Courage in Harper Lee's 'To Kill a Mockingbird'

Courage is the desire to succeed and to do what is righteous, no matter what the humiliation or consequences are. People do courageous acts all the time because without courage, no one can accomplish anything in life. Courage is one of the most significant themes in the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Harper Lee uses characters’ actions to show that courage doesn’t mean that people live without fear, rather it is about showing bravery to which people stand up to.

In the novel, Atticus Finch is portrayed as the perfect example of moral courage. For example, Atticus says, “..if I didn't I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't represent this county in the legislature, I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do something again. […] Scout, simply by the nature of the work, every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one's mine, I

guess”(75). Atticus demonstrates courage when he undertakes the task of defending Tom Robinson, a colored man wrongly accused of rape. Atticus is referred to as a "nigger-lover" by many people, including his own family members. Even though his sister calls him a disgrace to the family, he is still determined to carry on bringing justice. He overcomes the heartless comments of those around them to see the necessity of his involvement. Before the case even begins, Atticus already knows that he will have little chance to win, but is showing courage by still fighting for Tom regardless of whether he wins or loses. Atticus’ strong sense of morality and justice motivates him to defend Tom with vigor and determination, giving it all he's got with one mission in mind. Most importantly, Atticus fights the case to uphold his self-worth. Standing up for his own convictions is more important to him then what people think about him. He wants to live without regrets, and to him that's the best way to live life. The fear or failure is not strong enough to discourage Atticus from his principle because he knows what he has gotten himself into. Moral courage is Atticus' best asset, making him a respectable man of justice.

Mrs. Henry Lafayette Dubose shows that courage is the foundation of integrity. For instance, in the novel Atticus is telling his thoughts about Mrs. Dubose by saying “Mrs. Dubose was a morphine addict. […] she said she was going to leave this world beholden to nothing and nobody. […] She said she meant to break herself of it before she died, and that's what she did”(111). This shows that Atticus Finch believes that Mrs. Dubose is one of the most courageous people he knows because she worked really hard to overcome her addiction from a very addictive drug. That shows real bravery and persistence. The woman chose to go through her final days without being tied to anything because she wanted to be free at last. It took true courage to face her end, since she felt every ounce of pain. However, what matters was that she was a brave lady who succeeded at achieving her goal. This indicates that courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. It also shows that the brave person is not one who does not feel afraid, but one who conquers that fear. With courage, Mrs. Dubose dared to take the risk, had the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to believe in herself.

Arthur Radley, also known as Boo Radley, shows that it takes courage to be yourself and show others who you really are. For example, Sheriff Heck Tate describes Boo by telling Atticus, “I never heard tell that it's against the law for a citizen to do his utmost to prevent a crime from being committed, which is exactly what he did, but maybe you'll say it's my duty to tell the town all about it and not hush it up. [...]To my way of thinkin', Mr. Finch, taking the one man who's done you and this town a great service an' draggin' him with his shy ways into the limelight- to me, that's a sin”(276). Boo took action to protect Jem and Scout, which was an extraordinary courageous and heroic act. With his moral courage, Boo overcame his difficulties and worries to step out of his comfort zone to rescue the kids from danger. Boo used his strength to defeat Bob Ewell; however, deep beneath the surface of the problem, it was Boo's determination that was exceptional.This shows tremendous courage as Boo put himself in harm's way to protect the children. In a way, this act of moral courage did bring justice back to its place, whereby a person has to pay a high price for his mistakes. Justice had been done in the middle of the night rather than in the court. Although the children were given justice, they still went through a lot of emotional trauma after being attacked. Being locked up in his house for years, nothing could take him out of his house. However, this time, Boo was so concerned about the children's safety that he risked himself getting out of the house, making a public appearance to rescue them. Hence, Boo Radley's moral courage puts everything in its place, driving the evil people away, and bringing back peace to Maycomb people.

Throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, many characters show acts of courage.

From a profound lawyer to a dying old lady to the hidden monster of Maycomb County, many of the characters of the novel demonstrated a significant amount of courage. All these characters had difficulties that they had to overcome. Atticus showed courage not by fighting or killing, but by standing up for what he believed in a civilized and determined way. Boo Radley showed that courage is the ability to act in the presence of fear by saving Jem and Scout from a deadly planned assassination. Boo might have been considered to be the ghost of Maycomb County, but Mrs. Dubose was the dragon. Although Mrs Dubose was considered cantankerous, rude, and prejudiced, she had great inner strength which allowed her to fight until her death full of freedom. The courage they all display gives them strength and deepens their self-understanding as the novel progresses. Therefore, courage is not based on physical ability but the willingness to come out of one’s comfort zone and be brave when one might be scared on the

inside.