Courage is the ability to persevere with determination and bravery even when fear is present. Atticus Finch, a protagonist in To Kill Mockingbird, is a character that the most shows courage throughout the book. He exhibits courage by doing and saying what others don’t what to. He does what’s right despite others going against it or saying it’s wrong. In his town, he’s surrounded by wrong and bad morals, but still sticks to his own morals and decisions. 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. …show more content…
He does this by looking at people of color as equal to himself. Atticus does not belittle or discriminate against African Americans and treats them as normal humans, opposed to the rest of his town. In the text it says, “ ‘You aren’t really nigger-lover then, are you?’ ‘I certainly am. I do my best to love everybody…’ “ This shows Atticus owning up to being fond of African Americans. Nigger-lover was a rude term used, in their time, to describe someone who associates themselves with black people. Anyone called that name was usually frowned upon. It takes courage to claim something that everyone sees as
A significant representation of courage is seen within Atticus. Within To Kill A Mockingbird Atticus speaks of the Tom Robinson trial as a trial all lawyers fear. He must face a court case that will have a profound personal effect upon himself and his family. Atticus summons the courage to recognize that there is a need for justice and that it is his duty to achieve this. Maycomb is a town tainted with stereotypes and racism. Atticus has the courage to overcome the fear of other peoples' dislike. He must face the fear of straining the lives of his two young children and family name. The courage Atticus embodies stems from his "satisfactory" character. Atticus is righteous and unable to turn his back on those who truly rely upon his ability to show empathy. He overcomes the heartless comments of those around them, to see the necessity of his involvement.
Atticus displays an indefinaniate fact of courage. With his quote on how courage is not "a man with a gun in his hand" in chapter 15 when he stands by himself at the prison yard to protect Tom Robinson from the lynch mob involving Mr. Avery and other townsfolk. He also shows moral courage witch means sticking by your convictions. Atticus takes on a fight that
In the book To Kill a Mockingbird, one theme that stands out is, courage means fighting for what is right, no matter what the cost. In the book Atticus defends an African American named Tom Johnson. Since he is African American, Atticus’ family and friends aren’t happy with him. In Maycomb, they didn’t appreciate African Americans at the time. Atticus is so protective he doesn’t tell Scout because he doesn't want her to think any different of him.
Have you ever done something so good that you get praised for it? Well in the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus shows courage is when he helps Tom Robinson by taking his case and trying to prove he was innocent, another example of courage is when Calpurnia takes the kids to church even though they are white, and Jem goes into the Radley house even though he was told not too. The first reason on how Atticus shows courage is when he helped Tom Robinson by taking his case and trying to prove that he was innocent. The way he shows courage is because he was a white man taking a case with a black man, which was a guaranteed loss for Atticus since Tom was a black man. In the book To Kill A Mockingbird it states, “The main one is, if I didn’t
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.
"Courage isn't an absence of fear. It's doing what you are afraid to do. It's having the power to let go of the familiar and forge ahead into new territory." ~John Maxwell. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout (Jean Louise Finch), Jem (Jeremy Atticus Finch), and Atticus Finch display acts of valor that contribute, and in some cases encourage their rectitude. Harper Lee demonstrates that acting courageously can lead to an improved, sustained, or newly developed personal integrity.
Our world suffers with many issues such as racism, sexism, hate and prejudice, and society needs people that are strong enough to take a stand. In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, courage is displayed in several different forms, especially through three courageous characters. Lee introduces the concept of honorable courage through Mrs. Dubose, a woman who demonstrates that real courage comes from within. Another brave character in the novel is Tom Robinson. He shows everyone how difficult it is for a black man to be both honest and kind no matter the situation. The most courageous person would be Atticus Finch. Atticus is an important character that fits into his own definition of what "real courage" is and demonstrates it in numerous ways throughout the novel, as he goes against most people’s beliefs in order to do what he believes is morally right. Through these three brave characters, Lee tries to reshape people's stereotypical view of courage.
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
Courage is something that all people have inside, they just need to use it. When someone is courageous, they are forced to show that they are strong and can do things that others do not want to do. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird, the father of the two main characters is Atticus Finch. He is asked to be the lawyer for a black man, Tom Robinson, who was accused of raping a white woman. He has to go to court tell the truth despite all of the racism in Maycomb while continuing to raise his children.
“It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.” (Mark Twain) In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee there are not many characters that show moral courage. One particular character that shows moral courage is Atticus Finch. This character always does what he believes is right. Atticus shows courage not by being aggressive or killing, but by standing up for what he believed in a sophisticated and determined way. Atticus whose moral courage is
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
Courage is usually shown as having great strength and bravado. However, there is another kind of courage, the quiet, humble type, in which an individual stands for his beliefs and principles. To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee, is filled with many themes and lessons, but the overriding theme is courage. In To Kill a Mockingbird, courage is the ability and willingness to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty and intimidation, to stand for what is right. Many of the book’s characters depict this virtue, but none more than Atticus Finch does. He shows courage as a parent, lawyer and member of his community. Atticus believes that courage, like charity, starts at home.
“ 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. “ Courage is the ability to do something that frightens one. Let's see how Atticus, Calpurnia, and Boo Radley shows their courage. Atticus Finch type of courage is bravery.
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.
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.