Courage In To Kill A Mockinbird
Courage, the state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes with self-possession, confidence, and resolution. A variety of different examples of true courage were expressed in the book To Kill a Mockingbird. In her novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee conveys the message that true courage requires one to stand up for one’s beliefs even when confronted with opposition and personal loss.
Atticus finch demonstrated true courage when he takes on the Tom Robinson case. Atticus knows what this could do to his reputation and everyone’s views of him, but he still takes that chance. Even before the trial began, he had people criticizing him, and his children, making it impossible just to go town without people whispering and snickering about him. He merely ignored all of these comments, and gestures that these people were making about him, and still decided to defend Tom Robinson. Furthermore, he also knew that the jury, making the final decision would be all white men, which made his chances of winning pressingly slim. Atticus views this case as the most important case of his life, and if he doesn’t defend Tom, no mater what the outcome is it will stay on his conscience forever. Jem and Scout wonder, if all he’s getting from this case is hurtful criticism and a name for himself, then why do it…Atticus gives them a satisfying response. “This case, Tom Robinsons case is something that goes to the essence of a man’s conscience – Scout, I couldn’t go to church and worship God if I didn’t try to help that man” (Lee, p.104). There’s a very strong comparison that Atticus makes about Tom, that I think is a crucial reason to why he’s defending this case, he compares Tom to a mockingbird. “Mockingbirds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don’t eat up people’s gardens, don’t nest in corn cribs, they don’t do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That’s why it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird” (Lee,...
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