When Does Atticus Show Courage

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What does Harper Lee want us to learn about courage throughout the novel? Although there were many people that used courage as their strongest trait in this novel, Atticus, a father and well known lawyer in Maycomb, was the most courageous person in this book. Atticus is courageous for taking Tom Robinson's case, because in doing so, he risks losing the case, his families and his own safety. Atticus was the character that Harper Lee represented as “the heroic individual.” With courage Atticus was true to his values. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyways and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do"(pg 124). Atticus is showing pride in what he stands strong for even if there is a low chance of coming out the winner. Racism is a very big part of society in Maycomb and it is very rare to see someone go against their own race and fight for the other race. Tom…show more content…
The Tom Robinson case hasn’t just affected Atticus, but his overall family and his childrens safety. “He slowly squeezed the breath out of me. I could not move. Suddenly he was jerked backwards and flung on the ground, almost carrying me with him.” (pg 361) The reasoning of this almost fatal death of the kids was because their father was defending a black man in court and it didn’t settle well with people in the town of Maycomb. This incident shows true bravery from Atticus to be able to fight so hard for what he believed in to almost having his kids lives taken. This shows, that back in the 1930’s racism was such a big factor in day to day life that people had the fearlessness to try to take a non deserving victims life. Another factor of this trial that had setbacks on the families social life was the glares and taunts people gave them just because they are related to someone who is defending someone of a different color than
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