Courage is the ability to do something that frightens you, it’s what makes ordinary people extraordinary. It is the strength in the face of pain or grief. But most importantly “real courage is when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it throughout no matter what”- Harper Lee. In the Novel To Kill A Mockingbird the theme courage is well shown throughout. In a small town of Maycomb, Alabama, two Kids face growing up in an unfair world affected with major racism. Harper Lee displays courage as standing up for what you believe in, even when it means getting in a tough spots. The display of courage in to Kill a mockingbird is shown through characters such as Atticus, Boo and Jem and Scout.
Atticus demonstrates
…show more content…
courage various times throughout the novel. Atticus is the town's lawyer and the father of Jem and Scout. He believes that all people should be equal no matter what colour they are:.“Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.”(Lee 119) This quote shows how Atticus demonstrates courage by telling Scout that it's a sin to kill a mockingbird meaning that it’s not right to kill or accuse innocent people. This is shown when taking on the case with Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson is an African-American that was convicted of raping Mayella Ewell. Atticus plan’s on defending Tom Robinson and treating him as any other case he’s ever come across. To continue, even though Atticus believes in equality there are many other people who believe otherwise, this is demonstrated when Atticus waits for the mob to come after Tom is convicted this therefore shows courage because he putting his life in danger to save someone else’s. Also, during the trial Atticus comes to the conclusion that Bob Ewell, Mayella’s father beat her and hurt her that than caused a lot of anger. When leaving the trial Bob Ewell threatens Atticus because he made him look like a fool in front of the town, Atticus then doesn’t react back, but simply ignores it. This shows courage because he’s knows when to take a step back, by not arguing with Bob. Finally, Atticus demonstrates great courage by simply doing his job. Arthur Radley also portrayed the theme courage very effectively throughout the novel.
Arthur Radley otherwise known as Boo Radley was seen as half a man and half a monster, he is a genuinely tall man that never leaves his house because we was labeled as a bad kids at a young age, he hung out with the wrong crowd and did terrible things. Later, near the end we discover that Boo a nice guy and is just a regular person like everyone else. Boo shows courage when choosing not to leave his house despite of what everyone says about him. This shows courage because Arthur chooses to ignore what people say instead of making it affect him. To continue, Arthur’s courage is shown when he took and sowed Jem’s pants quickly enough for, Jem to have them on the fence waiting for him the next morning. with that during the time when Miss. Maudie’s house caught on fire, Arthur covered Scout with a blanket. This demonstrates courage throughout because even though Jem and Scout say mean things about him. He is still watching them not matter what. Likewise, toward the end of the novel as Jem and Scout are walking back from the play, Bob Ewell attacks them from behind trying to kill them, soon Arthur Radley comes in and saves them.: “ Still but for a man breathing heavily, breathing heavily and staggering. I thought he went to the tree and leaned against it. He coughed violently, a sobbing, bone shaking cough.( Lee 351)”. This shows courage because Boo went out of his comfort zone and saved Jem …show more content…
and Scout, even Though he could of got hurt as well. Finally, Arthur Radley is a good example of courage, when trying to help Jem and Scout. Another example of courage shown is through Jem and Scout.
Jem and Scout demonstrate courage when doing things together and if it’s not together it’s for eachother. Scout the narrator of the story is a tomboy who would rather solve things physically than in her head. Eventually, Scout come to a new understanding of human nature and her purpose in the world. Jem Scout’s older brother and best friend, In the novel Jem deals with the problems of the beginning of adulthood and faces them with difficulty. To begin, Jem and Scout show courage when they face their fears by touching the Radley’s house. This shows courage because everyone in the town of Maycomb thinks that Boo Radley is a mean person so by touching his house they have to have lots of courage to do that. To continue, when Jem and Scout protect their dad by standing up to the mob, this demonstrates courage by helping him and doing what’s right. Also, Jem stands up and protects his sister when Bob Ewell was trying to hurt her. This shows courage because being his older brother, he helped his sister even though he we got hurt in doing so. Finally, Jem and Scout are good examples of courage when facing their fears and helping one
another. To conclude, the display of courage in to Kill a mockingbird is shown through characters such as Atticus, Boo and Jem and Scout. Atticus shows courage when defending an African- American and goes against his society. Boo Radley demonstrates courage when facing his fears and helping people. Jem and Scout show courage when protecting something they believe in even though there might be difficulties along the way.
Courage is a deed that can be portrayed in many ways. In the Historical Fiction novel To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee, there are many acts of racism and problematic cases where acts of courage are demonstrated in different and unique ways that can only be deciphered if one reads in between the lines of the words. There are three characters in particular who show courage in diverse ways. First, there is Arthur Radley who anonymously shows courage by performing tasks that cause him to face the outside world where he’s been isolated from for so long. Secondly, there is Scout Finch who demonstrates courage through her adolescent age. Lastly, there is Atticus Finch who displays courage through his selfless and kind actions. Therefore, in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee uses diverse characters to represent different acts of courage.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” is a novel by Harper Lee, that teaches many themes, one of which being very important is courage. Many people think that courage is a man with a gun in his hand, but Lee’s definition is much different. She thinks that courage is when you know that you’re beaten before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what. The first quote I have to further explain this is early in the story when Atticus tells Jem and Scout about the court case he is handling. “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win” (Lee 101). Atticus knows he won’t win the court case, but he still tries his best and doesn’t falter whatsoever. Many people scrutinize him for defending a negro, but he ignores them like he should, and shows maturity and courage.
A person that was stuck behind bars for most of his life escapes and saves the lives of two innocent children. Boo Radley whose real name is Mr. Arthur is like a prisoner in his own home because he is afraid to face the real world. Boo Radley plays a major role in the novel "To Kill A Mockingbird" because he acts like a second father to the children. He does this by creating a strong bond with the children, he saves Jem and Scout's lives and he is like a mockingbird to the children. Boo Radley show us that a complete stranger can become your best friend in a single moment.
Despite what people say about him, he shows that he is kind, reclusive, and courageous. He is kind by folding Jem’s pants. He is reclusive by staying inside his house. He is also courageous by saving Jem and Scout. Boo is a important person in To Kill a Mockingbird written by Harper Lee. The reason he is, is because without him Jem wouldn’t have his pants and Jem and Scout would be dead and Bob Ewell would be alive. That shows that Boo Radley is a kind, reclusive, and a courageous person, also is
"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.
People show bravery in many ways, both typical and atypical. Atticus, Boo and Jem all showed important examples of bravery. Atticus models bravery for his children in the determined way he defends Tom Robinson. Boo eventually becomes a hero by the brave actions he takes to protect the children. Jem grows from an immature child to a brave young man. They all face their inner fears as well as the rules of society and stand up for what they believe in. Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird shows the difference between right and wrong by the actions of Atticus, Boo and Jem.
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.
Courage is the ladder on which other themes in to kill a mockingbird mount on. With courage people tend to take risks, have strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. How many times have you considered yourself as courageous? At the end of the novel, you see reasons why being courageous could help you as a reader live a better and braver life. In Conclusion, courage is the foundation of integrity.
Courage is not something that we are born with, it is a skill that takes time to learn and only a few are lucky enough to have it. To Kill a Mockingbird is not only about life in a world full of hate, it is about standing up for anyone’s beliefs being brave enough to do it. In this story, Harper Lee says “Courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. It's knowing you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do” (Lee 112). In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee illustrates courage through Atticus Finch, Mrs. Dubose, and Arthur Radley.
But Boo tends to be a misunderstood character, just like the mockingbird. In chapter 28, when Jem and Scout were walking back home from school, they took the shortcut which happened to be pitch black. Jem heard a sound which alerted them. At first Jem thought it was Cecil Jacobs (a boy who liked to pull jokes on Jem and Scout), but then they realized it was someone else. They heard footsteps running after them to find that it was a grown man. Jem called out to Scout to run but she fell due to her costume.When Scout finally got back up to find Jem, the man squeezed her until she could barely breathe. Worriedly, Scout called out for Jem but didn’t get a response. She saw two men underneath the tree besides Jem and herself. She called out “Atticus?” but there was no answer once again. She noticed a man laying the ground that had the awful essence of booze, she got up and made her way over the road, and within the light of the street lamp Scout sees a man carrying Jem. The man headed towards the Finch house, where Atticus let him in. Scout eventually realized that “the man” was no other than Mr. Arthur or commonly referred to as Boo Radley. Mr. Arthur, despite his poor perception of
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.
Many people believe that to have courage, you must conquer something physically challenging. Courage is a quality in which the mind is able to confront any difficulty, whether that be fear, danger or even pain. Scout and her older brother Jem are both influenced by
Courage is shown when Jem has to get his pants from the “haunted house” and when Mrs.Dubose was fighting her drug addiction. Innocence is demonstrated when Lee describes the mockingbirds and when Scout unknowingly saves two people. Courage and innocence are everyday characteristics that people may be able to relate to. Harper Lee is showing the themes in a different perspective or way of presenting them. Courage can be used both physically and mentally, looking different in many eyes. It is essential for people to recognize what their own courage looks like in order to use it to better themselves and the world around them. Innocence does not mean that someone is naive; it means that they see the world through different lenses based on their experiences. With both courage and innocence working together, we can better the world by volunteering to clean up a park or feed the homeless. Jaded people think that doing small actions do nothing but innocent people will take the small chances and opportunities and use it. By using the courage and innocence inside, lives are made better by the small actions that people
In the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, a character Atticus states; “Courage is when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” Throughout history, there have been many courageous people who have strongly demonstrated the quality of courage. Courage is a reoccurring theme that Harper Lee chooses to emphasize throughout To Kill A Mockingbird that many of her characters pursue as a strong quality. However, courage is proven to be most evident through Atticus, Scout, and Calpurina.
Arthur "Boo" Radley, the youngest child of Mr. and Mrs. Radley, is first introduced to readers as a shy and mysterious recluse who mostly appears in the imaginations of Jem, Scout, and Dill or in the stories told by the residence of Maycomb.