How Does Courage Influence Decision Making In To Kill A Mockingbird
How Courage Influences Decision-Making Merriam-Webster defines courage as “the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” Many people use courage to follow their moral values to help them make decisions that follow his creeds. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee suggests that decision-making can be significantly altered by the courageous actions one makes. This is evidenced by Atticus Finch, Scout, and Mrs. Dubose. First, Atticus Finch has the courage to decide to defend Tom Robinson in court even though it goes against the norm. Atticus is appointed to take on Tom’s trial by Judge Taylor. Taylor informs him that he can say no. However, Atticus says he will do it. Because of Atticus’ decision, …show more content…
Dubose has the courage to fight her morphine addiction. When Mrs. Dubose was ill and the doctors made her take morphine to recover. That was until she gets addicted. Mrs. Dubose made a promise to leave nothing to nobody, especially her addiction. Atticus tells Scout and Jem this, “She said she was going to leave this world beholden to nothing and nobody” (Lee 111). Jem acts inappropriately toward Mrs. Dubose and destroys her camellia flowers. So she picks him to help her battle her morphine addiction. Although he ultimately did not know he was helping her for that reason until she dies. Jem let Scout tag along as he reads to Mrs. Dubose every day for two hours. Jem questions Mrs. Dubose if she’s okay, “[ – ] Jem said, ‘Mrs. Dubose, are you all right?’ (Lee 107). Mrs. Dubose ignores him to focus on overcoming her addiction. She finally defeats her morphine addiction before she dies peacefully. Atticus tells Jem and Scout what real courage means, “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 begin anyway and see it through no matter what” (Lee 112). Mrs. Dubose’s decision on beating her morphine addiction helps teach Jem and Scout what real courage is. Jem and Scout reflect on Mrs. Dubose’s actions and realize she had fought her morphine addiction with what was left of
How Does Atticus Change In To Kill A Mockingbird
919 Words | 4 PagesMrs. Dubose’s unseen patience displays her true intentions to prove that appearances are not always as they seem. “It suddenly came to me that each day we had been staying a little longer at Mrs. Dubose’s, that the alarm clock went off a few minutes later every day, and that she was well into one of her fits by the time it sounded” (Lee 145). After Jem cuts down Mrs. Dubose’s camellia’s for calling Atticus bad names, Mrs. Dubose punishes Jem by having him come and read to her every day for two hours. However, Jem and Scout soon find out that Mrs. Dubose actually extends their time at her house everyday by a couple minutes. While it seems like a harsh punishment, Mrs. Dubose’s true intention of extending the time each day was so that she could fight her addiction a little longer.
To Kill A Mockingbird Prejudice Quotes
1230 Words | 5 PagesAs punishment, Jem is forced by Atticus to go to her house every day and read to her for an entire month. Under the conditions of Jem reading to Mrs. Dubose, he gains a glimpse of her real life for the first time. After a month of Jem reading to her, Scout and Jem discover that Mrs. Dubose has died. Jem does not seem to care at first until Atticus reveals Mrs. Dubose's unfortunate truth, ‘“Mrs. Dubose was a morphine addict, [. . . ] she took it as pain-killer for years.
Examples Of Courageous-Lee
1052 Words | 5 PagesYou rarely win, but sometimes you do”(Lee 149). 4. Mrs. Dubose wanted to kick her addiction in her dying days and she accomplished that. She pushed through the agony of withdrawal and in her dying moments was free. Even Atticus, a person who is very courageous, says that Mrs. Dubose is the most courageous person he’d ever met.
To Kill A Mockingbird Quotes That Show Courage Essay
991 Words | 4 PagesDubose shows courage by fighting her morphine addiction before her death. She knew that she did not have much longer to live and had beheld nothing but she still wanted to win one last battle. Mrs. Dubose had fits of rage about Atticus defending a black man, this causes Jem to rage and destroy her property. Atticus eventually found out and punished Jem and Scout by reading to her after school every day.
How Does Lee Show Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird
683 Words | 3 PagesDubose and her morphine addiction. Mrs. Dubose had been fighting a terrible disease for most of her life that caused her great pain. Morphine was the only way they knew to ease the pain, but morphine is highly addictive and Mrs. Dubose didn’t want to die an addict. For a while before her death she tried her absolute hardest to become addiction-free and she did free from her addiction, and died in pain. This is one of the smaller examples of courage in the book, but it still serves a very good lesson in courage.
To Kill A Mockingbird Quotes To Show Courage
1146 Words | 5 PagesDubose displays bravery and courage when she is determined to die free of her addiction to morphine. When Scout and Jem are at Mrs. Dubose’s house , Scout observes, “From time to time she would open her mouth wide, and I could see her tongue undulate faintly. Cords of saliva would collect on her lips; she would draw them in, then open her mouth again. Her mouth seemed to have a private existence of its own.
To Kill A Mockingbird Quotes Courage
1376 Words | 6 PagesDubose was in the presence of mental courage. She stopped taking her pain killers because she did not want to die addicted. Later in the book, Scout asks Atticus why he is defending Tom Robinson and Atticus says, “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 guess” (101). What one can learn from this quotation is that the theme of mental courage is present in Atticus as he takes on Tom Robinson’s case, by risking the opinions of others about him and if he will win or not.
To Kill A Mockingbird Falseness
946 Words | 4 PagesThe truthful aspect of her character is revealed when Atticus is talking to his children about Mr. Dubose after her death. “Jem, when you're as sick as she was it’s all right to take anything to make it easier, but it wasn’t all right for her. She said she meant to break herself of it before she dies, and that’s what she did” (Lee 127). Jem responds to Atticus asking, “You mean that’s what her fits were” (Lee 127). During Scout and Jem’s adventures reading to Mrs. Dubose, they begin to tolerate her better and begin to enjoy her company.
Atticus Finch Courageousness Quotes
834 Words | 4 Pages(133). Mrs. Dubose is shown as an angry and cranky old woman, publicly disliked by Scout and Jem being described as “vicious.” The situation turns when Scout and Jem are forced by their father to read for Mrs. Dubose daily for a month. The kids leave once the alarm clock rings, and day by day, the clock begins ringing later and later. Unbeknownst to the children, the clock is for when it is the time Mrs. Dubose would take her medicine, morphine.
To Kill A Mockingbird Quotes To Show Courage
708 Words | 3 PagesShe said she meant to break herself from it before she died, and that’s what she did” (148). Mrs. Dubose pushed through the pain; she could have made it easy on herself, continued on the path she was on, and just let go, but she didn’t. Because she wanted her dignity – she wanted to like herself – she kept fighting all the way through when many would have given up long before. Atticus also told Jem and Scout, to explain the courage of Mrs. Dubose after her passing, that he “wanted [them] 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
How Does Atticus Show Courage
726 Words | 3 Pages“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.” (Lee, 116). Atticus is a good father who wants to teach Scout about courage. Mrs. Dubose was addicted to painkillers but was determined to overcome her addiction before dying and Atticus made Jem read to her to distract her from her pain. This was a good lesson to teach Scout because it teaches her that being courageous isn’t just having a gun but doing something that you are not familiar with like Mrs. Dubose not taking painkillers and getting clean even though she didn’t have much time left.
To Kill A Mockingbird Courage Quotes
966 Words | 4 PagesJem had the conception that courage was a “manly man”, a man that was tough and could fight. However, using Ms. Dubose as an example, she explained a new type of courage to Jem. Ms. Dubose knew that her struggle was close to impossible to win, as many people failed to break addictions, yet she still tried to fight it, and winning at the end. The courage to do so was considered, by Atticus, real courage. This was also demonstrated by Liu Xiaobo.
Symbolism Of Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird
1317 Words | 6 PagesAccording to Atticus, this is the ability to face adversity and go through with something honourable, even though you realize that it is impossible to win. There are quite a few characters in the book, which show some kind of courage, but there is one in particular, Atticus. Harper Lee made Atticus the hero of moral and a symbol of courage in her novel. He is the figurehead for all three kinds of courage I mentioned. For one he confronts a rabid dog, which displays physical courage.
Jem's Changes In To Kill A Mockingbird
733 Words | 3 PagesJem was stunned, but even more so when he received a parting gift from Mrs.Dubose. It was a camelia from her garden. His initial reaction was negative, but Scout later sees him holding it with care. Jem learned through this experience that showing regardless kindness to everyone is important because every person is fighting a battle of their
Examples Of Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee
893 Words | 4 PagesCourage is the ability to do something that frightens one. An ordeal or circumstance that can bring out this instantaneous bravery and audacity inside of someone. Courage can be defined by something everyone wishes to display. Not only is it an attribute of good character, but it's what makes us worthy of respect. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the main characters would not have been able to make it without having and acting upon courage.
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