As the famous radio show host Dennis Prager once said ¨Goodness is about character - integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, and moral courage, and the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people. ” His wise words are shown throughout the book To Kill a Mockingbird By Harper Lee. Which is about life during the 1930’s, the great depression. The characters named Scout and Jem live in a neighbourhood of mystery, where everyone has to follow societal expectations. The kids unravel the prejudice and discrimination while exposing the cruel treatment of the town. In the novel courage is portrayed by a character being brave in a hazardous situation to help others. This is demonstrated several times throughout the novel …show more content…
The first place courage appears in the book is when the three kid’s curiosity get the best of them and ventured to the Radley's yard. While they were venturing through the yard, Mr Radley shot at them and escaping, “Jem held the bottom wire; Dill and I [Scout] rolled through” (71-72). In the passage, the thematic idea of courage is conveyed through Jem’s actions as the oldest and most responsible. Jem holds the fence up so Dill and Scout could get through even though he is also in danger, so instead of the selfish nature native to human behavior, he employs a selfless nature which is him putting others before him. He employed bravery and leadership throughout the whole scene. Being brave and calm in a fragile situation may be the difference between life and …show more content…
Another example of courage is during the old serum gang scene, Atticus Finch, the father of Scout and Jem, sat in front of his client in his jail cell, reading the newspaper when a group of farmers who have a reputation of being intoxicated approached him. The gang threatened Atticus, but Atticus stayed strong, he maintained his calm collected attitude and tried to reason with the gang. Scout described the encounter as: “We saw Atticus look up from his newspaper. He closed it, folded it deliberately, dropped it in his lap, and pushed his hat to the back of his head. He seemed to be expecting them.” (201). In This scene, Atticus maintained his cool and used slow easy to follow actions to control the situation that he knew was inevitable. He demonstrates courage because he calmly folded his newspaper and stood up slowly which demonstrates bravery because this shows that he is standing up to the gang, instead of fleeing from the danger and saving himself. This is a dangerous situation because he knows the gang have weapons in their possession which is a precursor to violence and danger. Bravery is also demonstrated is that he tries to reason with the gang even though it is like reasoning with the reaper. In danger there are two types of people the bystander and the person who takes the matter into their own
Courage is valued in many ways. It is measured by bravery, heroism, physical strength, and morally correct behavior. The world mostly defines courage as having physical strength and being brave. Atticus, Scout, and Jem show many acts of courage through the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. They all have different views and opinions on courage. The novel is told from the point of view of Scout. She, and her brother Jem, live with their widowed father in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930’s. Their father, Atticus, is also a lawyer who defends his black client, Tom Robinson, who is innocent of rape. The title To Kill A Mockingbird explains that “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” because they “make music for us to enjoy” (Lee 119). In other words, the mockingbirds are harmless and have never done anything wrong. It would be considered a sin to kill a harmless and peaceful mockingbird. Similarly, accusing an innocent and
The example of courage in Mockingjay is nothing short of what we all would ideally like to look up to. The display of courage is seen throughout the movie. Through acting or not acting during a situation. It obviously takes an extraordinary amount of courage to willingly put your life on the line for someone. Though there is courage displayed throughout the whole movie – it is really the highs and lows of compassion showed in certain situations to the inhumane acts. The characters can go from risking their life to save someone to killing someone that is trying to hinder them from reaching their ultimate goal – winning the Hunger
“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but just as much to stand up to your friends,” remarks J.K. Rowling in her book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Jem Finch, a boy from a small town in the South struggles to fully understand this idea. To Kill a Mockingbird suggests that real courage is standing up for others regardless of the what it may cost you. As a young boy, Jem’s understanding of courage and bravery are wrapped up in how others might view you, rather than who you really are inside. A little later he sees courage as having a clean record with others. Then Jem learns that courage is not giving up on someone or something even if you know you’re probably not going to win. Finally, Jem uses
To begin with, Jem displayed multiple acts of bravery throughout the story. For instance, Jem touching the Radley house. Jem is brave for touching the side of the Radley house because firstly it was a dare from Dill and because at the time they thought Boo was some creepy man that was extremely
For example, Jem Finch is courageous because he accepts punishment for his actions. When Jem comes home after cutting Mrs. Dubose’s camellias, he was said to have: “…sat by the windows, hunched down in a rocking chair, scowling, waiting.” (p.119) Jem knew that when Atticus comes home, he is going to be in trouble. Instead of being panicked, or attempting to cover up his crime or creating an alibi, Jem sits at home, and waits for what is to come. When he is asked is he is responsible for that mess, he replies with: “Yes sir.” (p.119) Without denying his crime, and accepting Atticus’ punishment, Jem shows true, silent courage. This patient and accepting courage is a critical component in his character development throughout the upcoming trial. As the novel progresses, Jem also discovers that having courage means facing his fears. Jem proves himself courageous again
Moreover, Scout explains that Jem has “never declined a dare” (16). Ironically, stupidity and immaturity is demonstrated through the ‘brave’ acts of Jem as he does not consider his safety or the effects or impacts that the dare may result it. But after his brief encounter with Ms.Henry Dubose, he learned the real meaning of courage. His father, Atticus, wanted Jem “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 anyways and see it through no matter what.”(149). Jem demonstrates bravery when he tries to protect his sister from the unknown attacker [Bob Ewell]. Even though Bob was older,larger and stronger, Jem tries his best to protect his sister and during the fight Jem gets his arm broken. Another situation where Jem shows courage and maturity is when Dill shows up under Scout’s bed in a time where he is not allowed to leave his house. Although, Jem is Dill’s friend, he believes that he should “let your mother know where you are.”(187). He demonstrates maturity and courage as he was able to evaluate the situation and do what an adult would have done, even when he knows that he has put his friendship with Dill as risk. As a result of what was happening around him, Jem begins to realize the inequality of Maycomb. As Atticus says:
Courage in “To Kill A Mockingbird” is very hard to come by because of all the prejudice remarks and racist comments to the local African-Americans in the story, Atticus although puts aside the differences between white and black people and decides to help a black man in court. This is a very big part of the book, and shows a huge example of courage. In Maycomb finding courage is extremely hard, especially when it has to do with protecting another race that your entire town despises. Another example of courage is when Atticus protects Tom Robinson in the jail room. In the jail room, an angry mob of white men came rushing in to kill Tom Robinson. Atticus, Jem, and Scout stayed in the jail room all night to protect Tom Robinson and could have been killed by the mob. Instead of Scout, Jem, and Atticus running, Jem gets in front of the mob to protect Atticus from the mob. The mob then runs over Jem and Scout gets in their way, Scout then tries to talk some sense into the mob and she succeeds in doing so. This courageous act saved Atticus and Tom Robinson from being killed that night in the jail room. “Don’t you remember me, Mr. Cunningham? I’m Jean Louise Finch. You brought us some hickory nuts one time, remember?” This is a quote from the story on page 153; the quote tells the readers what Scout is trying to convince Mr. Cunningham to go home and away from Atticus and
Courage goes throughout the whole novel, Atticus, a single father trying to raise Jem and Scout by himself. Even though Calpurnia takes care of the cooking, cleaning, and motherly figure. Atticus
In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird there are many examples of courage. Courage plays a big role in the story from the Tom Robinson case to Boo Radley saving Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell. Courage is not something people are born with. It is also something very few people show at every needed time. There are many ways you can show courage in your everyday life even if it is in the smallest way.
Courage exists in several forms in Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. As defined by Atticus Finch, real courage "…when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what” (149). The novel explores the how this real courage can be shown in different ways through the lives of many characters in Maycomb, particularly, Tom Robinson, Mrs. Dubose, and Atticus. Their courage is evident through their lifestyle, actions, and beliefs.
There is nothing harder in life than being truly courageous. When you know you will be defeated, but you begin anyway and go through with it no matter what. That's what courage is, and there are tons examples of courage, but in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses character development to to show courage.
Many Children receive Bravery Awards every year around the world, and none of them hold any weapons or punch someone in the face to prove that they are brave, unlike what the majority of people picture it. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Atticus believed that true bravery and courage is facing the negativities of life and society persistently, and by sticking to your belief no matter what the cost is. Jem and Mrs. Dubose are two characters that strongly apply to Atticus’s meaning of bravery and courage.
The former commander-in-chief, Norman Schwarzkopf, once said that “True courage is being afraid, and going ahead and doing your job anyhow, that's what courage is”. By saying this, Schwarzkopf meant that even if one knows they will lose or does not want to participate at the task, doing the task regardless of the risk is the definition of real bravery. Even if one does not want to accomplish the task, doing it in a difficult time is viewed as true valor. In To Kill a Mockingbird, a classic piece of American literature, this type of courage can also be found. Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose, the Finch’s neighbor who is ostensibly nasty and weak, shows true fearlessness in overcoming her addiction to morphine. Although she did not need to beat her
Scout believes at the beginning of the book that courage is all to do with physical feats like fist fighting. Scout and Jem though Atticus was courageous when he shot the mad dog, but Atticus just shrugged it off telling his children that that is not ? real courage?. The children soon see that moral courage is more valuable after Miss Dubose said "Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for!" Chapter 11, Page 113 after they walked past her house.
In the 1930’s, turmoil has erupted in Maycomb, Alabama all because the young lady Mayella Ewell has accused African-American Tom Robinson of raping and sexually assaulting her. Yet, Mayella Ewell has no power because of her race, class, and gender. At the time, Maycomb, Alabama was at the peak of segregation against African-Americans. Mayella Ewell may be white, but that does not mean her class, gender, nor her race give her power.