Moral Courage Analysis Essay To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a novel based on the author’s interpretation of her own childhood. As the narrator she talks about all the things that happened in Maycomb, Alabama, where the ten year old girl lives. The somewhat “protagonist”, Atticus Finch is a lawyer and also happens to be Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, the narrator’s, dad, The story takes place during the Great Depression of America in this fictional “tired old town”. The setting and theme are key parts of this book as it allows readers to understand that Atticus proved himself to be a morally courageous person. In this story, Atticus is appointed a case by Judge Taylor to defend a black man, Tom Robinson. Tom has been accused of raping
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The setting of To Kill a Mockingbird is early twentieth century, which means that segregation is still a raging issue. For a black man to rape a white woman is punishable by death only because the color of his skin. Atticus still defended the man knowing that he could not be guilty regardless of if he knew that he had no chance in court against a full white male jury and a racist town. “As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it—whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash.” (Lee 244). This was clear indication that Atticus is not a racist like the rest of the town. However, being a non-racist is not what makes him morally courageous. When Atticus said this he was speaking to Jem, Scout was also listening, and the importance of this is that he needs his own children to understand that no man is better than another man purely because of how they were …show more content…
A rabid dog wanders into the town of Maycomb and is a real danger to the citizen. Since he is considered a “good shot” he picks up a gun and shoots the dog, immediately killing it before it hurt anybody. “I 'd rather you shoot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you 'll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it 's a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (Lee 90). Atticus speaking to Jem, again is telling him not shoot mockingbirds, because they are innocent and do not do anything except make music for them to enjoy. The dog that Atticus killed is symbolizing racism, and he simply killed it because he knew it was the right thing to do. When he tells Jem not to shoot mockingbirds he is talking about racism and blacks. When he says shoot he means being racist, and mockingbirds are the
The setting of To Kill a Mockingbird is early twentieth century, which means that segregation is still a raging issue. For a black man to rape a white woman is punishable by death only because the color of his skin. Atticus still defended the man knowing that he could not be guilty regardless of if he knew that he had no chance in court against a full white male jury and a racist town. “As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it—whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash.” (Lee 244). This was clear indication that Atticus is not a racist like the rest of the town. However, being a non-racist is not what makes him morally courageous. When Atticus said this he was speaking to Jem, Scout was also listening, and the importance of this is that he needs his own children to understand that no man is better than another man purely because of how they were …show more content…
A rabid dog wanders into the town of Maycomb and is a real danger to the citizen. Since he is considered a “good shot” he picks up a gun and shoots the dog, immediately killing it before it hurt anybody. “I 'd rather you shoot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you 'll go after birds. Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it 's a sin to kill a mockingbird.” (Lee 90). Atticus speaking to Jem, again is telling him not shoot mockingbirds, because they are innocent and do not do anything except make music for them to enjoy. The dog that Atticus killed is symbolizing racism, and he simply killed it because he knew it was the right thing to do. When he tells Jem not to shoot mockingbirds he is talking about racism and blacks. When he says shoot he means being racist, and mockingbirds are the