Why Does Atticus Show Courage In To Kill A Mockingbird

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In To Kill A Mockingbird, a novel written by Harper Lee, Atticus Finch is raising his two children, Jem and Scout, in the early 1930s. Many citizens in Maycomb County, their hometown, also contribute greatly to the children’s upbringing. One lesson that Atticus teaches them is, “It is a sin to kill a mockingbird.” This means that it is a sin to scrutinize or discriminate against the innocent. In his lessons, Atticus teaches Jem and Scout that mockingbirds are usually underestimated for the amount of courage they really possess. Throughout the novel, Scout and Jem witness courage from people in their town.

Throughout the novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Atticus Finch is a main source of courage. He showed courage early on in the novel by accepting
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Rumours from townspeople have portrayed Boo Radley as a “monster” in the town of Maycomb. Scout describes what she has heard about him in chapter one, “According to Miss Stephanie, Boo was sitting in the living room cutting some items from The Maycomb Tribune to paste in his scrapbook. His father entered the room. As Mr. Radley passed by, Boo drove the scissors into his parent’s leg, pulled them out, wiped them on his pants, and resumed his activities.” From then on, Boo Radley was a recluse and seldom communicated with the outside world. During the novel, Boo Radley showed his courage both internally and externally. Internally, it was difficult for Boo to protect Jem and Scout from Bob Ewell’s attack. Being his only connection to the outside world, Boo recognized them as “his children” and protected them, no matter what. Therefore, knowing that he risked exposure and attention, something undesirable for a person of his state, was better than risking the children’s lives. Externally, Boo showed his courage when he physically did whatever necessary to save Scout and Jem. In ways both external and internal, Boo Radley showed how courageous he really could