Theme Of Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird

Theme Essay There are people who have to face their fears everyday and everywhere. Fears such as standing up to a bully or speaking out an opinion that is rather unpopular requires courage to face. Courage can make someone feel stronger inside and allows them to have faith in their actions. The subject of courage leads to a common theme portrayed through specific events throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, which is a story based in the 1930’s set in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama which had a high level of racism. Atticus, a lawyer who is the father of two children named Jem and Scout, participated in a court case for a black man named Tom Robinson who was accused of raping a white, female teenager of a large family, Mayella Ewell. Atticus defended the man, knowing he had a high chance of losing the case. He was also aware of all of people, specifically whites, who would dislike him for it and even put him in danger. After Mrs. Dubose’s death, Atticus explained that
she was a morphine addict who was trying to wean herself off of the drug. He used her situation to teach his children what real courage was. Through Harper Lee’s character named Atticus Finch, she demonstrates that courage is fighting for what is believed in even if the war can easily be lost in To Kill a Mockingbird. Fighting for what is believed to be right for the world, no matter what society deems to be correct, is extremely important; although, it can be fearsome. Scout and Jem’s father, Atticus, took the daring path of supporting a black man in a rape case even though he had a (((large, fearful chance))) of losing everything. Scout learned this information for the first time shortly after a day at school when a boy her age, Cecil Jacobs, provoked her by saying her father was defending a negro in trial. After Scout came home from school that day, she asked her father if what the irritating boy said was true. She talked to him about what had happened and her father claimed that he was, in fact, defending a negro in trial. This then lead to an important question of winning or losing in court.
Atticus, are we going to win it [the trial]?
No, honey.
Then why-
Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.
Atticus put himself in a tough position by defending Tom Robinson in a trial. At this time period, it was common for people to be very racist and discriminate against black people like Tom Robinson. Losing the trial and declaring Tom to be guilty of rape was the more likely outcome for the trial because black people were cheated in trials. Seeing that Atticus participated, he showed his support for the rights of human equality for everyone, no matter their color or what they looked like. Although Atticus could have used his savvy mind to get out of the case for his own good, he decided to be courageous and fight for the African American man instead. Atticus not only put his belongings on the line, but he also put his reputation to other white people in danger by supporting a black man in a time where they were discriminated against. Scout and Jem were soon told that they would be hearing nasty things said on the street about them and their father and they needed to try to make the best of things. This was all brought on by an old woman with some rude things to say, Mrs. Debose. She made Jem go berserk by criticizing his father about supporting a black man to the point he could not take it anymore. The children went home and their father had a talk with him about popular opinions: ‘“ ...but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience”’ (Lee 140). At this time period, the “ majority rule” would be the large group of people who did not tolerate nor respect black people in the quotation. Atticus is saying that for him to be happy with himself, he needs to fight for the black man and for what he thinks should be a reality. The minority opinion is what he believed in: equality along with fair treatment for everyone and not one person should be cheated in court because of their race. Even though Atticus was aware of all of the hate he would receive, he still followed through using his courage to keep his head held high. Mrs. Dubose was a morphine addict who Atticus explained was a courageous woman because of her determination to wean herself off the drug. Although Jem and Scout disliked the woman because of her rude remarks, they soon found out why she lacked in benevolence. Attius had just returned from Mrs. Dubose’s home and revealed that she had passed away. Atticus explained to his children what real courage was while relating to Mrs. Dubose: ‘“It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do”’ (Lee 149). As a result of Jem’s unruly actions at Mrs. Dubose's home described previously, she had to read to her. Activities that kept her busy, including Jim reading to her, helped her urges to do morphine decline. Morphine was the element that “ licked” Mrs. Dubose and the action she began to take was weaning herself off of morphine. In this case, she did win and courage took her there. She was very fortunate because with courage people do not always win as stated in the quotation. It was very difficult for Mrs. Dubose to wean herself off of morphine, as it would be for any drug addict recovering, but courage helped her win the war against her addiction. Atticus Finch, a character in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, exemplifies that courage is being brave toward something or someone that is frightening.
Courage is supporting someone even though they are widely disliked for who they are, such as their race, but that person decides to take a stand anyway. A courageous person is someone who stands out from the “majority rule” or popular opinion while not letting what others think get to their head. They work towards what they believe is right even though many could disagree. Real courage takes dedication and bravery to change for the better, even though there might be ugly outcomes. Some people have more courage than others along with many other varying characteristics that make every person so unique. Atticus found the beauty in these differences and did not use them against that person, but instead he made light of them. Courageousness is an inevitable aspect for people in society because everyone has to do something he or she does not
enjoy.