Courage is doing what you think is
right even when the odds of succeeding are against you. This is extremely true
and I think that this theme is very well developed so far. Atticus is a lawyer
and was appointed to work a case for a black man, Tom Robinson. He repeatedly
tells many people that "Do you think that I could face my children
otherwise?” When Atticus says this he is talking about the case he was
assigned. He is saying that if he didn't take this case then he couldn't tell
Scout and Jim what to do any more.
Atticus tries his best to raise his children correctly. He tries to make it so that whatever happens in this case it won't affect them too badly. He tells them to not listen to what people say when he is repeatedly called offensive names. He takes this case even when the whole town is racist and against him, that is courage. He raises his children his way even when they are stubborn, that is courage. He does what he knows is right not what others say is right. The whole court is going to be against him, and most of these people, in Maycomb, are probably racist. Scout asks Atticus, "If you shouldn't be defendin' him, then why are you doin' it?” Atticus then answers with this, "For a number of reasons, the main one is, if I didn't I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do something again." He knows that he is not going to win and he tells scout this. Scout says, "Atticus, are we going to win it?" and Atticus of course says, "No, honey." He knows he won't win. But he will defend this man because it's the right thing to do. He thinks that he is innocent, and so does Calpurnia.
Well, I think that Atticus tries to teach them to follow this theme/idea, and to do the right thing even when the whole world is against you. Is it hard? Yes, but I think that is one of the reasons he doesn’t give up. The theme that says courage is doing what you think is right even when the odds of succeeding are against you. I think that is what he is trying to do after Jim destroys the yard of Mrs. Dubose. When Jem destroys Mrs. Dubose’s yard he chops off the top of some plants, screams and hurts scout, and breaks Scouts baton. Later Atticus tells Jim that "Son, I have no doubt that you've been annoyed by your contemporaries about me lawing for niggers, as you say, but to do something like this to a sick old lady is inexcusable. I strongly advise you to go down and have a talk with Mrs. Dubose, come straight home afterward.” He doesn't tell Jem to do this, but he strongly advises. He is trying to teach Jem to do the right thing, and Jem does. He goes to Mrs. Dubose house, and he makes a deal. Atticus did not make him do that. He suggested it, and Jem took his advice.
Courage is a hard thing to have, and an even harder thing to get, but once you have it you had better make the best of it. Atticus does this. He tries to treat everyone with respect, even if he doesn't agree with the things they say. Atticus has courage, he has respect, and he has a conscience. When the town is against his doing, and thinks that he is trash because of it he keeps on going. He doesn't give up when people have been putting him down. He doesn't stop if people say differently than he. Courage is doing what you think is right even when the odds of succeeding are against you, and Atticus does that. He also teaches this to his children. I think he also tries to teach this to the town. Stand up for what is right, before it is too late, and use that courage to change the world.
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