Bellamy 1

Keziah Bellamy
Mrs. Knowels
English 1 1
st
Block
19 May 2014

In the novel To Kill A Mockingbird Written By Harper Lee one of the main scene in
the novel is the Tom Robinson case. He is an African American man married with Children. He
is on trial for raping Mayella Ewell. The Ewell family is poor. Atticus Finch is the lawyer that is
handling the case of Tom Robinson. Many People in Maycomb County disliked Tom because
they think that he raped Mayella. They also dislike Atticus because he is defending an African
American and he is white. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee develops the theme of courage
by defending others through Atticus Finch taking the case and defending Tom Robinson during
the trial. The courage showed when Atticus took the case further than any other lawyer would
have done.
While this theme is illustrated clearly throughout the novel, there are several scenes that
make Courage very clear. One scene is the night outside the jail house. Here are some things that
were said. What's the matter? I asked. Atticus said nothing. I looked up at Mr. Cunningham,
whose face was equally impassive. Then he did a peculiar thing. He squatted down and took me
by both shoulders.I'll tell him you said hey, little lady, he said. Then he straightened up and
waved a big paw. 'Let's clear out,' he called. 'Let's get going, boys. He showed courage to that
part because he took up for Tom Robinson. Any other lawyer in Maycomb will not have done
that or took the case as far as Atticus did. The next scene was in the court house. The quotes
were, It's not an easy question Miss Mayella, so I'll try again. Do you remember him beating
Bellamy 2

you about the face?' Atticus's voice had lost it's comfortableness; he was speaking in his arid,
detached professional voice. Do you remember him beating you about the face?I don't
recollect if he hit me. I mean yes I do, he hit me. He Showed Courage because he knew
something wasnt right about the situation. He knew the family was telling a lie, he knew who
had beaten her in the face and it was not Tom Robinson. He was asking he questions that she
didnt know all she did was catch a little fit during the trial and she wasnt going to answer no
more questions. He showed courage for sticking with the case and defending Tom throughout the
case.
Atticus was standing by Tom during the trial. He took time out and believes Tom. He
made everyone think real hard to figure out who is telling the truth. As a reader They want you to
see the inside the trial and see what the real truth is. In the trial everyone thought that tom had
won the case but he actually lost the trial and was sent to jail. Later on he was trying to escape
jail and gotten killed. The are many examples that show courage in the book.