Rollo May once said, “It is highly significant and indeed almost a rule, that moral courage has its source on such identification through one’s own sensitivity with suffering of one’s fellow human beings”. Nowhere else, is it more evident in Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, that the concept of moral courage prevails over even the most strenuous of obstacles. Lee exhibits the defeat of onerous obstacles through various characters in the conquer over addiction, violence and prejudice.
In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee exhibits the abolishment of moral courage over addiction. Addiction is when one becomes so attached to something, it is as though one could not live without it. It would take a tremendous amount of moral courage to combat
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Violence can be scary and most difficult to combat as one’s body is seemingly filled with adrenaline and hatred. With the character, Scout, one can see this dangerous obstacle obliterated. Scout is constantly hearing derogatory slurs towards her father due to the fact that “[her] daddy defend[s] negroes” (99). Scout, typically, just pummels those who oppose her father until one day Scout was filled with enough moral courage to end her violence. Atticus tells Scout to “climb into [one’s] skin and walk around in it” (39). This would be incredibly hard for Scout in view of the fact that a boy named Cecil Jacobs, like many Maycomb folks, alienates Scout’s father as an acceptable human being due to his works. One day, Jacobs taunts Scout by name calling her father. Scout’s about to exchange blows with Jacobs for his slander, but “remember[s] what Atticus had said and walked away” while Jacobs calls her a “coward” (102). Atticus teaches Scout to use her courage to defeat her violent nature. Beyond doubt, without Atticus’ lesson or Scout’s moral courage, Scout would have fought Cecil Jacobs due to his rude utterances towards her father. Scout never had ever walked away from a fight before that and it took a tremendous amount of moral courage to put her pride to rest and combat this possible fracas. This is not the only act of moral courage destroying the …show more content…
To Kill A Mockingbird takes place during the 1930’s, a time of economic slump and despair. During this time, especially in Alabama, racism was copious. Naturally, Maycomb landed into the racist manifest. The town abhorred Atticus Finch for his acts of defending Tom Robinson. The immensity of the prejudice is so abundant, no one would dare go against what is politically correct. Unless, of course, equipped with enough moral courage. Harper Lee illustrates that Atticus is a man with an immense amount of courage and sense of justice. Atticus Finch proves to us how the defeat of prejudice is possible with moral courage. Atticus is very aware “[Tom Robinson] [will] face the chair, but not until the truth’s told” (195). Atticus refuses to allow a man, so clearly innocent, to face the chair without the unpardonable truth being told. It is prominent that black people face extreme prejudice and racism, and due to this are convicted much faster. Atticus’ moral courage to defend Tom Robinson made the decision last so long, that Judge Taylor fell “sound asleep” (280). The jury took roughly 6 hours to inescapably convict Tom guilty. The tremendous amount of time it took to convict Tom Robinson made Atticus think “ this may be the shadow of a beginning. That jury took a few hours. An inevitable verdict, maybe, but usually it takes ‘em just a few minutes”
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.
However, a certain few in the town do have moral values and look to do the right thing when faced with a tough decision. In the award-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, true understanding of courage and empathy lead Jem and Scout closer to maturity. Jem and Scout encounter courage many times on their journey to adulthood. Courage is often defined as a quality that people have that allows them to face danger with bravery. Jem understands courage a little earlier than Scout.
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 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.
"Courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what" According to Atticus Finch, an honest lawyer in Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. "Real courage" is when you fight for what is right regardless of whether you win or lose. Atticus fits into this definition of what "real courage" is and demonstrates it several times throughout the novel.
To Kill A Mocking Bird-courage 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 " The only thing we've got is a black man's word against the Ewells'. The evidence boils down to you-did-I-didn't. The jury couldn't possibly be expected to take Tom Robinson's word against the Ewells'.
In the beginning of the novel, the reader finds that Scout Finch is not the most peaceful girl. She fights boys quite often, and never backs down from a fight. One day Cecil Jacobs approached Scout and was taunting her because her father is “defending niggers”.
When living in an all white and racist society in the 20th century, it is very difficult to defend a black man, but sometimes doing the right thing, when being judged is even more difficult. In the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, written by Harper Lee, is a novel about Atticus Finch and his family who resides in Maycomb County, Alabama. In the novel, Atticus is struck with the challenging decision of whether to defend Tom Robinson (a black man) from the case of raping Mayella Ewell. Despite what other people say and think, Atticus decides to defend him with all of his experience in the bar because he always follows his morals and he always treats everyone with equality.
Throughout Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill A Mockingbird” there Are Multiple examples of courage. These acts of courage are one’s that can be brought from fiction to real life. Many Characters large and small show courage.
Courage is the one trait needed to lead a good successful moral life. In book To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee touches on the subject of courage throughout the book and is displayed as being an important topic. In the story courage is defined as doing something not because you want to or you can but because it is the right thing to do. Not only do multiple characters are shown as displaying this type of courage but they are usually successful in their endeavors and are outright praised by other characters for their courage.
The novel to kill a mocking bird written by Harper Lee Is a novel of injustice, of black people in the 1930’s The novel brings up many cases of courage which we will be discussed, The narrators farther Atticus is a well-respected man throughout the town and teaches his children many things such as colour does not matter and that you have to respect the people older than you like Mrs Dubose, who is a grouchy old woman to the children even though she is one of the bravest characters throughout the novel because she is a morphine addict who had promised to get clean before dying, Atticus is one of the most well respected characters, He strives to teach his children Scout and Jem about how courage is always there and how you just have to look for it. Atticus wants his children to comprehend that on top of there always being courage, that there are numerous different ways a person can show ways of courage.
Courage is the ability to do something that frightens someone, or the strength to face the pain and grief. Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” was arranged during the Great Depression, in Maycomb County, Alabama. One of the prevailing themes was courage in the face of adversity. Three main characters, Atticus Finch, Jem Finch, and Tom Robinson, symbolize the struggle between sitting on the sidelines of injustice and working within the system to make a transformation.
Courage is knowing it’s going to be a challenge and facing it with confidence and bravery. In the novel To Kill a Mocking Bird three characters, Atticus, Mrs. Dubose, and Arthur “Boo” Radley showed many types of courage. Some convey courage and they don’t even notice it. Courage, a major theme in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mocking Bird, is demonstrated by various characters throughout the novel.
Even Atticus himself lives up to his own definition of courage. Atticus stands up for an African American man, even though he knows he can’t win. ¨If you shouldn’t t be defendin’ him, then why are you doin’ it?” “For a number of reasons,” said Atticus. “The main one is, if I didn’t I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn´t represent the county in the legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again.” (Lee 100) When Atticus decided to stand up for Tom Robinson, he was willing to give everything up just to help this man. In a situation where someone needs help, the brave thing do do would be to stand up for that person no matter what the consequences. That’s exactly what Atticus did, he was willing to give up a lot just to help someone because he knew that it was the right thing to do and the only way to do it was with
In To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee shows how three characters express courage in the story that teaches Scout and Jem of what being courageous is in three alternative ways.