How Does Miss Maudie Show Courage

Amelia McNallen
Fairchild
English 1
Due March 7, 2014

Nelson Mandela once said “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, uses characters to display courage many times throughout the novel. It's about a white father defending a black man in the racist town of Macomb, Alabama, in the 1930's. I found a few examples of courage for each character that stood out to me most. Atticus, Scout, and Boo Radley. First, a brave, hardworking, single parent, Atticus Finch. He first shows courage when he shoots a mad dog to protect his family when he hasn't touched a gun in over thirty years. Another character in the story, Miss Maudie, explains “I guess he put down his gun when he reilized god gave him an unfair advantage over most living things...” Another courages thing Atticus does, is standing up for
whats right even though he knows there will be consequences.
He shows this by defending Tom Robinson, a black man, in court. When Atticus is explainging to his children why he chose to defend him, he says “...Tom Robinson's case, is something that goes to the essance of a mans consience- Scout, I couldnt go to church and worship god if I didnt try and help that man.” Lastley, Atticus shows courage by raising his children to be non-biest, and teaching them to grow up treating everyone equilly. “Why reasonable people go mad when involving a negro is something I dont pretend to
understand.” Atticus explains this to his children, Jem and Scout. All in all, these examples prove, atticus can certinly be courages. The second character whos nobel courage stood out to me, was Scout, Atyticus daughter. The first time she shows courage, is when she chooses not to fight one of her classmates after being made fun of, because Atticus tells her to fight with her head, not with her fists. “Scout’s a cow—ward!' ringing in my ears. It was the first time I ever walked away from a fight. Somehow, if I fought Cecil I would let Atticus down.” This quote is important because it shows what was going on in scouts mind and why she chose not to fight. She is also courages by going to school after things go wrong with her teacher, Ms. Caroline. “If you concede the necessity of going to school, well go on reading every night just as we always have.” Scout already reads with Attucus every night, but on her first day of school, Ms. Carolione doesnt agree with the way scouts father teaches her to read and write. They get into an argument, but Atticus promises that they will still read together every night, as long as scout continues to go to school. Of course Scout shows up for school with her head held high the next day. The third time Scout shows courage is when there is an angrey mob happening, and her father is in the middle of it. She butts in notices that the father of a little boy who goes to her school is part if the mob. She starts talking about the boy and asks the dad to tell him “hey” for her. The mob reilizes that Atticus is an actual human being who has actual children and that they are all part of the community. “I go to school with Walter,” I began. “Hes your boy, ant he?”...”Hes a real good boy”...”Tell him hey for me, wont you?” “Ill tell him you said hey little lady.” He said. He then told the mob to go home, and they all left. Scout saved the day!