Pushing Fear Into Courage

Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, shows many people whose, "Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, - not absence of fear." This means people who have a fear of something, but stands up to it are the only people who are truly the courageous ones who do what is right, this is a general truth in this story, and life, which is also the theme. The author's tone shows the character's beliefs in standing up to fear in everything the characters say and the way the author narrates the characters actions. One of the characters, Arthur Radley, lives in darkness and his home symbolizing his fear of society, however, he overcomes this fear in a time of need. Arthur also puts items in a tree for kids in town, Jean and Jeremy Finch; this symbolizes his willingness to overcome his fear of society by connecting to the outside world. The setting of this outside world is a country town where everyone knows everything. This town houses prejudice people who are the basis for this story. This story is effected extremely by the point of view, which happens to be 1st person and seen through the eyes of Jean Finch. Miss Finch begins the story as a smart carefree young kid who doesn't understand life quite well, but learns through other peoples pains, and their mastery of fear, these people even include her father, Atticus, who also masters his fear.

Harper Lee, putting Jean Finch as the narrator, had a great impact on the outcome of the story in it's entirety. Miss Finch is a very innocent young girl who sees everything as right, or wrong. Her father, Atticus, being her mentor shows us his mastery of his fears through what he tells Scout, which is Jean Finch's nick-name, as well as what she sees throughout her childhood "clinging" to her father.

Many views on Arthur Radley, or Boo as he is called, are made most of them are, "Leave him alone." Since Scout is the narrator, though, we see a variety of opinions, as well as Arthur's rescuing of her. Her being the narrator is the only way to show us many character's mastery of fear.

Scout lives in a town called Maycomb. "Maycomb was an old town, but it was a tired old town when I first knew it." Maycomb was vapid at first, but as Scout grew so did her knowledge of Maycomb and the people it housed. Maycomb is a nice country town that happens to be disrupted by biased people.

These prejudice people spread a general statement of themselves to assuage the rights of black people. This very attitude toward life is what the entire story is built on. The town is separated into two sections, the black and white. The black section is run-down and secluded; this is where Tom lives. The white section is nice and good looking; this is where Scout lives. And in the middle is the poor mean Ewell's who set up a controversy between Tom and the white society in a prejudice attempt to escape the law by convicting a black man.

The author shows many, if not all, of the different tones an author could possibly use. Most of the time the tone was solemn and serious, but being a large book all of the other tones were shown at different times. Such an example is a humorous attitude, "…but they were Haverfords, in Maycomb County a name synonymous with jackass." There is no set tone but is entirely based on what Harper Lee makes Scout do. Therefore, what ever Scout felt would basically be what the tone molded to because this story takes place in 1st person.

To Kill a Mockingbird uses a great deal of symbolism, whether it is obvious or not so obvious. One of the not so obvious symbols is based upon Arthur Radley. Boo lives in a dark domicile, which is very strange and unusual. This symbolizes his seclusion from society, but more precisely hiding and feeling discarded by society although it was by his own choice. In a large aspect this shows how black people are secluded and discarded by society to do nothing but manual labor. This is seen how most of their jobs are as foresters and maids, and constantly asked to do difficult work by white folks. This is seen when, "…she asked me to come inside the fence and bust up a chiffarobe for her." Another aspect of Boo is when he trying to connect to society by leaving gifts in a tree knot for Jean and Jeremy. In a larger aspect this too shows black peoples trying to fit into society but being pushed away by whites just as the Finches pushed away Boo for the longest time. This is seen when, "I was just tryin' to help her out, suh." said Tom. All Tom did was try to be courteous and fit into society, but predilection by whites pushed this away and he ended up dying.

All these situations were led up to by the characters resistance to fear as opposed to absence from it. The biggest example of this is Atticus Finch's following through with his duty to defend Tom to the fullest extent. Through all the fear of how people would think of him he went on. In spite of Mr. Ewell's threats he went on not phased or irked. Not only because he had to, but also because he mastered his fears and felt a need to. He didn't skimp out on it, but tried his hardest to defend Tom. This is truly defined as courage and seen when, "and we're going to win, Scout. I don't see how we can't. He's been at it about five minutes. He made it plain and as easy as-well, as I explained it to you. You could've understood it even." Another example of mastery of fear is in Boo Radley. He had a fear against society so great that it kept him indoors for all of his life. However, when Scout and Jem were in grave danger, Boo witnessed this and finally came out to defend them. Boo had to master his fear of the outside world to go out, and he did, for the sake of the Finches. This is seen when, "Mr. Ewell was tryin to squeeze me to death, I reckon…then somebody yanked Mr. Ewell down." These two people who mastered their fears were truly the two courageous heroes of this story.

Many characters in this book mastered their fear leading them to be a better person by prevailing with courage. Through these events America slowly became less prejudice and became what it is today. Courage is essentially the building blocks of the beginnings of society. If there were no courage the results would be unspeakable. Through the human conscience and mastery of fear the existence of humans, society, and our world was created and improved through time.