This is my essay to annalyze the theme of real courage in To Kill a Mockingbird
Please review it...
"Courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what" (112) According to Atticus Finch, an honest lawyer in Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" teaches the children that courage can be portrayed as both physical bravery and strength, but fighting for what is right regardless of whether you win or lose takes more strength in character, and is ultimately more courageous. Many people show real courage in Maycomb, people such as Mrs. Dubose, Atticus, and Tom Robinson.
Mrs. Dubose had been taking morphine as a painkiller for years; her doctors, who at that time didn't know any better, prescribed it. But, before she died, she wanted to get rid of her addiction to the drug so that she would die "Beholden to nothing and nobody."(112). As an old and sick woman, she had every right for take the drug to live her few months left in peace, "To make things easier", as Atticus said, but she followed her personal principles and chose the other way. Her decision resulted in a series of withdrawal fits. Jem and Scout were made to come to her house to read for her every day Mrs. Dubose asked them to come and read to her so as to distract her from the unmitigated agony. In fact, she was in a world of her own and did not hear the children; most of the time she would be waiting for the alarm clock to ring. And as the children noticed, the alarm clock rang a few minutes later every day, they stayed back a few minutes later everyday, and by that time Mrs. Dubose would already be deep into one of her fits. Mrs. Dubose exemplified moral courage, as she neglected her own personal suffering to follow her own principles. She could have chosen to take the drug to die without agony, but she was too contrary. And thus, she died clean, and unrelated to anything.
Atticus Finch defines "real courage" and demonstrates it several times throughout the novel, in addition to the lessons that he teaches his children. He shows them mainly in the long period of time during Tom Robinson's case. It first started when Atticus took the case. He went against Maycomb, a generally prejudice town, in order to defend Tom. He understood that taking the case would make him an object of ridicule and that no one would forgive him for believing in a black man's word rather than a white man's. Even his own sister expresses disapproval of his decision, practically telling him he was bringing disgrace on the family. But, no matter how much his reputation suffered, he did not change his mind. Standing up for his morals and ethics was more important then what people thought about him. Atticus knows he will not win the case, he is "licked" before he begins. Atticus's strong sense of morality and justice motivates him to defend Tom Robinson with determination, and giving it all he has got. He shows this when he says, "Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try and won." He wants the people of Maycomb to hear the truth about Tom, "That boy may go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told." (146) Atticus later shows bravery when he went to the jailhouse to protect Tom from a mob. Without thinking twice he rushed to Tom's aid. He went willingly, knowing that if a mob did form he would be greatly outnumbered and would easily be beaten. Still, he put Tom's well being after his own welfare.
Real courage is also illustrated by Tom Robinson in the courtroom, who gives his testimony, at his life trial because he is accused by Mayella of taking advantage of her. Tom is so honest he even makes a big mistake by telling that he felt sorry for her. "I felt right sorry for her, she seemed to try more'n the rest of 'em."(197) The mistake he makes is that he is black and Mayella is white and it's not possible that a black could feel sorry for a white under any circumstances. He stuck with his testimony and continued to tell the truth, even with almost the whole town against him. Tom was definitely "licked" before the started his testimony, but the showed courage in following it through and sticking with the truth.
Real courage as defined by Atticus is to know that you are going to lose, but to follow through with it the entire way. The biggest examples of real courage in To Kill a Mockingbird were Mrs. Dubose, Atticus and Tom Robinson. Mrs. Dubose fights her addiction to a drug. Atticus fights against the prejudice in the town to show that a black man is innocent. And finally, Tom Robinson Fights against the white community in Maycomb to stick to his guns and tell the truth.
Please review it...
"Courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what" (112) According to Atticus Finch, an honest lawyer in Harper Lee's novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" teaches the children that courage can be portrayed as both physical bravery and strength, but fighting for what is right regardless of whether you win or lose takes more strength in character, and is ultimately more courageous. Many people show real courage in Maycomb, people such as Mrs. Dubose, Atticus, and Tom Robinson.
Mrs. Dubose had been taking morphine as a painkiller for years; her doctors, who at that time didn't know any better, prescribed it. But, before she died, she wanted to get rid of her addiction to the drug so that she would die "Beholden to nothing and nobody."(112). As an old and sick woman, she had every right for take the drug to live her few months left in peace, "To make things easier", as Atticus said, but she followed her personal principles and chose the other way. Her decision resulted in a series of withdrawal fits. Jem and Scout were made to come to her house to read for her every day Mrs. Dubose asked them to come and read to her so as to distract her from the unmitigated agony. In fact, she was in a world of her own and did not hear the children; most of the time she would be waiting for the alarm clock to ring. And as the children noticed, the alarm clock rang a few minutes later every day, they stayed back a few minutes later everyday, and by that time Mrs. Dubose would already be deep into one of her fits. Mrs. Dubose exemplified moral courage, as she neglected her own personal suffering to follow her own principles. She could have chosen to take the drug to die without agony, but she was too contrary. And thus, she died clean, and unrelated to anything.
Atticus Finch defines "real courage" and demonstrates it several times throughout the novel, in addition to the lessons that he teaches his children. He shows them mainly in the long period of time during Tom Robinson's case. It first started when Atticus took the case. He went against Maycomb, a generally prejudice town, in order to defend Tom. He understood that taking the case would make him an object of ridicule and that no one would forgive him for believing in a black man's word rather than a white man's. Even his own sister expresses disapproval of his decision, practically telling him he was bringing disgrace on the family. But, no matter how much his reputation suffered, he did not change his mind. Standing up for his morals and ethics was more important then what people thought about him. Atticus knows he will not win the case, he is "licked" before he begins. Atticus's strong sense of morality and justice motivates him to defend Tom Robinson with determination, and giving it all he has got. He shows this when he says, "Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try and won." He wants the people of Maycomb to hear the truth about Tom, "That boy may go to the chair, but he's not going till the truth's told." (146) Atticus later shows bravery when he went to the jailhouse to protect Tom from a mob. Without thinking twice he rushed to Tom's aid. He went willingly, knowing that if a mob did form he would be greatly outnumbered and would easily be beaten. Still, he put Tom's well being after his own welfare.
Real courage is also illustrated by Tom Robinson in the courtroom, who gives his testimony, at his life trial because he is accused by Mayella of taking advantage of her. Tom is so honest he even makes a big mistake by telling that he felt sorry for her. "I felt right sorry for her, she seemed to try more'n the rest of 'em."(197) The mistake he makes is that he is black and Mayella is white and it's not possible that a black could feel sorry for a white under any circumstances. He stuck with his testimony and continued to tell the truth, even with almost the whole town against him. Tom was definitely "licked" before the started his testimony, but the showed courage in following it through and sticking with the truth.
Real courage as defined by Atticus is to know that you are going to lose, but to follow through with it the entire way. The biggest examples of real courage in To Kill a Mockingbird were Mrs. Dubose, Atticus and Tom Robinson. Mrs. Dubose fights her addiction to a drug. Atticus fights against the prejudice in the town to show that a black man is innocent. And finally, Tom Robinson Fights against the white community in Maycomb to stick to his guns and tell the truth.