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Courage to kill a mockingbird harper lee
Courage to kill a mockingbird harper lee
Jem and scout compare character analysis
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The content of an individual’s character relies heavily on the life lessons he or she learns within his or her lifetime. As a result of the moral themes presented throughout the work, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most emotionally moving literature pieces of all time. Jean Louis “Scout” and Jem Finch gain substantial wisdom within the three years presented in the novel. Moreover, these lessons also greatly impact the reader. Remaining devout to one’s moral values and withstanding the abuses of society epitomizes heroic character. Notwithstanding the race of an individual, people are people; everyone deserves to be treated equally. Lastly, true courage is found within the heart and soul of a person, for it does not rely …show more content…
on the strength or ability of an individual. To Kill a Mockingbird demonstrates that no man should ever attempt to appease society by compromising his moral values; an individual’s purpose is not determined by the color of his skin; and the courage of a person is measured by his bravery within. One of the most honorable characteristics of a man is his ability to follow and maintain his individual moral values.
Atticus Finch embodies the idea of staying true to oneself. Upon taking Tom Robinson’s case, Atticus knows that the citizens of Maycomb will speak poorly of him, but he also realizes that “…The only thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience” (140). Despite the opinion of society, Atticus is adamant to defend Tom Robinson to the best of his ability. He further explains his reasoning behind defending Tom when he says that he “…couldn’t hold up…” his head in town if he elects to let the case pass (100). Atticus chooses to defend Tom because he truly believes it is the morally correct thing to do. If Atticus refuses to defend him, he would be ashamed. During the trial, Atticus remains true to his moral values in spite of the hatred he accrues from society. He reminds the citizens of Maycomb that “…there is no man…who has never done an immoral thing…and there is no man who has never looked upon a woman without desire” (273). Atticus persistently defends his personal sentiment and refuses to put the ideas of the social hierarchy above his own; Atticus diligently fights for what is right. In the end, Tom and Atticus will lose the case; nonetheless, Atticus never compromises his moral values to appease the opinion of …show more content…
society. Maycomb is a deep southern society caught in the deathly grip of the Jim Crow era.
Its citizens are plagued with prejudice and racism toward the African American population, deeming them ill of “…Maycomb’s usual disease…” (117). These individuals fail to realize that they are in the wrong. Regardless of skin color, people are people. Bob Ewell demonstrates his blatant racism when he emphasizes the color of Tom's skin by referring to him as "…that black nigger…" (231). The redundancy of his comments not only dehumanize Tom but also reveal Mr. Ewell's genuine prejudice toward the black community. Moreover, Mrs. Dubose exhibits her racism when she says Atticus "…is no better than the niggers and trash he works for!" (135). The citizens of Maycomb brazenly use the n-word to refer to the blacks. In addition, they are so blinded by their racism that they cannot see Tom is physically incapable of raping a woman. However, Tom is found guilty anyway, and the guilty verdict is a result of nothing more than the color of his skin. Regardless of race, everyone deserves to be treated fairly and equally. Scout is also often found guilty of considering the world around her from only her point of view. When Scout gets into an argument with Miss Caroline, Atticus reminds her “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view—” (39). Atticus maintains that rather than being prejudiced toward those who are different, people should respect
other’s differences and consider life from a contrasting point of view. Ultimately, the only thing that sets Tom apart from the rest of society is simply the color of his skin. However, his “…black-velvet…” skin will still lead to his imminent demise (257). Despite the racial slurs of the community, To Kill a Mockingbird reveals that regardless of an individual’s ethnicity, he or she deserves to be treated with the utmost fairness and respect. Truly courageous people are few and far between. Despite their ultimate fate, Atticus Finch and Mrs. Dubose both embody the ideas of genuine courage. Atticus Finch is one of the wisest characters in all American literature. Atticus shows bravery when he accepts Tom Robinson’s case and chooses to defend him despite his skin color. He realizes that he will probably lose the case, but just because he was “…licked one hundred years before…” the case ever arose does not mean that he will not do everything in his power to win an innocent man his freedom (101). In the end, Tom Robinson is found guilty. However, Atticus’s bravery does not go unnoticed. Not only does Atticus earn monumental respect from the black community, but he also cripples the prejudices of Maycomb. The jury deliberates for an extensive amount of time; this means that someone supported Atticus’s beliefs. Atticus Finch brings about the dawn of a heroic societal reformation in Maycomb, but it would not have been possible if he had not been courageous from the beginning. Furthermore, Mrs. Dubose exhibits her bravery by fighting a battle that many people around her know nothing about; she is “…a morphine addict…” (146). Much like Atticus, Mrs. Dubose knows she is “…licked…” before her battle even begins, but she is courageous enough to withstand it anyway (101). Mrs. Dubose shows true bravery by facing her addiction and beating it. She refuses to die drugged on morphine. Mrs. Dubose conquers her addiction, and as a result, she dies free “…as the mountain air…” (148). True courage does not represent the outcome of an individual’s issue, but his or her willingness to tackle the problem despite disheartening odds. Even though Mrs. Dubose lost her battle of life, she won her battle with addiction, and that is what truly matters in the end. Genuine courage is not defined by the physical strength of an individual. Rather, it is characterized by his or her mental fortitude; both Atticus Finch and Mrs. Dubose exemplify the definition of true bravery. To conclude, To Kill a Mockingbird presents a multitude life lessons to both the characters and readers. One should always remain devout to his or her moral values, everyone deserves to be treated equally and fairly, and true courage is found within the heart and mind. Those surrounding Atticus encourage him to conform to societal concepts; they argue Tom is guilty simply because he is black. Nevertheless, he persists and defends Tom dexterously. Prejudice plagues the citizens of Maycomb. The prejudices will eventually lead to the death of an innocent man; despite the color of someone’s skin, everyone has the right to be treated impartially. Atticus Finch gallantly accepts Tom Robinson’s case even though he is likely to fail. Mrs. Dubose confronts her compulsive addiction; despite the outcome, she still represents courage. Atticus Finch and Mrs. Dubose manifest genuine intrepidity. Harper Lee’s timeless, award-winning classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, renders some of the most valuable life lessons of all time.
The lack of knowledge in Maycomb about the outside world and their opinions about black people ingrains ‘Maycomb’s usual disease’ into their minds as they have no other opinions about black people. This is shown by the crowd’s outrage as they gather to lynch Tom, not knowing that he was innocent, but blinded by their pre-conceived ideas about black people, thinking that Tom obviously did it as he was black. Their prejudice and ignorance blinded them to the fact that the Ewell’s had manipulated him to their own benefit. Also, this prejudice causes the people who are prejudiced to be as prejudiced towards people who are not. This is shown by Mrs Dubose’s statement to Jem, “Your fathers no better than the niggers and trash he works for.” This shows that Atticus and his family are put on a lower level than normal citizens.
Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird was published in the year of 1960, and is one of the few American classic novels awarded the Pulitzer Prize. The racism that is prevalent in many southern American towns in the 1930s is brought to life with profound imagery in To Kill a Mockingbird. There are several characters in the book, yet the true main character is the narrator's father, Atticus Finch. He is a man of great integrity and intelligence. A very heroic figure in more ways than one, Atticus possesses traits like being principled, determined, and, more importantly, he teaches others. When looking at To Kill a Mockingbird, one can see that Lee uses lots of description, dialogue, and actions to portray Atticus as a heroic individual.
The novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is set in Alabama in the 1930s, and concerns itself primarily with the interrelated themes of prejudice and empathy. These themes are explored as the story follows Scout Finch as she learns lessons in empathy, ultimately rejecting prejudice. While all characters in Lee’s novel learn from their experiences, not all are able to grow in the same manner as Scout. The idea of a positive role model, typified by the character of Atticus Finch, and the ramifications of its absence, is a concept that Lee places much emphasis on. The isolated setting is also pivotal in the development of characters. Lee uses the contrast between characters that learn lessons in empathy and compassion, and characters that cling to the ideals of a small town, to explore factors that nurture or diminish prejudice.
Courage in To Kill a Mockingbird In To Kill a Mockingbird, by author Harper Lee, several of the characters in the book share a similar character trait. Atticus Finch, Mrs. Dubose and Boo Radley all show courage throughout the book in their own individual ways. In different events, all three characters were faced with a challenge that they could either turn away from and accept or try to defeat. In Lee’s novel, a few of the main events that occur in the book include Atticus Finch defending a black man, Mrs. Dubose is challenged with overcoming an addiction, and Boo Radley must brave the outdoors to save the Radley children. Throughout the book, the characters change and one begins to understand what life in the small town of Maycomb is like, as the Finch family and friends grow and mature throughout the events happening while encountering social prejudice, courage, and the mockingbirds of life.
Atticus Finch is a character of stability in an unstable society. He is a balanced figure who is able to cope with the unreasonable and highly emotional town in which he lives. He can manage the prejudiced white masses and still deal justly with the underprivileged Negro population of Maycomb. He is one of the few people who understand the individual worth of a person regardless of the color of his/her skin. This enables him to defend Tom Robinson based solely on the concept of justice and equality. In his closing argument, Atticus explains that, “there is one place all men are created equal. That place is in a court room” (Lee 205). This justifies the fact that Atticus believes in equality in a society, the equality not only of race, but also of sex, class, and religion as well. His view of equality and justice is a symbol of his own psychological stability throughout the novel. Accordingly, in the final analysis of the story, Atticus represents the “justice” in the community of Maycomb. His stability throughout the book is one of the many characteristics that depict Atticus Finch as the novel’s core.
As a child grows, many people influence their development as a person. Some people impact more than others, and a select few really leave their mark. In Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” several characters play this role. Among them, Miss Maudie Atkinson, a woman who proves herself a strong character, prevails as the one who has the greatest impact on Scout Finch, the protagonist of this novel. As Scout matures and grows up, her views on the world around her change. Through subtle yet effective ways, Miss Maudie teaches Scout many life lessons about being humble, judging, and attitude, all of which ultimately have a great effect on the kind of person Scout develops into and her outlook on the world.
Yet he took the case with no hesitation. Atticus knows the difference between what is fair and what is true justice. He is well aware that whites and blacks have many differences with one another, but is also educated enough to know that there truly is no diversity in equity, and tries to teach everyone including his children this. ”You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view- until you climb into his skin and walk around it.(30)” Atticus is encouraging Scout to respect everyone and consider their true potential without considering false accusations in this quote. He applies what he teaches to his children to the people attending the Tom Robinson trial. Atticus is just one man, but with an unprecedented amount of sense of pride, intelligence, and justice. He reflects the image of the town’s people by showing them what they’ve allowed themselves to become based on their beliefs. He genuinely expresses their deepest consternation. In this quote he tells the audience what they are afraid to hear, but need to hear, “She was white, and she tempted a Negro. She did something that in our society is unspeakable: she kissed a black man. Not an old uncle, but a strong young Negro man. No code mattered to her before she broke it, but it came crashing down on her afterwards.(272)” After stating his point and releasing the profound truth Atticus causes for Mayella and Bob Ewell to lose their composure. Nevertheless people of most of the white people of Maycomb continue to refuse to believe that a white woman kissed a black man. But they undoubtedly believe that a black man with a useless left hand beat and raped an “innocent” white woman. Atticus could have predicted the outcome from before he even took the case and refused to defend Tom Robinson. But he
Atticus Finch shows, in many ways, the true definition of a hero, but no situation was more important than the Tom Robinson trial. In Maycomb, the thought of taking a negro’s word instead of a white man’s was ridiculous to the citizens, especially over a matter as serious as a black man raping a white woman. Regardless of this information, Atticus still takes on Tom Robinson’s case and tries to make as big of a difference as possible. When Scout asks him if he thinks that he will win the case, Atticus subtly replies “No, honey” (76). Atticus goes on to explain, “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try and win” (76). Basically, Atticus believes that just because it is unlikely that he will win, it does not mean that he should just give up without trying. Throughout all the discrimination, Atticus remains tough and tries to achieve his goal, no matter how hard it is. This was an example of moral courage. Even Scout knows how hard her father is trying by comparing Atticus’ efforts to “watching Atticus walk down the street, raise a rifle to his shoulder and pull the trigger, but...
Scout learns that by yielding to prejudice, we often hurt and cause strife unto others. For example, Scout is harassed and becomes the target of insults when her father decides to defend Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. This is a plajurized essay. The hate felt towards black people by the majority of the Maycomb citizens causes them to bother and harass those who attempt to befriend the black people. Forgive me for stealing this essay. Scout realizes that the only reason she must undergo this torment is that her father is defending a black man, which has become taboo because of the corruption that racism has caused in many people. In addition, Scout watches Tom Robinson undergo unfair treatment and false accusations. Please dont tell my parents I stole this essay. Although Atticus provides the jury and the people of Maycomb with overwhelming evidence benefiting Tom, and ultimately proving him innocent, this is not enough to overcome the powers of hate and racism. Scout watches as the jury deliberates and convicts Tom Robinson of murder because he is a black man. This is a stolen essay. Although Scout witnesses a myriad of injustices occurring against black people, she also sees an exiguity of kind and compassionate movements towards black people.
Atticus must live with himself before he can live with others. In the novel, Atticus even says, "Before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience." This clearly illustrates how Atticus must do what he thinks is right because he can only live for himself and not others. Atticus demostrates this when he refuses to treat African Americans with disrespect, as many other people in Maycomb do. Atticus treats them as he treats everyone and how he wuold like to be treated. Atticus should defend Tom Robinson because he prides himself on his following the Golden Rule, and if he does not defend Tom Robinson, he could not live with himself. Atticus tells Scout he would not be able to show his face in town if he does not defend Mr. Robinson because he would be going against everything he believes in for what others what him to do. The people of Maycomb trust Atticus to stand up for what is right when no one else has the courage. Miss Maudie says, "Whether Maycomb knows it or not, we're paying the highest t...
Reassuring that Tom Robinson’s case is dealt seriously, Atticus exchanges his identity as the noble man he is for the reputation of a villain that the town flames and calls names such as “nigger lover”. Sacrificing Atticus’s identity does not give him much room to speak during the case, in fact, without his title as an intelligent, helpful, and wealthy citizen, the people of Maycomb could potentially harm Atticus, which forces him to take a slightly more cautious approach with the people of Maycomb. Concerned with the matter of how her father finds that his actions are right when the majority of the town finds it is wrong. Atticus then responds strongly to Scout, saying that he could not live with himself or tell her and Jem to do the right thing if he did not take the case seriously himself. Atticus’s identity sacrificed for the intention of saving his kids from “Maycomb's usual disease” which is racism.
Atticus is a good man, a just man. He upholds his morals, and judges by his conscience. He is shaken but not moved by the town of Maycomb in their gossip and hypocritical ways. When offered Tom's case, Atticus knows he will take it on. He won't just stand there with no proper defense for Tom, but he will let the truth be known, and prove that Tom is innocent. "...that boy might go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told."
During our lives, we develop morals and values through life experiences. They can be influenced by our society and the people we surround ourselves with. In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee demonstrates courage, social inequality and prejudice through the characters and events in the book. We experience life lessons through the protagonist Scout Finch as she develops her own values. This is displayed through a variety of life lessons and values throughout the novel.
furthermore through Atticus’s determination it is clear that he is not willing to give up on this case even though he knows that the jury will give the verdict of guilty. This is a truly heroic act because it shows that atticus is willing to spend his time and effort on this case even though the overall outcome will be pointless, this shows that atticus is willing to sacrifice his a piece of his own life to help Tom robinson, not only because this is the right thing to do but because he is a hero who understands that another is currently in distress with what is most likely to be a very grim future. “You will never understand a person until you look from their point of view” this quote also shows that Atticus is a very understanding person because he knows that other people have their own stories and
“You never really understood a person until you consider things from his point of view—until you climb into his skin and walk around it.” Atticus Finch is a man of extreme integrity. He, as both a lawyer and a human being, stands up for his democratic beliefs and encourages his children to stand up for their own, though they may stand alone. Harper Lee showed how far respect went in To Kill a Mockingbird when Atticus defended Tom Robinson in his rape trial. He did not think twice about being ridiculed by th...