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Courage thematic essay
Essays about courage and what it means to be courages
Theme of heroism to kill a mockingbird
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Throughout the novel, Lee shows that children can be heroes too. Scout, though she was young, showed the courage that no one thought a child could possess. During this time especially, more people spent time judging others, rather than trying to help them. It would take a truly selfless person to help others even if it resulted in breaking the norm, which Lee portrays through Scout. If she had not been brave enough to do what was right, she could have lost both her father and Tom Robinson’s life during the incident at the county jail. “Hey Mr. Cunningham. How's your entailment gettin' along?” . . . He seemed uncomfortable; he cleared his throat and looked away. . . “What's wrong?” I asked. Atticus said nothing. I looked around and up at Mr. Cunningham, …show more content…
He squatted down and took me by both shoulders. “I'll tell him you said hi little lady,” he said. Then he straightened up and waved a big paw. ¨Let's clear out,” he called. “Let's get going boys” (Lee 204-206). If it hadn't been for Scout's impeccable courage there could have been an entirely different outcome. If she and Jem had left when asked, Atticus would have been facing more than he was able to handle. If she had not approached Walter Cunningham, matters between the two groups would have been significantly worse. Simple actions like these made a big difference in the end. If she had not decided to be a hero in the moment, there is no telling what would have went down that night. After being walked on over by the grown men, she was the last person we expected to come in and save the day. In the end, she overcame the odds and showed the courage that even some grown men are not able to muster up. Another child that was fearless in his actions was Jem. He set out to protect his younger sister Scout many times. Whether it be to keep her from fighting, or even keeping her safe when Bob Ewell attacked them. ¨Be quiet,’ he said, and I knew he was not joking. . . . 'Jem are you
At the beginning of the book, Scout was not a nice child. She had hard times controlling herself, and usually she was not able to. She knew Atticus wouldn't like it if he heard of her fighting, but still she fought a lot, like the time she got angry to Cecil Jacobs and fought him (pg. 99). She was also mean and rude, which can easily be seen as she got angry and protested it when Walter poured syrup all over his dinner (pg. 32). As she was young, she also was not able to look at things from other people's perspective. This could easily be seen in her first day of school, as she only saw things from her point of view, never caring about her teacher's perspective (pg. 26). Her youth also ...
Atticus is a great leader of his family, teaching his children morals and life lessons. He makes them better people by showing them how to deal with the trial and people making fun of them. Atticus teaches Scout how to respect other people. First, Scout learns to respect Atticus, then to respect "Boo" Radley, and finally to respect a whole race of people, negroes. He makes it a common practice to live his life as he would like his children to live theirs, and thus displays the attributes of an honest, respectable, and kind man. Throughout the trial process, Atticus shows Jem and Scout that true courage is standing up for what you believe in and that all human beings, despite their race, deserve respect. "You never really understand a person until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." This quote shows that Atticus wants his children to get along with people, and so other people will respect them for whom they are.
Atticus helps scout with interacting and showing her how to socialize with others while getting to know them. Atticus tries to teach scout that not everyone is going to like her but, as Atticus states, "no matter what anybody says to you, don't let them get your goat", (Chapter 9 page 101). He explains how scout should not let what people say influence her to think otherwise about something. At the same time, Atticus explains how she neither can judge anyone either, as Atticus formally says, "you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view" [...] (chapter 3 page 39). Atticus wants scout to know and understand that it is wrong to judge or assume something about somebody if you don't know the accurate reason as to why they do what they do. Being the kind, respectful man Atticus is, he also wants to teach scout the right from wrong,
Scout first learns to show compassion and tolerance by refusing to go to school because she hates Miss Caroline. Atticus tells her that, 'First of all, if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you'll get along better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view – until you climb into his skin and walk around in it'; (30). When Atticus told her this, she began to accept Miss Caroline as well as other people's differences and opinions.
“Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird"(90). In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird many characters are pessimistic. Although Scout may act pessimistic at times in the novel, Scout is the most optimistic character in the novel because she looks for the positives in her life, and she thinks or acts positively towards others.
To begin with, Jem and Scout determine that courage means doing what is right, even if it involves life threatening risks. In chapter eleven, Jem Finch, has ruined the patches of Mrs. Dubose’s lovely camellias. As soon as Atticus has heard of Jem’s little act of rebellion, he gives Mrs. Dubose the opportunity of deciding Jem’s punishment. Specifically, she establishes that Jem shall read to her every day after school. After Jem has finished his retribution, Atticus informs him of Mrs. Dubose’s death. As a result, Atticus speaks of Mrs. Dubose’s bravery. Jem starts to ask his father why he thinks this of Mrs. Dubose. Atticus replies, “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know 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). Accordingly, Atticus is trying to show that heroism comes from the people who do what their gut says is right, because that is courage. Mrs. Dubose wanted to die a pure woman instead of someone who had an addiction, which she successfully succeeded in. Another example of courage comes from when Atticus ta...
In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus is an ideal father, who sets a great example for his kids. A picture of Atticus is important to Scout because Atticus teaches Scout many important life lessons about life. Firstly, as Atticus talks to Scout about Miss. Stephanie, he states “if you can learn a simple trick, Scout, you’ll get along a lot better with all kinds of folks. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it” (Lee,30). Scout realizes that one can never feel someone’s pain, happiness, or glory until she looks at their point of view of things; she learns to consider other people’s situation and feelings. She also understands that she will never know what goes in other people’s lives, and therefore she cannot judge anyone. Scout matures as she learns to apply Atticus’ wise advice to understand Mrs. Dubose and Boo Radley, who are individuals that are misunderstood by the community. Furthermore, as Miss Maudie talks to Scout, she states “Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets” (Lee, 46). Miss Maudie knows about Atticus’ personality quite well. Miss Maudie explains to Scout Atticus is a man with moral principles, he does what he believes is right even if others are not there to praise him. Through Atticus’ exemplary role, Scout understands the importance of integrity, and strong moral values. Finally, when Scout questions her father about the possible outcome of the trial, Atticus states “simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us to try to win” (Lee, 76). Atticus teaches Scout toleration, determination and moral courage. He already knows he is going to los...
In the beginning of the book Scout is innocent from all the dirt in Maycomb. One example of Scout demonstrating her innocence is when she confronts the mob that was on their way to Tom Robinson’s jail cell and recognized Mr. Cunningham. Scout, being the six year old that she is, doesn’t understand the situation and just starts up a conversation."Hey Mr. Cunningham. How's your entailment gettin' along?...I go to school with Walter...and he does right well. He's a good boy." Scout is unlike most children her age. She “questions the injustices she sees instead of accepting them as
Atticus is always guiding Jem and Scout with advice so that they will become more compassionate people. Atticus sets a good example for the children when Mr Ewell confronts him. Even though he is provoked and insulted, Atticus simply has a “peaceful reaction”. This shows the children never to get into fights with people when they are upset about something. Atticus shows children about courage and all the forms it appears in. When Jem is told to read for Ms Dubose and she dies, Atticus explains to Jem about her morphine addiction, and how she died “free”. This shows Jem that courage isn’t always where you expect to find it, and that if you have some compassion, you see people for who they really are. The most important piece of advice he gives his children is that “you never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view… until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” This is important for the children to know, because it helps them to be more caring people, and they use this advice throughout the novel.
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. On the way back Atticus just walked by and told Mrs. Dubose, ?you look as pretty as a picture? Mrs. Dubose was so stunned that she could not say a word back to him. Later Jem and scout leaned how courageous Mrs. Dubose really was after Jem cut up her camellia bushes, the kids found out that she was a morphine attic brave enough to get off the drug that killed her.
They both took time to see how important it is to change and to develop as young growing adults. By the end of the book Jem and Scout were still young and has shown how much they can be mature and understand life lessons. They give thanks to Mayella Ewell and Boo Radley for helping them show that they can at least learn from viewing and physically being in a predicament to show where their maturity lays
What is true bravery? Atticus Finch, in To Kill A Mocking Bird Describes true bravery as “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what.” If the ability that enables a person to face difficulty, pain or danger is bravery then in the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee through many of her characters shows that true bravery can come in many forms. Therefore there are many characters in the book that have shown bravery in the one of many forms that bravery can exist in, such as childish, moral and physical bravery.
Scout Finch is courageous many times throughout To Kill A Mockingbird, but the most unexpected time was when at just nine years old, she looked beyond what “Boo” Radley's past was and turned his life around, therefore brightening his future. Soon after Officer Heck Tate explained the situation of how Bob Ewell died to Atticus, “Boo” Radley asks Scout to walk him home. In this case, Scout's courage is spoken through actions rather than words. “ADD QUOTE ABOUT SCOUT GRABBING BOOS ARM AND WALKING HIM HOME” (lee pg #). Scout, again, at just nine years old stands up to the entire town of Maycomb, showing the person Arthur “Boo” Radley really is, even through something small like linking arms and walking him home. An act of kindness and courage is not unexpected from Scout Finch, but something as dramatic as standing up to an entire town to do what is right is, for anyone of any
...innocence. In some sense, because of her age, Scout’s perceiving of happenings in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird are more accurate, ethically speaking. Scout is reluctant to being very feminine because she wants to grow up on her own terms. She sees being feminine as a trap, and she doesn't understand that being masculine has just as many rules. When looking deep into Scout’s character traits, she has lots of morals lessons that she teaches in a roundabout way. She shows that you should not be afraid to stand up for what you believe in no matter your age, gender, or the family that you were raised in. Also, she teaches a lesson continually throughout the story that you can never be able to please everyone and sometimes you have to try very hard to stay true to yourself. The character of Scout has many lessons embedded into her actions if looked deep enough into.
One of the life lessons that Atticus taught his children was that you can’t understand a person and their choices until you have walked through the same situation as they have. By Atticus telling his children this he is teaching them not to judge. He is telling his children that you shouldn’t judge choices because you don’t know what circumstances they were under. In part of the book Scout was having a lot of confrontations with her teacher, Miss Caroline, and complaining to her dad, Atticus, why she should not be teaching them. Atticus replied with “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.” By tellings his daughter this, he acknowledged the fact that you never know what is happening in another