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Courage and Cowardice 
  • In what way is Atticus courageous?  Tom Robinson? 
  • Do you think of Mayella Ewell as Courageous or Cowardly?  Boo Radley?  Why? 
  • What are your thoughts on Tom Robinson’s decision to try to escape from prison?
  • What does Miss Maudie mean when she says, “he’s the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long in a case like that?  
Posted by On October 13, 2014 at 11:16 AM  10 Comments

Comments
Chayne Cooper (Guest) said On November 12, 2015 at 12:17 PM
Yes, Atticus is courageous. Atticus is courageous because he showed no fear when Mr.Ewell spat in his face and cursed him out. Robinson also showed no fear because he risked his life for freedom so he could come back to his family. Mayella is cowardly because she knew she was wrong and didn't say anything about it. Further more, she took the side of her abuser. Also, I believe Boo is courageous because he took the risk of staying inside and not facing the cruel world. What Miss Maudie means is that Atticus did a good job at keeping the jury's attention even though they didn't side with him.  
Tyler H (Guest) said On November 12, 2015 at 6:49 AM
In my opinion I find Atticus to be very courageous. I say this because he took the Tom Robinson case knowing that there was a very high chance he was going to lose. He knew that if he turned the case down he would be considered a disgrace to the family as well as a coward. Tom Robinson also is courageous in my opinion. He told his side of the case proudly. Tom also tried to escape the jail when he knew he probably would not make it. I find Mayella Ewell to be a huge coward. The whole time the case was going down; she kept on not wanting to answer certain questions and kept on trying to change the topic to make somebody else look bad. Even though lots of terrible things have happened to Boo Radley, I still find him to be a little cowardly. I say this because he stays inside his house the whole time by choice, rather then go out and tell the world he is not who they think he is. When Tom Robinson thought it was better to try to escape the jail rather then face death, I thought it was a very smart idea. He knew that he was going to be killed, which he would of. He had nothing to lose by trying to escape. It was either escaping or death. What Miss Maudie means is that Atticus was the only one who had a shot at the case. I other words, any other lawyer wouldn’t have came close to defending Tom as well as Atticus did.  
Neelima J. (Guest) said On November 11, 2015 at 9:47 PM
Atticus' courage is demonstrated when he takes the case of Tom Robinson and Mayella Ewell. This shows that Atticus believes in whatever he thinks is right and is not pushed by the Macomb typical views. Tom Robinson is courages for appearing in court when there is only a slim chance of him winning. I believe Mayella Ewell is cowardy, in fear and being ordered by her father. She is afraid to tell the truth. Boo Radley is also somewhat a coward for not trying to clear his name in a town which treats him badly. I believe that Tom knew that he would soon be executed and he should taken eery chance to escape, for any chance of living. Miss Maudie means that she is afraid of speaking her mind, unlike Atticus.  
Donna B (Guest) said On November 11, 2015 at 12:59 PM
I believe that Atticus and Tom are courageous characters. Atticus was willing to defend a black man and with that, he went against most of the town. Atticus also tells his children not to take what people say about him to mind because they just don’t see Tom and his point of views. While Atticus and Tom are courageous Mayella and Boo are cowardice characters. Mayella is a woman who is afraid to tell the truth and instead blames Tom Robinson of a crime he never committed. This shows us that she is afraid to tell the truth. Boo Radley is afraid to face the world and the people in his town. Inside he is a nice person, but doesn’t want his neighbors and other people in Maycomb to talk about him showing us that he is fearful. He only shows him self to the Finches, half of the time helping them when they need help showing that he is courageous around people that isn't afraid of him. I think Tom attempting to escape from prison because he knew either way he would be executed. Tom wanted to try to make one last attempt at physical freedom. When Miss Maudie says, “he’s the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long in a case like that” means that Atticus is fit for this case. Atticus is an experienced lawyer who changed some of the jury's thoughts about the case. He was successful because the jury stayed out so long deciding the verdict.   
Donna B (Guest) said On November 11, 2015 at 12:53 PM
I believe that Atticus and Tom are courageous characters. Atticus was willing to defend a black man and with that, he went against most of the town. Atticus also tells his children not to take what people say about him to mind because they just don’t see Tom and his point of views. While Atticus and Tom are courageous Mayella and Boo are cowardice characters. Mayella is a woman who is afraid to tell the truth and instead blames Tom Robinson of a crime he never committed. This shows us that she is afraid to tell the truth. Boo Radley is afraid to face the world and the people in his town. Inside he is a nice person, but doesn’t want his neighbors and other people in Maycomb to talk about him showing us that he is fearful. He only shows him self to the Finches, half of the time helping them when they need help showing that he is courageous around people that isn't afraid of him.   
Michael D. (Guest) said On November 10, 2015 at 3:29 PM
Atticus is courageous because he is willing to stand up for justice in a time and place where doing so is not socially acceptable and can cause problems for a person and those that they care about. Atticus's acceptance of Tom Robinson's case means that he risks the Finches being ostracized by their community, as a high-class white man like himself is not traditionally supposed to care about care for the well-being of black people. His children are even bullied at school and insulted by other Maycomb citizens, but this does not stop Atticus's courage to take Tom's case and stand up for what is right. Tom Robinson is courageous as well in this story because he is able to deal with such a dangerous situation. Faced with the death penalty for a crime he is innocent of but likely to be convicted for anyway and with his family in dire straits, Tom maintains composure for many months and stands up for himself in the face of incredible adversity. Mayella Ewell's actions are cowardly, but it is difficult to blame her for them. She is so terrified of her abusive father that she is willing to put an innocent man to death rather than accuse Mr. Ewell of his crimes. Boo Radley, however, displays aspects of courage and cowardice, depending on how you look at it. One could consider him a coward for hiding away from the judgement of the community, but I believe that this takes courage because he is willing to bring more judgement upon himself by becoming a recluse. Tom Robinson's decision to escape from prison was an act of desperation. Tom was convicted in his initial trial and faced a lengthy appeal process that probably still would have ended in either the death penalty or experiencing violence upon his return to Maycomb. He figured that running away was the only choice he had, and although this was probably not the most prudent decision, given his circumstances I don't think he can be blamed for it. When Miss Maudie was that Atticus "is the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long in a case like that," she means that the verdict was certain and that no lawyer could have stopped it. However, she believes that Atticus did well as a lawyer because he was able to temporarily sway the decision of some jurors, a difficult feat given their prejudices.   
Henna S (Guest) said On November 10, 2015 at 12:56 PM
Atticus is courageous in the fact he not only chose to defend a black man in court which was not the norm for his time, but also knew the discrimination he'd face for doing such work. Since he accepted such a task with no fear, he shows courage. Tom Robinson is courageous too because of how he goes to court for his case even though he has barely a 1% chance of winning because of his race and the severity of the case. I think both Mayella Ewell and Boo Radley are cowards as Mayella refuses to tell the truth to the world because of how she's in fear of the abuse from her father, staying a coward and likewise Boo Radley hides himself from the truth of the world around him, living in isolation. I think Tom was justified in his actions because no matter what he was going to die; whether he got a new case and was shown as innocent or guilty, guilty he would've been put in the electric chair while innocent would leave him subject to murder from someone who believes he was guilty. Miss Maudie means that Atticus is the only man who will not only willingly defend a black man in such a case but put up such a grand fight to defend his client that he'd make the jury have to think their decision for such a long time.  
Sanjna K. (Guest) said On November 09, 2015 at 5:24 PM
Atticus is one of the most courageous characters in this book. This is because he not only took upon the case as a challenge, one he knew he was already going to lose, but because he did everything he could to win it. He was courageous enough to stand up against societal norm and state his opinion and point of view without being afraid of the consequences. He proudly defended a black man, and this was no easy feat. At the time, a white lawyer defending a black person was unheard of. Atticus continued the case even though he was receiving threats, his children were being taunted, and his family was being looked down upon by Maycomb. Additionally, Tom Robinson was no less courageous himself. He faced so much hatred from the citizens of Maycomb, for something he didn’t even do. Despite this, he still had some hope in winning the case. He went up to the stand and said the truth, in front of an all-white courtroom. Mayella on the other hand, was very cowardly. Instead of telling the truth, she lied, and blamed an innocent man. This landed him in so much trouble, and eventually got him killed. In my opinion, Boo Radley is actually courageous, contrary to popular belief that he is a coward who stays locked up at home. He probably knew about all the rumors going on about him, and he simply didn’t care. He knew for himself, he was a good person who never wronged anyone and that’s all that mattered to him. I think Tom attempting to escape from prison was a very difficult predicament that would either make or break his future. If he stayed there, he would’ve lost the case, and still gotten executed. Tom escaping shows that he is being brave enough to make one last attempt at physical freedom. When Miss Maudie says, “he’s the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long in a case like that” means that Atticus is fit for this case. He is an experienced lawyer, who can change people’s opinions ever so slightly. His success in changing the mindset of people was evident because the jury stayed out so long deciding the verdict.   
Brian D. (Guest) said On November 09, 2015 at 12:37 PM
Atticus, who is appointed to defend Tom Robinson, is courageous because not only does he defend a Negro, but he tries to truly win the case and help Tom. At the time, most residents of Maycomb are prejudiced against blacks, especially Tom, since it is a white plaintiff, Mayella Ewell and her father. Atticus is brave enough to fight for Tom against public (white) opinion and is also brave enough to stand up against the citizens of Maycomb before and after the case, acting peacefully and righteously, even in cases of direct threat like the mob wanting entry into Tom’s cell and Bob Ewell’s threat to Atticus. Tom Robinson is courageous enough to weather all of this, and stands up to the entirely white jury and gives his side of the case in court. He at least partially believes in Atticus and keeps going, even though the case seems and almost is hopeless. In the end, when he was found guilty, he was courageous enough to at least die fighting/fleeing, knowing that he would eventually be executed. Mayella Ewell, in my opinion, is cowardly: instead of turning in her father and possibly face him, she falsely accused an innocent man and indirectly killed him. Her father, despite being likely abusive, is not accused, even though there is overwhelming evidence; Tom, despite being innocent and poor, is accused, even though there is overwhelming proof that he was telling the truth. Boo Radley, another person who hides from the truth, is courageous in my opinion however. He doesn’t care about others’ opinions, unlike Mayella, and does what he feels. He doesn’t try to dissuade others either, instead continuing his ways and ignoring others. I think that Tom Robinson was in a difficult predicament, and that he was brave in at least trying to escape from prison. Many of Maycomb’s citizens, who dismissed Tom as stupid, probably wouldn’t know what to do if they were “in his skin”. Tom’s decision to run was noble, because he didn’t give up easily and face execution. Miss Maudie, when saying that Atticus is “the only man in these parts who can keep a jury out so long in a case like that”, means that only Atticus can truly change people’s minds. He’s the only one who can force people to look at the situation morally, not with prejudice. He’s the only one who can force people to think about what they’re doing and keep the jury deciding what to do. No one else has the skill to point out flaws and arguments against public opinion, as well as prove someone else’s guilt (Mr. Ewell), like Atticus.   
Taha S. (Guest) said On November 09, 2015 at 12:33 PM
In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus, is shown to have a very courageous and brave side. During the time of the Great Depression and prior to the Civil Rights movement, Atticus was willing to defend a negro man in court for a crime he did not commit, Tom Robinson. This shows much about Atticus and his character. He wasn't afraid to take on the entire town to protect Tom. Tom Robinson also showed signs of courage as he went up to the witness stand and told Atticus and the court what had exactly happened. He may have been afraid but he hid that fear down. Mayella Ewell who was the victim easily shows glimpses of complete cowardice. She lied to the court of what happened and she always stopped herself before giving a full answer to a question. She even looked at her father a few times and began to show even more cowardice. I feel that Boo Radley is not on the same level as Mayella but a lower level of cowardice. He realizes the rumors that are spread around the town about it and is too cowardly to face society about it. He always stays locked in his home, always faraway from society. Tom Robinson's decision to attempt to run away was cowardly and cost him his life. Atticus had told him to be patient but he did not listen. he felt that if he did not escape at that moment than he might never get another chance. Miss Maudie is referring to Atticus and his attempt to prove Tom innocent of the crime. The case dragged along the entire day and Maudie was referring to that time that Atticus had given the jury to prove of Tom's innocence.   
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