In chapter 6 we begin to see just how courageous Jem really is. When the kids decide to try Boo-Baiting and it all goes wrong, Jem strengthens the courage to face the adults about where they had been, what they were doing and although it may have been a lie; it took Jem courage because he never wants to disappoint Atticus. Another act of Jem’s courageousness takes place when he lost his pants in the Radley yard and gets shot at, he decides to go back to get them so that again
Paraphrased Quote: So it took a little girl to stop them and regain their common sense, did it not? That shows me something Tem even the savage beast can be calmed, simply because it has a shred of humanity left. By calling the mob a "gang of wild animals," Atticus is referencing the courage it took for Scout to stand up to the men. It also seems to reference Atticus' belief that racism will eventually disappear. Here a "gang
Although Jem fears Boo Radley from all the stories he heard about him, bravery takes place when he ran up and touched Boo’s door. Jem’s bravery fulfills a large amount for him to move past his fears, and his actions do so. Another action of Jems takes place. “Jem refuses to leave Atticus and worries that he will get hurt” (194). Jem decides to defend his father and makes sure nothing bad will happen to him.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” helped voice Harper Lee’s opinions of injustices in America. Throughout the text the following characters suffered prejudice: Scout Finch, Atticus Finch, Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. Tom Robinson symbolises the millions of black people who were convicted unfairly of crimes they didn’t commit. Scout experiences many injustices because she is so young and just a child. Miss Caroline unfairly punishes her when she tells Scout she’s not allowed to be taught to read anymore.
She is a clever child who can read and write before she goes to school. While at the beginning of the novel she accepts people as they appear on the surface, by the end she has a greater understanding of the way appearances can be deceptive. An example of this is the change in her view of Atticus. At first she believed he “couldn’t possibly arouse the admiration of anyone”, but later she witnesses his physical skill and courage in shooting the mad dog Tim Johnson, and his moral courage in defending Tom Robinson, wrongly accused of raping a white girl. Scout has spirit and independence but also a warmth and sympathy which make her sensitive to others feelings.
A mockingbird is a harmless bird that makes the world more pleasant. In To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the mockingbird symbolizes Boo Radley and Tom Robinson, who were both peaceful people who never did any harm. To kill or harm them would be a sin. Scout's father, Atticus, tells Scout and Jem, "I'd rather you shoot at tin cans in the backyard, 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.
With no one to have seen him, who can tell them otherwise? Jem likes to say how he is not afraid, but Scout knows he really is. Jem most likely says this to be a good role model for Scout amidst his own fears of Boo Radley, as Atticus is not scared either. Jem does the same when he is at Mrs. Dubose’s house and she is calling them bad names. Jem steps up and proclaims that Scout is not dirty and he is not afraid, but Scout sees his knees trembling, showing he fears the loss of respect from his sister over Mrs. Dubose’s verbal abuse.
For example, when Bob Ewell spit on him and Atticus did not retaliate. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to rise above Mr. Ewell’s level of immaturity. Atticus also shows courage when he represents Tom Robinson in a trial. The Tom Robinson case was so intrepid because in that time and age it was frowned upon to represent a black man in a trial, but Atticus reminds the kid to never give up no matter what situation you are presented with: “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win.” (84). Scout represents fearlessness by always being herself no matter what anyone else says about her.
Scout is shown as being a rude, quick-tempered, hot- headed little girl who sees nothing wrong with beating up anyone who angers her. This is most prominent when she decides to beat up Walter Cunningham after he accidentally gets her in trouble with the teacher on the first day of school. Scout says: “catching Walter Cunningham in the schoolyard gave me some pleasure, but when I was rubbing his nose in the dirt Jem came by and told me to stop. Walters’s fists were half cocked, as if expecting an onslaught from both of us. I stomped at him to chase him away, but Jem put out his hand and stopped me” (Lee 23).
In addition, Atticus was able to predict he would lose the case because of the prejudiced town. Despite everything going against him, Mr. Finch took on the case because he knew it was the right thing to do. Atticus even said, “Simply because we were licked a hundred years before we started is no reason for us not to try to win,” (Lee). This is nearly the definition of courage. Mrs. Dubose was another character that showed courage in To Kill A Mockingbird.