Theme Essay
Courage is never giving up, especially before you try. In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee the author shows courage in numerous ways. The characters learn that sometimes even though you know you might fail at something you still try to do your best. I agree with the theme courage is never giving up, especially before you try, and the characters of Mrs.Dubose and Mr. Underwood exemplify this theme.
As punishment, Atticus makes Jem go and read to Mrs. Dubose each afternoon. Scout goes with him. At first, each reading session is cut short by Mrs. Dubose's strange fits, but over the month the sessions get longer and the fits slowly disappear. Soon after the reading sessions end, Mrs. Dubose dies. She leaves Jem a single white camellia flower. Jem is horrified, but Atticus
…show more content…
Atticus Finch and Mr. Underwood are the some of the few people who believe Tom didn't do it. Tom has been put in the county jail for one night until the court case. When he is in jail that night an angry mob shows up to the jail asking where Tom is. Once the angry mob has left the jail Tom asks if the men are gone. Mr. Underwood then leans out of his office window holding a shotgun and says he and Atticus have it covered. Mr. Underwood shows that in Maycomb there are people in addition to Atticus who can see past racism. He also is showing a great deal courage by “protecting” Tom Robinson who has been accused of raping Mayella Ewell.
Courage is the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty. Mrs.Dubose shows courage by giving up her addiction to morphine even though is kills her. Mr. Underwood shows courage by standing by Tom Robinson when everyone is against him. These two ideas fit together by showing different ways courage can be portrayed. All in all, the characters of the book learn that you must try something and be courageous to know you can't do
During the Great Depression, people had to do anything to get what they needed. One specific case, called The Scottsboro Boys Trial, follows the case of a group of 9 black boys who encounter trouble when they jump into a moving train car containing food and a group of white people. The white people were hoarding all of the food so they and the black people got into a fight. After losing the fight and getting kicked off the train, the white group of people (who had 2 girls dressed as males) falsely accused the black people of rape and the jury found them guilty, even though there was no medical evidence. Harper Lee bases the characters and their situations in her book To Kill a Mockingbird off of her real life, since her father was the defense
Boo Radley showed a good amount of courage by saving Atticus and his family by stabbing Bob Ewell. He knew the possible consequences and he proceeded to kill him anyway to save his new friends. Tom Robinson was courageous by trying to help prove not only his innocence but to expose Bob Ewell for what he really is. Tom knew he would face a lot of hate and prejudice for going against what a white man says but to also show that the white man and not the black man was the rapist. Calpurnia was a huge example throughout the story of courage by guiding and helping face the racism and hate going at the
The characters actions that are demonstrated are showing courage because he wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. Atticus, of course shows all kinds of courage. Also, Ms. Maudie shows when she refuses
In your mind what does courage look like, and how is it embodied by people? Different characters embody many forms of courage in the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Courageous characters Jean Louise Finch is the main character of the book, and she lives near a house they call the Radley house, and she believes that a mysterious man nicknamed Boo Radley is being held there. In addition to this plot, Jean Louise’s father, Atticus, is a lawyer, and is enlisted to defend a black man named Tom who was accused of raping a white teenager named Mayella Ewell. Throughout the book, Atticus, Tom Robinson, and Jean Louise are all characters who are shown to bear forms of
Who is the Real Coward, Maycomb? Showing courage is not simply being physically strong. Courage is instilled in people through their morals and parents throughout their lives, and rarely changes. In Harper Lee’s
This scene inspires readers to stand up for what is right in their own lives. It is clear that Jem’s willingness to take a stand comes from his father, Atticus. Additionally, Jem is punished for doing something wrong and is forced to read to Ms Dubose. After her passing, Atticus reveals that she was a morphine addict and Jem served as a distraction for her as she lived out her last days. Jem asks his father, “Did she die free?”, and Atticus replies, saying “As the mountain air” (p. 121). This simile is connotes that Ms Dubose died peacefully despite her crippling morphine addiction.
These are just a few of the instances where courage is evident in this novel. Before reading To Kill a Mockingbird I believed courage was the ability and willingness to use strength to get your way. However, Harper Lee’s words have changed my perspective on the idea of courage. Atticus defines courage as “…when you know you 're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what” (Lee 115).
Everyday people find the courage to do things they never thought they could do. Some people think courage comes from how strong and brave you are, but I disagree. In To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the main character, Scout, and several other characters, go through events and challenges that change their lives, especially the Tom Robinson trial, which exposed Scout to the evils of racism and stereotyping. Although courage is represented in many ways in the book, I believe courage is the byproduct of overcoming challenges. Miss Maudie had a different view on things like racism and people in Maycomb, which shows how courage is the byproduct of overcoming challenges.
This is when he went out of control and lost all of the maturity he had. He could no longer take Mrs.Dubose’s insulting comments. This was a terrible decision yet others would have been tempted to do the same thing. As a punishment, Jem is forced to read to
Atticus’s definition of courage is going through with something you believe in even when you know it might go wrong. In the book, there are many courageous acts that happen but Atticus Finch shows the most courage all around. Atticus willingly takes on the Tom Robinson case knowing many risks and threats could come from his decision. Atticus is a honest lawyer that
Courage has gone through many changes. It has been altered throughout races, cultures, religions, sex, and time. However, the core values of courage has always remained parallel. It is difficult to explain in words the meaning of courage, like describing a color, but everyone knows what courage is, how it feels, and how to perform it. In Harper Lee’s
In the book, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout, Calpurnia, and Atticus stand out when courage comes to mind. These characters show courage in many unique ways with different situations. In the early 1930s, in the deep south, racial discrimination was a huge conflict, for example, the Jim Crows Laws were in play, and it legalized segregation between blacks and whites. Courage isn’t always shown in situations, but simply throughout growing up.
Heck Tate shows courage by protecting Boo. Dolphus Raymond Shows it by giving the impression of being the towns drunk. Aunt Alexandra shows her courage by backing up Atticus even though she may not think the things he are saying are correct. And Miss Maudie shows it by putting her friends need before her own. All of these characters show that simply because they were licked 100 years before whatever war they are in started that that was no reason for them to not try
Dolphus Raymond shows courage through his beliefs of racial equality and how you should follow your instincts when it comes to love, skin color doesn’t matter. Courage is shown through his actions of marrying a black woman knowing he will be judged, but still doesn’t care. The words Dolphus has told to the children about our society not being caught up with the things as much as he has and keeping an optimistic view of the future knowing we will someday be at a state or racial equality, also show courage. Throughout this novel, Harper Lee proved courage isn’t that heroic figure who holds that gun in his hand but also someone who is self-less. Courageous people will conquer their fears beyond others judgements and negative
"Jem, 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 and see it through no matter what. " This insightful statement was told by Atticus Finch to his son, Jem Finch. Many people in Maycomb had to deal with racism, hatred, and discrimination because of their skin color or because of the court case.