Essay On Bravery In To Kill A Mockingbird

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"With courage you will dare to take risks, have the strength to be compassionate, and the wisdom to be humble. Courage is the foundation of integrity" (Mark Twain). explain this quote later
When people think about bravery, they tend to perceive it as confidence, determination, and selflessness. For example, the typical protagonist of a story, superman. Society tends to overlook acts of bravery within their community or of people around them. In To Kill A Mockingbird there are multiple acts of bravery performed that can also be overlooked by other characters in the novel or by readers. In To Kill A Mockingbird author Harper Lee demonstrates how one's personal morals and integrity can lead to acts of self-sacrificing courage to defend beliefs …show more content…
Henry Lafayette Dubose, regardless of being viewed by the children as a criticizing, malevolent character, "Jem and I hated her. If she was on the porch when we passed we would be raked by her wrathful graze, subjected to ruthless interrogation regarding our behavior, and given a melancholy prediction on what we would amount to when we grew up, which was always nothing." (132), she taught the children an important lesson on how true bravery is committing oneself, even if the chances of succeeding are slim. Mrs. Dubose didn't want to die seized by the chains of her addiction and chose to abandon her consuming urges. With immense determination Mrs. Dubose succeeded and was able to die free, as a result of her integrity leading to a courageous act. "It's when you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. Mrs. Dubose won, all ninety eight pounds of her. According to her views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew."(149) Harper Lee includes Mrs. Dubose in her novel to establish how acts of bravery stem from personal integrity and desire to fulfill morals. She was originally seen as a villainous "monster" by the children in the novel but then exhibited , and another character
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