Defining Courage in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

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There are various ways people define what courage is. It might be public speaking or saving a life. Many people believe courage is risking a life to save another. Soldiers are also considered a synonym to courage. However, not everyone saves a life or delivers a speech daily. Still, what is the real definition of courage? In the book To kill a Mockingbird By Harper Lee courage is,” When you know you’re licked before you begin,but you begin anyway and see through no matter what.” (Lee pg.149) This quote defines what real courage is. Mrs Dubose, Boo Radley and Atticus displays courage and teaches others a lesson of how to be courageous in a civilised determined way. They all knew they had a high chance of losing to their goals yet, they still went at it with their all never giving into the pressure.

Mrs. Dubose ,for instance, wanted to fix her flaw before she died. To Jem and Scout she was a nasty evil witch. Every time they passed by her house she insulted and provoked them. She criticized Scout being unladylike and how Atticus is a disgrace and a nigger lover for protecting Tom Robinson. When her insults finally got to Jem,he went on a rampage and destroyed all her camellia bushes in anger. As punishment Jem was forced to go read to her and Scout tagged along. There they discovered Mrs.Dubose was addicted to morphine.””Mrs.Dubose was a morphine addict,”said Atticus. “She took it as a pain-killer for years.(147) ” She was on the last stage of her cancer and did not have much time left. She could have stayed on the morphine till she died but instead, she wanted to wean herself off of it and die clean without her flaw. Mrs. Dubose used Jem’s reading to help distract her from the pain. ““No sir,” said Jem, “but she’s so nasty. She ...

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...s pent up in his house and he became very weak. So there was a good chance he could have gotten hurt badly but he still charged in to rescue his beloved kids. Also Boo knew his act of courage would have taken away the recluse life he was leading. “When I pointed to him his palms slipped slightly, leaving greasy sweat streaks on the wall,and he hooked his thumbs in his belt. (pg 362)” This quote illustrates Boo’s utter terror of being noticed. Being the savior of Atticus’s kids would have propelled him into the towns limelight. Everyone would want to speak to him about it and all the town’s ladies would drop off food on his porch step. All this sudden attention would have driven Boo insane. He hasn’t been in society in seven years and he would not be able to respond with his sudden fame. This is genuine courage, Boo saved lives knowing everything he had was at stake.

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