Book Reports / "Courage is when you know you're licked before you" ; To Kill a Mockingbird [3]

"In many ways, To Kill a Mockingbird challenges our notion of true courage. Present a persuasive argument. "

"Courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what". Atticus Finch, a lawyer in Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, points out that courage is not "...a man with a gun in his hand", but someone who displays moral courage. In today's society, we believe that true courage is physical. In the media we see handsome heroes defeating enemies without any effort. We see them as strong, buff and confident which twists our perspective of true courage. Hardly do we see people displaying mental courage in tough situations. To Kill a Mockingbird challenges society's notion of true courage by exploring through Mrs Dubose's personal beliefs to break her addiction to morphine before she reached death. We understand the theme of true courage when Atticus defends and protects the wrongly accused Tom Robinson. Moral courage is also evident through Scout and Jem's maturity throughout the novel as they fight the temptation to argue physically, but with a silver tongue without raising a finger.

Firstly, true moral courage is exemplified through one of the characters with a split personality and strong beliefs. Mrs Dubose was a morphine addict of several years, prescribed from her doctor as a painkiller. Although Mrs Dubose had the easy choice of continuing her daily intake of morphine, she displayed sheer will and determination to "die beholden to nothing and nobody". When Jem and Scout read to her, they were terrified and slightly unnerved by her "undulating tongue" with "cords of saliva collecting on her lips" that made her "mouth seem to have a private existence of its own." The image that the children described Mrs Dubose as was "horrible", "her face was the colour of a dirty pillowcase", with "old-age liver spots dotting her cheeks". What the children couldn't see in the beginning beneath the "nasty temper and fits" was the moral courage Mrs Dubose had. The greatness of her courage and will was shown poignantly through the quote between Jem and Atticus, "Did she die free? / As the mountain air." It was shown that Atticus respected and looked up to Mrs Dubose, despite her derogative comments about him as a "ni**er lover". Therefore the true courage Mrs Dubose exhibited challenges the 'courage' we think that heroes have.

One of the role models who displayed true moral courage was Atticus. He lived in a town that was generally full of prejudice, however, he chose to take up the Tom Robinson case and defend him. Despite being known as a venerable man, his town folks and even his own family members call him a "ni**er lover", yet he stood up to his principles, as he thought was more important than what people thought of him. However, Atticus understood from the beginning that Tom Robinson was innocent and he knew he was "licked" before he began, but his strong sense of morality and justice saw it through to the end that the people of Maycomb town heard the truth of Tom Robinson. Atticus managed to muster enough moral courage to take up the case head-on, and persevere until the truth was told. The strength of Atticus' determination is portrayed through the quote, "That boy might go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told."

Furthermore, Atticus demonstrates bravery and true courage when confronted by the Cunningham lynch mob to protect Tom Robinson. Without thinking twice he rushes to Tom's aid with the knowledge that if he were outnumbered, there would be a chance he would get beaten. He placed Tom Robinson's safety in front of his own safety and practically used himself as a 'human shield' to protect him at all costs, being his 'client'. The seriousness of the situation is depicted as even Mr. Underwood kept an eye on Atticus with his double-barreled shotgun above the jail. It is then that the Cunningham lynch mob leaves the jailhouse when Scout's innocence placed them in Atticus' shoes. Atticus's courage and determination for justice makes us realise that moral courage is stronger than physical courage.

Lastly, Jem and Scout's moral courage build throughout their maturity in the novel. Upon entering adolescence, Jem shows acts of moral courage. When Jem and Scout discover Dill under the bed, Jem places himself in the shoes of Dill's parents and notifies Atticus immediately. He "breaks the remaining code of childhood", according to Scout's perspective, and is not in favour of Dill and Scout. We can see similar traits in Atticus where he stood up for Tom, and went against the ordinary to stand up for a black man, just like Jem went against Dill and Scout to do what was right.

In the beginning of the novel, we read and understand through Scout's innocent perspective and it is indicated that Scout is quite young to understand the reality and harshness of life. As Scout matures, she realises that true courage isn't about accepting childish dares without thinking about her own safety, or settling an argument with a fistfight, but rather walking away and fighting the temptation to raise her fist. Moral courage in Scout is evident when Cecil Jacobs, an impudent and uncouth boy, announces that "Scout's dad is a ni* ger lover," and Scout is ready to let fly. However, she reminisces the promise Atticus made that he would "wear her out" if he "ever heard of her fighting anymore" and she simply walks away. Scout had the courage to turn down a fight for the sake of her family's honour. Most teenagers in today's society believe that courage is raising their fist and hurting the 'bad guy'. Harper Lee believed that physical courage was weak; moral courage was for those who were truly courageous and strong. Thus, Scout and Jem's maturity throughout To Kill a Mockingbird makes us realise that true courage is not childish courage, but the will to walk away from causing a fight.

Conclusively, To Kill a Mockingbird changes our notion of courage through Mrs Dubose's personal beliefs; Atticus' will and determination for justice; and Jem and Scout's understanding of true courage. Society's notion of true courage is thought to be physically strong, however, Harper Lee believed that true courage was when you're afraid to do something, but you do it, even though you're going to lose.

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