Courage

Courage is a prevalent theme in To Kill a Mockingbird. The South during the 1930s was a place of rules, traditions, and expectations, and people that challenged this
were ridiculed and cast out. This was particularly true for the racial divide between whites and blacks. Scout and Jem have a hard time understanding this, especially
when they are treated poorly after their father takes on the Robinson case. But Atticus uses these as teachable moments to show his children how to handle situations
that require self-control and courage. Atticus never places blame on whites or blacks because, as he teaches his children, you never know what another person is going
through.

“Hey Mr Cunningham” - This quote is an act, although unknown, of bravery. By saying "hey Mr Cunningham", Scout is humanising a member of the mob -
something that usually is anonymous. This act saves Tom Robinson from being killed and Atticus from being hurt. Atticus sitting outside of Tom's cell is also a very
courageous move as he is showing his loyalty towards the case and towards Tom.

"I wanted you to see what real courage was, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand" - After meeting and reading to Mrs Dubose,
Scout and Jem were both told that Atticus 'wanted you to see what real courage was, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand' as he
believes that he, in fact, is not brave but instead Mrs Dubose is the most courageous human that he had ever met.

Tim Johnson - Atticus shows courage by shooting the rabid dog, Tim Johnson, he overcomes and solves problem the for the community. at first both children thought
their father was 'feeble' due to his lack of manly virtues, when their father shoots the dog, both are noticably shocked, 'Jem was paralysed'. Both have different
reactions, Scout childishly finds her fathers talent worthy of bragging about and impressive 'ain't everybody's daddy the deadest shot in Maycomb' he finally has a
shared attribute to that of a typical southern man, where as Jem is more mature and see's his father needed moral courage to do this act, because although he didn't
want to he did it anyway. Jem finds this admirable and understands Atticus motives. He is proud of his father, seeing his unconventionality but finding admiration in
it, realises that being kind and courteous is more important, 'Atticus is a gentleman just like me' although throughout the chapter our opinions of Atticus change as we
discover his new skills, ultimately our opinion stays the same by the end as at the beginning and end of the chapter Atticus is ultimately presented as a gentleman.
although Atticus is still far from the stereotypical southern gentleman as according to Scout 'he does not fish, play the Jews harp...' etc. Lee presents Atticus as her
own idea of a perfect southern gentleman, he is courteous, Christian, courageous and the moral leader of Maycomb community.

During the lynch mob courage is also shown repeatedly. Atticus shows courage by defending Tom against the group of farmers whom would have been probably the
most bigoted and prejudice people in Maycomb due to the fact that the Great Depresión had hit them hardest and economic poverty had heightened racial tensions,
and the use of chiaroscuro, as Atticus brings a 'solitary light' that he sits under highlights Atticus as a shining example of courage and humanity, where as the mob are
the antithesis to this and hide anonymously in the 'shadows' however, he is not a superhero, his fingers were 'trembling' 'His actions are brave but he is scared. His
humanity gains our sympathy and is important in balancing an idealistic character. Furthermore, Jem also shows courage through his determination to protect his
father and his stubborn refusal to do as he is told, 'Jem was not thinking of budging', Jem not only shares Atticus' strength of character but also his determination to
stand up for what it right. In addition, although without knowing it herself the danger she is in, Scout shows innocent courage as she runs into the mob to save her
father and unknowingly inspires MR C to show courage when facing the lynch mob, she focuses on a individual Mr. Cunningham' and appeals to his family. By
singling him out and taking away his anonymity and gives him the courage to go against the mob and do the right thing in turn breaking them up and in fact saving
Tom. 'Let's get going boys' / however these examples of racial hostility were very common in the 1930s especially so because of the KKK, which attempted to stamp
out all attempts by any black people to take up democratic rights, the lynch mob are not klan members but are clearly using similar methods to maintain white
superiority.

Boo throughout the novel has been presented as a recluse who hides away inside living an isolated life overcomes his fear of coming out to the town where he is seen
as a 'malevolent phantom'. His timely intervention not only adds a tone of adventure to the theme of courage but also allows justice to be served to Tom Robinson,
who he himself showed courage not only in court as he knew he was licked before he began and still saw it though but also in his attempt to escape prison, where
instead of freedom he received 'Seventeen' bullet holes. The fact he had seventeen even though one shot would have stopped him suggests they wanted to kill him and
highlights the racism not only in Maycomb but across the whole of America in the 1930s or as Atticus refers to it as 'Maycomb usual disease', Maycomb functions as
a microcosm for of the whole of America.

The antithesis of courage in Maycomb is cowardice. Mayella Ewell exhibits this during the trial as she fails to stand up for what is right and instead condemns an
innocent man by falsely accusing him of rape and as a result the reader judges her harshly as she is presented as cruel as she commits perjury. Described as 'like a
steady-eyed cat with a twitchy tail" Although She's young, but she's not altogether dumb. She has a scripted role to play at this trial and she is doing it well. She's
playing the "poor me" game like a professional with her eyes set on the goal, and she anxiously sits in her seat to accomplish it. This differs greatly from the motif of
a mockingbird used throughout, which are seen good, innocent people. As a member of a poor white family living in poverty suffering economically and lacking a
supportive social system. the only thing that elevates her above anyone else in the community is her race, when she makes advances to Tom, she experiences a power
she is usually denied, in an attempt to gain some power in a shabby, pitiful existence Mayella costs a man his life / she also relies on gender stereotypes of the time, of
the sexually aggressive black male and the fragile innocent white woman to make jury believe her.