More handpicked essays just for you.
Courage to kill a mockingbird harper lee
Courage to kill a mockingbird harper lee
Theme of courage throughout to kill a mockingbird
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Courage to kill a mockingbird harper lee
To Kill a Mockingbird
In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the theme of courage appears many time. This is important to the book because it shows that it is important to stand up for what is right. The characters show courage in many different ways.
Jem shows courage by standing up to his dad. He stayed when his dad told him to go home, because of these actions his dad did not get hurt when the KKK showed up at the jail for Tom Robinson. If it was not for Jem, his dad could have gotten beat up. It is important to do what you think is right.
Atticus also shows courage. He is the best shot in Maycomb. That is why he is the one to shoot the mad dog. He shows courage by defending Tom because no one thinks it is right to defend a black man. He did what he thought was right .
…show more content…
He show courage in a lot of ways. When Jem and Scout were walking home and Bob Ewell tried to attacked the kids, Boo ran to the kids to help and Bob ended up falling on his knife after tripping. He then carried Jem home to Atticus.
In conclusion, the book To Kill a Mockingbird has a lot of examples of courage. For example, Atticus shows it by defending Tom Robinson. Also Jem shows courage by not leaving his dad so he wouldn’t get hurt. Lastly, Boo helped Jem when he got attacked but Bob
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.
Courage is when you know you’re beaten. The character Atticus, for instance, who was a seasoned lawyer acted courageous defending Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson was a black man who was accused of raping a white girl. Atticus was appointed to defend him. Jem was happy because he thought his father had won the case but Reverend Sykes loathed telling Jem “Now don’t you be so confident, Mr. Jem, I ain’t ever seen any jury decide in favor of a colored man over a white man…”(Lee 208). Atticus was sure he wasn’t going to win the case, nevertheless he gave it a try. That didn’t stop Atticus from trying to defend his client Tom Robinson. Another part in the novel when Atticus was courageous was when he shot at the man street dog. Heck Tate the Maycomb Sheriff was not as courageous as Atticus so he handed Atticus the air rifles and with one shot Atticus took down the street dog. Miss Maudie says “I saw that, One Shot Finch” (Lee 97). Atticus was referred to as one-shot finch because of his shooting skills. The other incidence in the novel when Atticus portrays courage was when he was not scared when Bob Ewell threatened him. Bob Ewell was the man who accused Atticus’ defendant Tom Robinson of raping his daughter Mayella. Atticus thought Bob Ewell threatened him as some sort of revenge, but unfortunately Atticus was wrong because when Bob Ewell said ...
Throughout the novel Atticus, Boo and Jem demonstrate, through actions, the important theme that everyone is brave in their own way. Atticus Finch shows through his actions that bravery can show up in many different ways. Although he lives in Alabama, surrounded by racists, Atticus shows extreme bravery in the way he defends Tom Robinson. Not only does Atticus defend Tom Robinson’s case in the courtroom, he also pours his heart and soul into protecting Robinson and his whole family from the angry mobs of Maycomb. When Atticus explains to Scout and Jem, “I couldn’t hold up my head in town, I couldn’t represent this county in legislature, I couldn’t even tell you or Jem not to do something again,” he models bravery and the importance of doing the right thing even under the most difficult circumstances (Lee 75).
"Courage isn't an absence of fear. It's doing what you are afraid to do. It's having the power to let go of the familiar and forge ahead into new territory." ~John Maxwell. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout (Jean Louise Finch), Jem (Jeremy Atticus Finch), and Atticus Finch display acts of valor that contribute, and in some cases encourage their rectitude. Harper Lee demonstrates that acting courageously can lead to an improved, sustained, or newly developed personal integrity.
Similarly, the largest example of courage is found in younger characters like Scout and Jem.
One of many ways why Atticus is a respected person in Maycomb is because of his courage. Atticus is a courageous person because he tries everyway to help others who are in need of it. When there was a mad dog roaming the streets that looked extremely ill Maycomb depended on Atticus to help get rid of the mad dog. Atticus being the brave man he is, he did exactly that. Atticus came rushing to where the mad dog was and shot him. Atticus showed his children that he was a courageous man when he stepped onto that street to face the mad dog. Jem and Scout were proud of, and impressed by his courage in a risky situation. Mr. Heck Tate even says, “You haven’t fo...
Atticus Finch is probably one of the bravest people in the novel. Throughout the book, despite being called "nigger-lover" by many people in Maycomb, he had lots of courage in him to take the case and defend Tom Robinson even with all threats of violence. He also is brave in the face of danger, when facing the mob of men outside the jail-house even though he know he could get hurt or kill. “In the obedience to my father, there followed what I later realized was a sickeningly comic aspect of an unfunny situation: the men talked in near-whispers.“ You know what we want,” another man said. “Get aside from the door, Mr.Finch” ”.(pg.202) HE use himself as a human shield to protect Tom Robinson from the Cunningham. He knows that nobody in Maycoms is going to trust a Black ‘s man word against a White ‘man word and that he is probably going to lose the trial but he try his best to...
Jem shows courage in his fight with Bob Ewell in the following examples from the book “someone rolled against me and I felt Jem. He was up like a fash of lighning and pulled me with him.” (Harper Lee 262) in this quote
In several different instances, the townspeople tried to convince him not to, and in one event they even threatened him. However, Atticus shows courage in defending Robinson.... ... middle of paper ... ... Courage is not taking a challenge knowing you will win, it is facing a challenge one knows one will most likely lose and still trying.
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.
Scout observed the actions of the town and her father’s involvement in the trial and learned the hard truth of the world; that things aren’t always fair no matter what some believe. These truths, even though disturbing and unjust, required courage to endure. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the author used Arthur Radley, Atticus Finch, Tom Robinson to demonstrate courage.
Jem's definition of bravery changes as he grows up; he gains insight and experience of the world around him. At the beginning of the story, Jem only thought of bravery as touching the side of the Radley house, only because "in all his life, [he] had never declined a dare. (pg 13)" However, as the story continues, Jem learns about courage from several events. Upon hearing about a trial where a black person's been prosecuted, Atticus decides, as a lawyer, to defend that person. Atticus chose to defend Tom Robinson, an African American, because it's the right thing to do, and no one else wanted to ,or had the bravery to. "Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win, (pg 76)" he said to Scout and Jem when Scout asked. Atticus was courageous for doing something just, even though it's not encouraged. Jem also learns a different kind of courage after learning about Mrs. Dubose's fight with a morphine addiction. Jem and Scout disliked Mrs. Dubose because she was quite a mean person. Later, they were glad they didn't have to read to her anymore. Atticus told Jem that Mrs. Dubose simply had her own views on things, and that her fits were from her addiction. Atticus made Jem read to her and explained, "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 According to [Mrs. Dubose's] views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew. (pg 112)" This is similar to Atticus's choice to defend Tom.
The first time Jem shows courage, he is challenged by his best friend Dill to go up and touch the Radley house. Dill said “ I won’t sa you ran out on a dare an’ I’ll swap you the Gray Ghost if you just go up and touch the house”(Lee pg 14 ). This shows courage to Scout and Dill because they thought that if you touch the house you would be poisoned. Even though it did not show courage in Atticus’s definition.
Without courageous people, human society would not progress. This is evident in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, whereby a few heroic individuals inspire transformations in a racist community. One of the characters who shows bravery is Tom Robinson. Even though he knows he will most likely lose, he goes on trial and fights for justice and truth. Another person who displays inner strength is Boo Radley. He is able to break out of his comfort zone and stand up for what is right, despite his fear. The most daring character in the novel is Atticus Finch. Although most of the town is against him, he continues onward and faces hatred with dignity and respect. Each of these extraordinary individuals represent Harper Lee’s belief that real courage is doing the right thing, even if it requires standing up against the majority.
Atticus’s real courage drove him to put aside the criticism and risk, and take up and fight the Tom Robinson’s controversial case. It is evident that these three characters in To Kill a Mockingbird display acts of real courage, even when they know they are fighting a losing battle.