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What Is Atticus Finch Courageous

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What Is Atticus Finch Courageous
Nelson Mandela once said, "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it." He also learned that courage is the ability to stay strong through adverse situations. The characters in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird are courageous. The novel tells the story of how the Finch family overcame a predicament that emerged from racial discrimination. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is disgraced for defending a black man who is accused of raping a white woman. This causes his children, Jem and Scout, to also face hostility. Despite this animosity, the Finch family bravely confronted any crisis that arose. Courage is necessary when facing adversity because it allows one to do the right thing and defend those who cannot …show more content…
However, one can overcome that difficulty by possessing courage. An example of this is shown by Scout. She narrates, "I drew a bead on him, remembered what Atticus had said, then dropped my fists and walked away, 'Scout's a cow-ward!' ringing in my ears. It was the first time I ever walked away from a fight" (102). It was hard for Scout to compose herself when Cecil Jacobs insulted her father. However, she knew that Atticus did not want her to fight and complied to his request. Scout had courage because she stayed strong through this unpleasant confrontation; she remained calm, which was the right thing to do. Another example of this is shown by Atticus. He asserts, "They're certainly entitled to think that, and they're entitled to full respect for their opinions, but before I can live with other folks I've got to live with myself" (139-140). Atticus disregarded the harsh criticism he received for defending Tom Robinson. He sincerely believed that Tom was innocent and wanted to help the man. Atticus was courageous because he stayed strong and kept his own opinion, although the rest of the town disagreed with him. This allowed him to do the right thing of advocating

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