How Does Atticus Show Courage
Rebecca Porter
Introduction to Literature
Mrs. Ippolito
March 8, 2014
Courage and its Many Forms in To Kill a Mockingbird
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (2014) defines courage as, “the ability to do something that you know is difficult or dangerous. Mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear or difficulty.” The definition of courage may seem broad, but the true meaning of courage is molded to each person throughout the different experiences in our lifetime. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee has given us three characters who show courage in different ways. One of the main characters of this book, Atticus, shows his true courageous form at many points throughout the story. One of the strongest passages that shows the courage and character of this man is, …show more content…
Although Atticus took on the task of defending Tom, he also had to defend himself to those around him who weren’t happy with his choice. In Chapter 11, Atticus has a conversation with Scout concerning the opinions of the townspeople of Maycomb and their belief that Atticus is wrong for defending Tom. His response to her was, “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. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.”(120). This quote goes to show that what Atticus is more concerned about is his own beliefs and morals than those of the townspeople; he knows that Tom has been accused of something that he didn’t do, and that he deserves to be defended by someone who will treat him like a man, a human being, not judge him simply based on the color of his
Introduction to Literature
Mrs. Ippolito
March 8, 2014
Courage and its Many Forms in To Kill a Mockingbird
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (2014) defines courage as, “the ability to do something that you know is difficult or dangerous. Mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear or difficulty.” The definition of courage may seem broad, but the true meaning of courage is molded to each person throughout the different experiences in our lifetime. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee has given us three characters who show courage in different ways. One of the main characters of this book, Atticus, shows his true courageous form at many points throughout the story. One of the strongest passages that shows the courage and character of this man is, …show more content…
Although Atticus took on the task of defending Tom, he also had to defend himself to those around him who weren’t happy with his choice. In Chapter 11, Atticus has a conversation with Scout concerning the opinions of the townspeople of Maycomb and their belief that Atticus is wrong for defending Tom. His response to her was, “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. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.”(120). This quote goes to show that what Atticus is more concerned about is his own beliefs and morals than those of the townspeople; he knows that Tom has been accused of something that he didn’t do, and that he deserves to be defended by someone who will treat him like a man, a human being, not judge him simply based on the color of his