How Does Miss Maudie Show Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird

Courage is shown within the characters of To Kill A Mockingbird in several situations.  The characters are challenged to face danger or pain without fear.  The courage they display gives them strength and deepens their self-understanding as the novel progresses.

According to Eleanor Roosevelt, “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” (Goodreads). Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, courage is represented by Atticus, Scout, and Boo Radley. In the novel, some of the characters learn a lot about courage. The novel takes place in Maycomb, Alabama during the Great Depression. Throughout the book, many characters have to find courage.

Martin Luther King Jr got himself in troublesome and dangerous situations trying to get equal rights for everyone. He risked himself for a cause he believed was right. He had the courage to fight for what he believed in, even if he known it would be dangerous for him and in the end he reached his goal. In the book “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, the definition of courage is “it’s when you know you’re licked before you begin anyways and you see it through no matter what (p.111). In this book there are some characters that show they have the trait of courage including Atticus, boo Radley, and Mrs. Dubose.

In a smaller perspective, Scout had shown courage in many places in the novel. For instance, she showed courage when Atticus had asked Scout not to fight anyone. She was being asked to change how she reacted negatively to people’s comments. This showed a lot of bravery because Scout used to fight a lot, but since she promised Atticus that she wouldn’t fight anymore she stuck to her word because she didn’t want to disappoint Atticus. Another example is when she continues to learn how to read and write with Atticus even if she gets scolded by her teacher. She shows courage because she is going against what her teacher had told her. Finally, she acts like an ambassador on the first day of school. She has the guts to act like someone really important. Being a follower of her fathers’ character traits, she hasn’t learned the true meaning of courage that her father, Atticus displays.

Scout displayed courage in many sections of the novel. For instance, she portrayed the trait of courage when Atticus had asked Scout not to fight anyone and when she was being asked to change how she reacted negatively to people’s comments. This showed scads of bravery in the book Scout used to fight a lot, but since she made a promise to Atticus, she had changed because she didn’t want to disappoint Atticus. “I drew a bead on him, remembered what Atticus had said, then dropped my fists and walked away” (Lee, 76). Finally, she showed courage when she continues to learn how to read and write with Atticus even when the teacher scolds her. Bravery is shown as she goes against what her teacher had told her. Scout can inspire many who strive for the trait of bravery, as it is a key trait in today’s society.

An example where courage is shown is when Atticus explains to Jem and Scout that the dying Mrs. Dubose displayed “real courage” and his children are puzzled because Mrs. Dubose said awful statements about Atticus. On page 116, Atticus says, “‘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.” This is an example of courage because Atticus is explaining to his children that courage isn’t always physically shown and can be shown in other ways than this. He is saying that Mrs. Dubose displayed courage just by not wanting to die a morphine addict and accomplishing this. This act shows “real courage” because Mrs. Dubose depended on the morphine for so long and died the way she wanted to die. Even though Mrs. Dubose showed a different type of courage then a man with a gun in his hand, she still displayed immense courage and strength before she died, according to

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 the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee there are many important themes but one that I think really comes up a lot is that courage is doing the right thing. This is a theme because there are many times where people do the right thing no matter what people think about them. One quote is from Nelson Mandela “Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace”. This relates to the book because when you are courageous like Atticus then you try to make peace with the people around you and one thing you can always do is forgive.

In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, many of the book’s characters show courage. Courage is shown when a character stands up for their beliefs, even when they face heavy opposition. They decide to fight even when they know they will most likely lose, or even if they are the only one fighting. Courage is standing up for one’s beliefs, even if it means standing alone against the whole world. Three characters who show courage are Mrs. Dubose, Atticus Finch, and Arthur “Boo” Radley.

Webster's dictionary defines courage as "mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty." According to Atticus Finch, one of the main characters 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." (Chapter 11, Page 124) No matter how you define it, Harper Lee definitely portrays the theme of mental courage in this book. The book demonstrates that mental courage is fighting what you believe in no matter the consequence. It is one of the most predominant themes and is shown in many of the characters, including Atticus, Jem and Scout, who all show mental

Atticus Finch is remarkably courageous throughout the novel. Atticus does not retaliate when Bob Ewell spits in his face, goes to Tom’s cell knowing there would be a mob, and does his best in court to exonerate Tom. Firstly, Atticus does not retaliate when Bob Ewell spits in his face. Atticus says “ ‘...if spitting in my face saved Mayella Ewell one extra beating, that’s something I’ll gladly take’ ” (Lee 218). Atticus is being disrespected in one of the worst ways by a man he could destroy, but knows that he was helping a victim of abuse, Mayella, so he does not make things worse by retaliating. Secondly, Atticus knows there is a mob coming, but nevertheless goes to Tom Robinson’s cell to defend him. Atticus knows the possibly dangerous mob is coming, with Scout observing “He seemed to be expecting them” (150). However, Atticus recognizes that he is Tom’s only hope, and utilizes his immense courage to face the mob. Thirdly, Atticus does his best to defend Tom in court. As Scout tells us, “Tom was a dead man the minute Mayella Ewell opened her mouth and screamed” (241). Atticus knows from the beginning he has next to no chance to win the trial, but still tries for Tom’s sake, for the other black people in the community, and for the chance he could appeal it and change laws for the good of African Americans. Atticus is an amazing example of courage in the face of adversity for his actions in To Kill A Mockingbird.

Some examples of scout displaying this behavior are when Scout stops the mob. She calls out Mr. Cunningham saying ¨entailments are bad¨ (Lee 205). This shows courage because it would have been easier for her to go how like Atticus had said, but she stood up for him and help disperse the mob. Another example of scout showing courage is when she reads to Mrs.Dubose. Scout wants nothing to do with Mrs.Dubose, but scout sticks to her word and continues to read to Mrs.Dubose until she dies. The final example of scout showing courage is when she agrees to stop fighting kids at school. This is how scout likes to solve her problem, through violence, but she knows it's wrong. Scout makes a deal with Atticus that she will stop fighting of he reads to her, scout takes the deal and does not fight again.

Courage is the quality of mind that enables one to face danger with confidence, resolution, and gain a firm control of oneself. Many of the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird showed courage in their own way. Courage can come in many different forms: physical, mental, emotional and moral. Courage is not the only main theme displayed in To Kill a Mockingbird; prejudice and education are also very important themes exhibited throughout the progression of the novel. Through the eyes of Scout Finch, a bright, sensitive and intelligent little girl, these themes of the novel are explored in great depth.

Atticus's strong sense of morality and justice motivates him to defend Tom Robinson with determination, giving it all he has. 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 win." (pg.82). He says this to Scout after she comes home from school angry at Cecil Jacobs for making fun of Atticus in the schoolyard. Atticus tells her to fight with her head instead of her fists. He wants the people of Maycomb to hear the truth about Tom, "That boy may go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told." (pg.159). Atticus is putting everything a man holds dear, dignity, respect, honor and status, on the line to protect Tom. He later shows more bravery when he goes to the jailhouse to

Courage is strength. Courage is honesty. Courage is standing one’s ground no matter what. Courage is standing up for others. In Harper Lee’s classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout and Jem Finch, along with their father Atticus, live in Maycomb County, a small, mainly racist town in Alabama during the Great Depression. The Finch family’s neighbor, Mrs. Dubose, and Atticus display acts of personal courage in the story. Specifically, Mrs. Dubose displays courage in her honesty and strength, and Atticus displays courage in his responses to racism based threats and keeping others safe.