To Kill A Mockingbird Courage Quotes

“Don't be afraid of being outnumbered. Eagles fly alone. Pigeons flock together.” The meaning of this quote is that true courage consists of standing up for one’s beliefs and principles, even in the face of unfavorable odds. In Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird the characters Atticus Finch, Jeremy Atticus Finch (Jem), and Jean Louise Finch (Scout) have shown the same true courage. They stood up for what they believed in even when the entire town was against them.
One character from To Kill A Mockingbird that shows true courage is Atticus. He first shows this when he shoots a rabid dog with a rifle. “Atticus pushed his glasses to his forehead; they slipped down, and he dropped them in the street. In the silence, I heard them crack. Atticus
Jem shows true courage when he touches the wall of Boo Radley’s house. Jem states that “I hope you’ve got it through your head that he’ll kill us each and every one [...] Don’t blame me when he gouges your eyes out.” (17). This quote demonstrates the fear Jem has of the Radley house and Boo Radley. His childhood has been filled with rumors of how evil Arthur (Boo) Radley is, like “he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that’s why his hands were bloodstained” (16), and that he has stabbed his father, Mr. Radley (13). Although these scare him, Jem wants to stand up for himself by not letting down a dare. He accepts Dill’s challenge and is able to face his fears by touching the house of the Radleys. Jem shows courage again when he goes to help Mrs. Dubose even though she has insulted their family and, to Jem, is a terrifying elderly woman. This is reflected where Jem states, “Atticus, it’s all right on the sidewalk but inside it’s - it’s all dark and creepy. There’s shadows and things on the ceiling…” (140). Jem is afraid of Mrs. Dubose as much as he is afraid of Boo. In spite of this, Jem enters her house when told by his father, Atticus Finch. He was able to sit right by her every evening for more than a month. Throughout the novel, Jem has had a fear of many characters like Boo and Mrs. Dubose. However, he was able to overcome those fears, although some were
Scout shows this courage when she did not pick a fight on behalf of her father, Atticus.“Somehow, if I fought Cecil I would let Atticus down. Atticus so rarely asked Jem and me to do something for him, I could take being called a coward for him.” (102). As seen in this quote, during her second encounter with Cecil, she is refusing to fight so that she would not disappoint. She has a principle to never disappoint Atticus and always stand up for him. This is why she fights with Cecil Jacobs the first time. Cecil insults her father, and she can not hold back (99). This is due to the fact that she believes that Atticus should never be insulted or hurt in any way. Scout shows true courage again when she stands up for herself in wearing overalls. “Aunt Alexandra was fanatical on the subject of my attire. I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn’t supposed to be doing things that required pants.” (108). Scout is a strong believer of wearing overalls. She never acts according to the standard of “a girl”. Her aunt, Alexandra Finch Hancock, does not approve of this and also tells of her disapproval of Atticus’ upbringing several times throughout the novel (110). Although Aunt Alexandra is her elder and there is a rule in the family that Scout needs to listen to her, Scout stands up for