Examples Of Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird

Atticus Finch exhibits the greatest form of courage as he faces the rape trial of Tom Robinson head on; no matter how much he does not want to or feels that he has no chance of winning the case, Atticus feels as if refusing to defend this innocent man is against his morals. Carolyn Jones effectively explains Atticus’ immense courage in her commentary, “Atticus allows himself to be the target of an irrational force and to absorb its violence as he acts to protect innocent people (147). As he did when he encountered Tim Johnson, the rabid dog, Atticus puts his life on the line for others, and this, in the eyes of his children and other Maycomb citizens, takes a great amount of courage. Atticus knows that Tom has a very small chance of winning

When the Finch children receive air-rifles for Christmas from their Uncle Jack, Atticus’ brother, Atticus immediately renders this vital lesson. The lesson itself seems quite simple, but as Lee’s novel continues, it holds a much broader value. Atticus intently stresses, “Shoot all the bluejays you want…but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee 119). Later, Mrs. Maudie Atkinson, a close neighbor and family friend, explains Atticus’ reasoning, “Mockingbird’s don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy…they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us” (Lee 119). Atticus and Mrs. Maudie Atkinson are not talking about a literal bird but rather a human; a mortal figure that devotes his or her life to peaceful and beautiful acts, and in return, the mockingbird shall be treated with the same respect and kindness that he or she exhibits daily. The question then becomes, “How should one treat a mockingbird?” When confronted with this question, Kobe Dickerson, a sophomore from Anniston High School, said, “Treat them how you would want to be treated” (Boster 2). Even after Mrs. Maudie’s explanation, Jem and Scout do not fully understand the reasoning behind Atticus’ intent on not wounding a mockingbird; they must, first, face trials of

Over the duration of three years, the period in which Harper Lee’s novel takes place, Boo Radley, unbeknown to the children, shows signs of affection and a desire for an outside relationship to Scout and Jem. Scout, realizing Boo Radley’s secret displays of love and mockingbird qualities, says, “He gave us two soap dolls, a broken watch and chain, a pair of good luck pennies, and our lives” (Lee 373). It is impossible to say that Boo Radley was not watching over these children, especially the night of Scout’s pageant. However, it is also impossible to say that Boo did not kill Bob Ewell, Scout and Jem’s attacker, but one is to remember that it is a sin to kill a mockingbird. Alan T. Belsches states, “When Boo saves [Jem and Scout’s] lives by killing Bob Ewell in the woods behind the school, they learn to respect his privacy and his desire to remain hidden from the probing eyes of the community” (2). Boo, over the years, watches over the Finch children in silence, and by leaving gifts and ultimately saving their lives, he beautifully represents his title of a mockingbird; Boo Radley is not a scary being, but instead, he is a harmless individual who does not deserve or desire