent example of courage in the book. She isn’t afraid to wander off with her brother, Jem, get in a fight for what she believes in, or protecting her own. Harper Lee was an amazing writer, She had a point behind all her writing. For this book she thought of someway to make all the characters have at least a little courage in them. For example, when Atticus Finch, Scout and Jem’s father, burst into Miss Maudie’s house when it burst into flames with no hesitation. All the men in the town didn’t think twice about helping Miss Maudie with saving her possessions. Mr. Avery even risked his life to save a mattress. He jumped out the second...
Words: 519 - Pages: 3
...In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, many of her characters demonstrate courage. The acts of courage are small to large, and come from many different people. But there are three main characters who are proven to have stood out within their acts of courage. These three are Atticus Finch, Adolphus Raymond, and Boo Radley. Courage is the act of doing something that frightens one. Everyone of these characters displayed an act of courage that stands out above all else. Atticus Finch is a white man who defended Tom Robinson, an african american man, in a trial. This trial took place in the 1930’s while racism was still in large effects in many parts of the United States, and this trial took place in one of those areas. “The one thing that...
Words: 569 - Pages: 3
...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...
Words: 835 - Pages: 4
...accomplish nothing in life. ̈ said the professional boxer Muhammad Ali. This quotes means that you have to have to courage to accomplish great things in life. You have to take chances to get where you want to be. Courage takes great strength and motivation. The theme courage was present throughout all the characters in To Kill A Mockingbird. Many characters displayed courage at one point in the story. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout learns about courage from Mrs. Dubose, Atticus and Boo Radley. Mrs. Dubose shows a great deal of courage in this story. She may have been a mean old lady to the children, but she had far more going on in her life than the kids were aware of. She said some mean and nasty things to the children. “And you what are you doing in those overalls? You should be in a dress and camisole, young lady! You’ll grown up waiting on tables if somebody doesn’t change your waysa Finch waiting on tables at the O.K. Caféhah!” (Lee 101). She directed this towards scout and towards Scout and Jem’s mother. She was addicted to morphine and was trying to stop her addiction before she died and it caused her to say some rude things. When Jem messed with her yard, she made him read to her every day after school and on Sundays for two...
Words: 1232 - Pages: 5
...To Kill a Mockingbird ¨He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life,” said Muhammad Ali, heavyweight boxing champion. What he meant when he said this quote was, if you don't have enough courage to step out of your bubble/comfort zone then you won't go very far in life.In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch (the main character's dad) has to have courage to accept the court case of Tom Robinson (a black man). Atticus has to defend him without judging him for what he did or didn’t do. In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, Scout Finch learns about courage from her brother Jem, her father Atticus, and a cranky old lady Mrs. Dubose. The first person Scout learns about courage...
Words: 869 - Pages: 4
...themes of “To kill a Mockingbird” is to show courage no matter what the odds are. This can be seen many times in the book and even in real life. Take for example some courageous people like ghandi. He was a person who had a lot of courage standing up for his beliefs, Courage can be found in the book many times. One of the many times was when Atticus was sitting at the front door of the jailhouse. A whole mob of people came up to him demanding that he move so they can get Tom Robinson. The mob had intended to break into the jail house, grab Tom, and lynch him. When Walter demanded him to move, he refused. Atticus said “You can turn around and go home,Walter” (Lee 151) This took a lot of courage on Atticus’s part. He had to stand up to a horde of people that were intending to kill a man. Another example of...
Words: 446 - Pages: 2
