To Kill A Mockingbird : Underlain Courage
"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen."
— Winston S. Churchill
Courage, a test of heart and independence, a humble exhibit of what people are willing to fight for. Courage is having bravado, fearlessness, spirit, dauntlessness, valor, pluck, and intrepidity no matter the outcome or consequences. Though many of the characters in the 1930’s Alabama of Harper Lee’s: To KIll A Mockingbird, three stood out further than the rest. Calpurnia, a black woman who works with the Finch family, Tom Robinson, a black man that must put his word on trial against two white people in the height of racism in America, and lastly Mrs. Dubose an old woman
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Who had the odasity to feel sorry for a white woman.His valor was more visible to the town. Brought against the word of white persecuters because of a guilt that was not his own, still stood his ground with his life in the line. Nevertheless, Tom, accused of rape by one Mayella Ewell, a young white woman. Mayella, lying was not raped, but she tempted a strong black man. Now she feels that she must get rid of her evidence, Tom. Nevertheless,he faces his accusers he still does not feel hate, he stands by the truth. Even if that means telling the jury that he feels sorry for a privileged white person. This in itself is a crime to some in Maycomb, “‘Yes, shu. I felt right sorry for her, she seemed to try more than the rest of em’-’”(197). Though saying something like this is socially unacceptable, Tom said it anyway. He knew that people would take what he was saying the wrong way. Yet he courageously stood in front of the court and told them his truthful story. “‘ Then your saying she’s lying, boy’... ‘I don’t say she’s lying Mr. Gilmer, I say she’s mistaken in her mind’”(197). As a result Tom was a black man in the 1920’s got convicted of a crime he didn’t …show more content…
Dubose, an old woman, confined to her bed in sickness, addicted to morphine to help her pain. In her last months she displayed her courage. Her devotion to become free of her addiction is what made this old woman so notable. Before her death Jem and Scout thought she was a old woman who had gone mad over the years. Until Atticus showed them what Mrs. Dubose's real identity was. He explained to his children that she was one of the bravest people to live in that town. “‘ Mrs. Dubose won, all ninety-eight pounds of her. According to her views she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew’”(112). This woman died without a care in the world, her mind was free, and because of that so was she. As she died she was happy. Eventually, the children realized what a wonder Mrs. Dubose was “‘Did she die free?’ asked Jem ‘As the mountain air,’ said Atticus”(110).In the end Mrs. Dubose won her war as courageously as she could.
As Maya Angelou stated "Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently". without courage nothing is possible. Calpurnia, Tom Robinson and Mrs. Dubose embody courage in all its glory. Throughout the book they display their courage some bigger than others. Although Tom, Calpurnia, and Mrs. Dubose may have not gotten what they wanted or needed they were steadfast in their beliefs. Each showing their worth in a different way to the small back
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ~ Winston Churchill. This quote defines what it is to be courageous, to be courageous is to persevere even if you know you will fail. This kind of courage is the courage which both Harold Crick in Stranger Than Fiction and Jean Louise “Scout” Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird. In Stranger Than Fiction, an IRS agent, Harold Crick, with a monotonous life learns that you must not only survive, but you must truly live. This lesson is taught through a series of events that lead to his breaking out of his shell and truly living his life. The events are preliminarily put into action through Harold hearing the voice of the author of a book about his life. In To Kill A Mockingbird, a tomboyish six-year-old, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, discovers the true meaning of camaraderie and bravery. Her friendships are strong but her definition of courage is flawed. In the end, she realizes a great truth, that to really know someone, you have to imagine yourself in their shoes. Courage is important to these two characters, as they both discover what it really means to be brave and what the true definition of courage is. Courage is not always outspoken, sometimes courage is knowing that you will fail, but trying and failing anyway and then accepting your failure.
An event in the novel in which courage is displayed is when Mrs Dubose fights to overcome her morphine addiction. Her decision to quit morphine despite the pain it would cause her to do what she thought was the right thing to do was very brave of her. "when you’re as sick as she was, it’s all right to take anything to make it easier, but it wasn’t all right for her”. This quote demonstrates Mrs Dubose’s determination to stay true to her beliefs and achieve her goal. Nobody would have judged her for continuing her use of the drug but she felt that she had to and so did what conformed to her moral standards. Mrs Dubose was a Christian and believed in heaven and when she arrived there she wanted to be free from sin. This incident in the book is a great learning point for both Jem and Scout as it shows them that although courage is not always obvious doesn't mean it isn't important. Mrs Dubose didn’t have to stop to taking morphine, but chose to and her dedication to see it through to the end is a good way for Lee to portray
In today's society, courage is defined as the ability to succeed without changing who we are as a person or what we believe in hoot courage, justice is weak and society is corrupt. In Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize winning novel "To Kill a Mockingbird', courage is presented through the characters Atticus Finch and Mrs Henry Lafayette Dubose as they confront their issues and embrace life regardless of what others think. Harper Lee constructed her narrative during a time of prejudice and injustice against Black Americans; hence courage was vital to overcome the racial discrimination many faced Both Atticus and Mrs Dubose along with the crucial events in the novel teach Jean Louise Finch, as well as the audience, the significance of courage and create an understanding that courage exists in several forms, Courage is often seen as the physical bravery an individual can display in a fearful H ever, it is also when an individual knows there is no chance of winning, but continues to fight for what they believe in. Harper Lee constructs a masculine image of this type of courage through Atticus and his handling of the mad dog incident. When comparing Atticus to the other fathers in Maycomb, Jam and Scout think of him as old and feeble' though the mad dog occurrence reveals a side of him that had not yet been discovered by his children; that he was once the best marksman the town with the name of one shot Finch'. Heck Tate insists that Atticus should kill the diseased animal even though
Ms. Dubose is shown to be a significant character that displays the power of inner strength. She is a morphine addict that through Jem’s reading, successfully manages to combat this addiction. For a long time she has faced the world sick and alone, but what makes her a courageous person is her ability to recognize her weakness and even more to do something about it. Even though she knows she is dying soon, she neglects her own
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.
A remarkable American soldier and author named William T. Sherman once stated, “Courage, a perfect sensibility of the measure of danger, and a mental willingness to endure It.” Going against what society says and sticking to your beliefs is an act of courage. In the realistic fiction novel, ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee, an average southern family, the Finches, fights against the racism of a small town. Harper Lee’s message is expressed by symbolism through the two characters Tom Robinson and Boo Radley, the bildungsroman of Scout, and the hero archetype of Atticus .Harper Lee portrays that courage should be shown through loyalty not popularity.
“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.
Mrs. Dubose takes an important role in showing another face of righteousness throughout the novel and changing Scout’s thoughts about her. Mrs. Dubose symbolizes a strong mind, determination, and audacity because she never
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.
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.
the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand..." In my opinion, this quote says
In order to survive in this world, one must have enough courage to clarify things in life and make them appear easier. Courage is what makes us individuals different from others. It shows in what we believe and the power of belief over will. There is no courage without risk but courage can be fearful. With courage we can stand up for what we believe is right or wrong. In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch , Link Deas and Mrs. Dubose show courage in different ways. Atticus shows his courage by taking Tom Robinson's case and defending him. Link Deas shows his courageously and bravely by standing up for Tom Robinson. Also Mrs.Dubose shows her courage by trying to stop being addicted to Morphine before dieing. Each individual that
In chapter 3, Scout states; “Jem and I hated her. If she was on the porch when we passed, we would be raked by her wrathful gaze, subjected to ruthless interrogation regarding our behaviour”. When Jem, cuts Mrs Dubose camellias, in chapter 11 for insulting Atticus, his punishment was to read to her every day. When he read to her he found it disturbing that she had fits and after a month Mrs Dubose dies. It was only known to Jem later that she had these fits because she was seriously ill and had become addicted to morphine. By Jem reading to her, it was distracting her from her addiction and she would be able to die clear from utilizing painkillers. Atticus later states that “I wanted you to see what real courage is...You rarely win, but sometimes you do. Mrs. Dubose won...she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew."(Chapter 11) This was significant as, even though the children thought of her as a spiteful woman, she was going through a personal time in her life that made her that way. Mrs Dubose relates to the quote as even though she came across as horrible, other people needed to put themselves in her position and perceive how badly she was struggling with her
Mrs. Dubose displays acts of personal courage in her honesty and strength. When Jem and Scout walk past her house to go meet Atticus on his way home,
Courage is about people confronting situations or accepting challenges in spite of the potential failure. Courage is the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, and bravery. This idea of courage is a prominent theme in Harper Lee’s in To Kill a Mockingbird. The novel deals with two children- -Jem and Scout-- coming of age in a racist environment. Their father Atticus defends a local African American. All characters learn lessons about courage and racism. In this in mind, it is important to examine how courage is examined through the characters of Jem, Atticus, Boo.