Valiance in Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird
Valiance is possessing courage or determination. Some people form the idea that acts of courage will be accepted or liked by others. It is also thought that valiance involves acts of violence. However, this is not always the situation. In Harper Lee’s novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is a fictional character used to demonstrate the idea that valiance is shown by choosing to act on what is right rather than what is popular.
Throughout the novel, Lee gives an example of valiance by showing that Atticus is defending a man named Tom Robinson who was accused of abusing a girl. Atticus lives in an area called Maycomb County where everyone is against his decision to defend Mr. Robinson
Lee illustrates Atticus Finch as a very understanding character, especially during the Tom Robinson trial. During the revolting times of the 1930s, it was outlandish for a white man to stand up for a Negro man. For example, when the towns’ people are talking about Atticus, they say, “You know the court appointed him to defend this nigger.” “Yeah, Atticus aims to defend him, that’s what is don’t like about it” (218). When Atticus is delegated to defend Tom Robinson, he not only defends him because he was ordered to. Atticus intentionally helped Tom and wanted Tom to win. Even though the towns’ people did not like Atticus aiming to defend Tom, he understood that it was his duty to help him. Another example is in chapter 22 when Bob Ewell spits on Atticus’s face. Atticus didn’t react intrusive because he knew that it would affect people’s outlook on the trial and on Tom. Atticus stood above the standard and helped a black man, which earned him respect from the Negro people in town. Atticus was very wholehearted when deciding to help Tom Robinson in the trial.
Throughout the whole book, Atticus’ proves time and time again his remarkable courage, particularly during the time of Tom Robinson’s trial. No matter what challenges he faces, he always demonstrates bravery and valor while standing up for the truth. When he took up the task of defending Tom over the alleged rape of Mayella Ewell, he knew he was walking into a dangerous situation supporting a black man in a courtroom in Alabama, and yet he boldly chose to affirm what he believed was right and to argue against Tom’s accusers. Even when “Mr. Ewell approached him, cursed him, spat on him, and threatened to kill him” (248) after the trial, he handled the situation calmly and fearlessly by ignoring him and continuing on his way. Because of this remarkable quality in Atticus’ life, the people of Maycomb love and admire him.
In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, many notable themes arise, but the most prevalent theme is undeniably the theme of man’s inhumanity to man. At the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to Scout Finch, who is naive and oblivious to the discrimination that occurs in Maycomb. However, through many events and through meeting many characters, we soon begin to realize that the world may not be so nice after all. Our suspicions are only confirmed once we witness the terrible injustices that occur during the trial. The predominance of inhumanity throughout the novel is what makes it such an important theme.
There is no doubt that Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is a famous novel known for its themes, most of them containing wise life lessons, racial inequality being an obvious and important one. Firstly, racism illustrates the lack of justice and people’s views on prejudice in Tom Robinson’s case. Secondly, the novel touches base on diction notably the racial slurs used. Finally, with racism being a theme of the novel, it affects the characters’ personalities. Harper Lee uses life lessons, diction and characters throughout the novel because it develops the main theme of racism in To Kill a Mockingbird.
In life, obstacles are everywhere, but hints are given as to how to overcome those obstacles with which we are faced daily. In short, To Kill a Mockingbird is based in a small town in Alabama known as Maycomb. Just outside of Mobile, Maycomb happens to be a typical southern town where not much happens until one summer Tom Robinson is accused of rape. Tom, a black man, in the segregated south in the thirties has the odds stacked against him when going on trial. However, Tom's case has been taken on by the best lawyer in town, Atticus Finch, but proving Tom's innocence has challenges due to the strong white presence in the town. Throughout Harper Lee’s novel, Atticus’ name and the relationship between Tim Johnson and Tom Robinson, symbolize how
Change is something everyone goes through in life, whether it is for the better, or for the worse. Change can be a result of one’s personal behavior, and other times it is from one’s surroundings. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960), starts off with a young girl named Scout who is not your average lady. She wears breeches, and swears despite her young age. As Scout ages, her personality progresses and she starts to look through different perspectives, opening her eyes past Maycomb.This is only possible with the help of her family and her neighbors. She learns how to empathize with others, all the while dealing with struggles of her own. Scout’s young childhood atmosphere and role model’s make her depict on who she truly is, eventually
Throughout the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout Finch learns a variety of concepts about the way the world really is. However the main concept that Scout discovers is the evil that surrounds her and her hometown of Maycomb. Scout discovers the evil in the world through her experiences in Maycomb and these are the events that help her grow and mature into who she is. Mainly, the trial of Tom Robinson opened Scout’s eyes to the evil and wrongdoings in the county, as well as in the courtroom. The trial gives way to the prejudice remarks about the Finch family’s involvement in the case. The trial of Tom Robinson, the county’s comments on Atticus’s involvement in the trial, and getting attacked at the end of the story
Lee created a character, Atticus Finch that in To Kill A Mockingbird demonstrates equality, morality, and wisdom. Atticus teaches Jem and Scout differently from the others, he teaches them with respect, equality, and empathy while with good virtues. Atticus is one of the few ones in Maycomb that is committed to racial equality. Atticus is a modest person, he does not like expose his abilities, he rather keep it to himself. In addition, Atticus had a courageous move on defending an African American, Tom Robinson. Not to mention that Atticus an upstanding mortal, he has extraordinary parenting skills.
Courage can be revealed in numerous ways, but it isn’t until one stands by their morals that true courage is expressed. Throughout “To Kill a Mockingbird,” many acts of true courage have been conveyed through the characters’ thoughts and actions of sticking by their morals. Harper Lee suggests that standing by one’s own morals is the truest form of courage.
Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee develops the character of Atticus by depicting many incidents where Atticus teaches his children life lessons to teach them to respect others equally. Atticus uses the hard times and dramatic change in their lives to teach them
Within the novel "to kill a mocking bird" the character Atticus finch defines courage as, "Courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what." Atticus takes the first step by being courageous to take the Tom Robinson case, defying the towns liking of prejudice, even his own sister thinks that he is disgracing the family by taking the case he explains with concern
Courage can be defined as the quality of spirit that enables an individual to face difficulty and danger without fear. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch holds numerous positive attributes in his character and courageous is unquestionably one of them. Throughout the novel, he continuously demonstrates that he himself is the definition of what real courage is and teaches not only his children, but also the folks in Maycomb County, an important lesson about self-respect and respect for others. Atticus Finch is irrefutably a hero because he is courageous.
Keeping a mouth shut doesn't hold the world shut out, it opens up new doors to things that would never be expected. In To Kill A Mockingbird written by Harper Lee, there is are two character that is are an eternal mystery for the readers. Boo Radley, though the reader nor Scout and Jem know anything about the character all they want is to learn about him. Boo becomes a mysterious figure that many see as creepy, ghostly, but also reasonably wise. The one-time Boo appears the readers learn he is a sagacious, powerful man. Little do Scout and Jem know is that their father is also a rational being as well. The two crucial character in the story helps support the
In To Kill A Mockingbird Lee tells the story of a Mr. Tom Robinson who is an African American who is being charged with rape against a white women. Atticus is the lawyer who must defend Robinson in court. In the Scottsboro case a central figure was a heroic judge who overturned a guilty verdict against the young men. The judge went against the public in trying to protect the rights of the African American men. In reading the novel you learn that Atticus arouses anger in the small community when he tries to defend Robinson.
“I don't know, but they did it. They've done it before and they did it tonight and they'll do it again and when they do it-seems that only children weep.” (285) In To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, duality is used to exemplify good and evil coexisting with each other. The two main characters in the book, Scout and Jem, are siblings. They live in Maycomb County, a small town in which many people of dual personalities exist. These people show that good and evil do in fact coexist with one another. Scout and Jem change as they grow older. By the end of the book, Scout starts to learn that not everybody is innocent and good. On the other hand, Jem becomes more like his father, in understanding that wherever good exists, so does evil. The idea