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Dubose demonstrates an astounding amount of courage in achieving independence from her morphine addiction. Atticus revealed Mrs. Dubose’s last wish to Jem as he explains the courageous task she had carried out: she wanted to “leave this world beholden to nothing and nobody” (148). As a punishment for destroying her camellia bushes, Jem Finch has to read to her for a month until her alarm clock goes off, or until dismissed. The reason behind this peculiar punishment was later revealed by Atticus that she was a morphine addict and that Jem’s daily readings “may have been some kind of distraction” (148) to keep her off the morphine for longer periods of time. Mrs. Dubose was old, sick, and already dying: “her face was the color of a dirty pillowcase”, with “old-age liver spots dotting her cheeks” (142) and “Dr. Reynolds told her she had only a few months left” (147-148). On top of that, her withdrawal symptoms were “horrible” according to Scout: she had an “undulating tongue” with “cords of saliva collecting on her lips” that made her “mouth seem to have a private existence of its own” (142). Although she had the easy choice of continuing her daily intake of morphine, despite her old age and the awful withdrawal symptoms, she had real courage to start and go through with the process and, at the end, she did fulfill her dying wish. According to Atticus, Mrs. Dubose was “the bravest person I ever knew” (149). Atticus views courage as not something that can be proved by a weapon but a moral thing; he wanted Jem to know that real courage is not “a man with a gun in his hand” (149), but to be in Mrs. Dubose’s situation, and still have the will and the determination to do what she
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These wise words were spoken by Atticus Finch, an honest lawyer, and father, who himself, manages to collect enough moral courage to take up the contentious Tom Robinson case, and put up a capable and impassionate defense. Despite living in a town full of prejudice against African Americans and all the criticism and doubtfulness he and his family has to go through: from being called ‘nigger lover’ by his own townsfolk and family members, to having "…everything to lose from this" (195) according to Link Deas. Even his own sister, Aunt Alexandra, rants that he would "…never be able to walk on the streets on Maycomb again” (110) and according to Francis, his actions “certainly does mortify the rest of the family” (110). Atticus Finch still stood by his principles, and strong sense of moral justice, and tried all in his power for the people of Maycomb to see the truth of Tom Robinson; not just because he was appointed to but because he knew it was the right thing to do, even though, as Scout says, “most folks seem to think they’re right and you’re wrong” (139). This determination and courage is portrayed as Atticus states “That boy might go to the chair, but he’s not going till the truth’s told” (117). In Atticus’s perspective "Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win"(101). He well understood that he was fighting on behalf of “a white man’s word against a black man’s” (117) — it was a losing battle, yet he still pushed through, no matter what it took. Similarly, in another instance, Atticus displays this real courage when confronted by the lynch mob; though he very well knew that he was putting his life as risk, he was “licked”—outnumbered by people and weapons, yet Atticus still protected Tom; if it weren’t for Scout’s innocence, Atticus might of even died--he put that much at
These wise words were spoken by Atticus Finch, an honest lawyer, and father, who himself, manages to collect enough moral courage to take up the contentious Tom Robinson case, and put up a capable and impassionate defense. Despite living in a town full of prejudice against African Americans and all the criticism and doubtfulness he and his family has to go through: from being called ‘nigger lover’ by his own townsfolk and family members, to having "…everything to lose from this" (195) according to Link Deas. Even his own sister, Aunt Alexandra, rants that he would "…never be able to walk on the streets on Maycomb again” (110) and according to Francis, his actions “certainly does mortify the rest of the family” (110). Atticus Finch still stood by his principles, and strong sense of moral justice, and tried all in his power for the people of Maycomb to see the truth of Tom Robinson; not just because he was appointed to but because he knew it was the right thing to do, even though, as Scout says, “most folks seem to think they’re right and you’re wrong” (139). This determination and courage is portrayed as Atticus states “That boy might go to the chair, but he’s not going till the truth’s told” (117). In Atticus’s perspective "Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win"(101). He well understood that he was fighting on behalf of “a white man’s word against a black man’s” (117) — it was a losing battle, yet he still pushed through, no matter what it took. Similarly, in another instance, Atticus displays this real courage when confronted by the lynch mob; though he very well knew that he was putting his life as risk, he was “licked”—outnumbered by people and weapons, yet Atticus still protected Tom; if it weren’t for Scout’s innocence, Atticus might of even died--he put that much at