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To Kill A Mockingbird Courage

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To start a challenge is much more simple than completing one. There will always be a challenge waiting for one to overcome, waiting for one to face their fears and take a stance in what they believe in. As demonstrated in Harper Lee's novel To Kill a Mockingbird, there are many ways to act courageous. Standing by ones morals and acting against ones fears represents true courage. In To Kill a Mockingbird, true courage can be shown through moral courage, mental courage, and physical courage.
In To Kill a Mockingbird, standing up for what one believes in shows moral courage. Firstly, Atticus defending Tom Robinson even when he knew he would lose shows moral courage. Atticus is a well-known and respected figure in Maycomb. Choosing to defend a …show more content…
Firstly, Jem touching Boo Radley's house for a dare shows mental courage. At this point in time, Jem is young. He fools and plays around. After being told all the terrifying stories of Boo Radley, hearing the name "Radley" always has him a little frightened. When Dill dares Jem to touch the Radley porch Jem is scared, however "In all [Jem's] life, Jem had never declined a dare" (16). Although Jem is truly frightened, he does accept the dare and follows through. Jem overcoming his fear and touching the Radley house shows mental courage. Secondly, Mrs.Dubose overcoming her morphine addiction before death shows mental courage. Mrs.Henry Lafayette Dubose is known as "the meanest old women who ever lived" (46). She is a pessimist and is racist toward negroes, however she is ill. As said, "Mrs.Dubose was a morphine addict" (147). Mrs.Dubose wanted to break her addiction. She wanted to be free of morphine before she passes away. Atticus wanted to show the children what real courage was. It is "when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what" (149). Mrs.Dubose has been on painkillers for quite a time while she only had a few more months to live. Her making the decision to attempt to break her addiction was a long shot, yet still she followed through and was determined to achieve her goal. As Atticus said, "You rarely win, but sometimes you do" (149), and in this case, Mrs.Dubose won. She died with nothing to hold onto. Mrs.Dubose is a brave women who showed true courageousness. Lastly, Atticus defending Tom Robinson shows mental courage. Atticus is a smart man. He knows right from wrong and he sees things through everyone's perspectives. Atticus agreeing to take Tom's case was not only because he was asked to, but mainly because he wanted and needed to. He teaches Scout that "by the nature of the work, every lawyer gets at least one

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