How Does Lee Show Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird

Harper Lee’s, To Kill a Mockingbird, is a novel that takes place in a small town, called Maycomb, in Alabama, narrated by Jean Louise “Scout” Finch. Scout learns how to deal with many things in everyday life, including racism and criticism. While learning about these things, she finds that courage is being shown by not only herself, but by other role models around her, including her father, Atticus Finch. The theme of courage is very significant in the novel. Firstly, Scout is showing courage by standing up for the Cunningham’s. Scout explains that “… Cunningham’s never (take)… they can’t pay…” (20). In the novel, Scout begins school, with Walter Cunningham, a young child of one of the poorest families in Maycomb, in her class as well. On the first day of school, Ms. Caroline Fisher sees that Walter doesn’t have lunch, so, she then offers to give Walter some money to borrow and then he can

When Scout asks him why he is doing this, he explains that “… 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.” (75). Tom Robinson, a black man, is accused of raping Mayella Ewell, a white woman & one of the children in the (poor) Ewell family. When Atticus is visited one night, he is asked to represent Tom in the case, and Atticus accepts. Representing a black man is a serious thing to do. He could risk everything, including his job and his reputation, for defending Tom Robinson. This shows Atticus is deeply committed to his job and to the case because he knows that this causes controversy due to discrimination and prejudice based on race. Atticus could just represent him, not do a respectable job, and not have anyone think less of him, however, he wants to give the best defense for Tom because then he could be easily prosecuted without a thought about