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

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