Essay & Essay Reflection

Courage Theme: To Kill A Mockingbird
Harper Lee illustrates the theme of courage in the book To Kill A Mockingbird. The book takes place in a southern town in Alabama. Most of the townspeople are racist in their views against black people. The story is narrated in first person by a young girl nick-named Scout. Her father, Atticus Finch, plays an important part in the story by defending a black person in court. This novel presents two children growing up in a biased community, often discriminated themselves, because of their father's views. Lee portrays courage in the characters of Atticus Finch, Mrs. Dubose and Boo Radley.

It takes courage for Atticus Finch to go against people's beliefs in order to do what he believes was morally right. The racist views of the town are against Atticus defending Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman, and Atticus is often discriminated against for not agreeing with them. His children, Scout and Jem, also feel the hatred of others against them because of what their father's beliefs are. "But Mrs. Dubose held us: "'Not only a Finch waiting tables, but one in the courthouse lawing for niggers' ... 'Your father's no better than the niggers and trash he works for.'" Although Atticus is criticized for what he decides is right, he bravely ignores the disapprobation.

Mrs. Dubose is courageous because she recognizes she has a flaw and that she has to help fix it to make it go away. She is addicted to Morphine and makes a goal to die free from her weakness. She goes through a withdrawal period that is difficult to survive. "Her head moved slowly from side to side. From time to time she would open her mouth wide, and I could see her tongue undulate faintly. Cords of saliva would collect on her lips; she would draw them in, than open her mouth again. Her mouth seemed to have a private existence of its own." She finishes her goal before she dies, although she dies almost right after she becomes free. It takes a great amount of self-confidence to be able to recognize that one has a flaw and even more to do something about it. 
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The impression that courage gives is that fear is not present, or not apparent. We also tend to make the assumption that courage is only the emotion of bravery, but this is wrongly assumed. Courage is used by all emotions, in fact courage is one of the few virtues that uses a array of emotions. Fear, pride, love, stubborness, loyalty, and trust can all contribute to bravery and courage. For example in the book "The Princess Bride", Westley is overcome with love for Buttercup, so he sets after her while he is alo destined to become the Dread Pirate Roberts.


In "To Kill A Mockingbird", Atticus Finch takes on the case of a young black man named Tom Robinson, who is accused of raping a young white woman. Atticus believes that Tom should be givena fair trial, so he gathers information to prove Tom innocent, Atticus demonstrates courage by opposing the racical views of the community, I think he eventually cares and believes in Tom with the evidence that he's recieved about the case. Atticus' emotions influence him to have courage in his case and to tough it out.