Understanding Of Courage In Three Different Novels
This year we have read several novels that have taught us key ideas that we will remember. The characters in these books portray these themes in a great way. A theme that is ever present in all of the novels is courage. Atticus, Danny, and Odysseus use courage to insure their future freedom.
Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird was a role model for his to children. He taught them to never do the wrong thing or to fall under the prejudice of the time. Atticus was in charge of defending tom Robinson a black man accused of the rape of a white girl. Even though it was unlikely that they would win the case, because it was the 1930’s in Maycomb, Georgia, Atticus still never gave up on the defendant. Atticus was determined to make sure tom maintained his freedom. Atticus needed his courage to face the prejudice filled town that his family went through during the story. If Atticus did not have his courage than his family might would not have been able to survive in the time and place that the finch’s lived in.
Danny’s father, from the Chosen, was the Tzaddik and Danny was supposed to be the next Tzaddik for his Jewish community. Although Danny was not interested in being the Community leader he had another passion. Danny wanted to study psychology and looked up to Sigmund Freud, one of the most famous psychiatrist in the world. Danny would study psychological books that were forbidden in his orthodox religion. This took courage; Danny wanted to be free of his fate. When he finally got the courage to tell his father, Reb Saunders, he told him that he wanted to go to college and that he would not except his future position as the Tzaddik. Danny was not happy with the destiny that society wanted for him, so he summoned up the courage to break free from his orthodox community.
After the Trojan war Odysseus made the long voyage home to Ithaca. Along the way he encountered many things that had made his voyage longer than it should have been. After losing all of his men, Odysseus was trapped on the Nymph Calypso’s island. For this whole time he wanted to be free and go home to his wife, Penelope, and his son Telemachus. After Athena pleaded with Zeus to let Odysseus go home, Zeus let Odysseus leave calypso’s island. Odysseus had already angered Poseidon for blinding his son Polyphemus, the Cyclops. Going home took a lot of courage because he would need to face Poseidon when trying to make the voyage back home to Ithaca. Although, Odysseus had the courage and the will to be free and that helped him make it home to Ithaca. Odysseus wanted to be home with his family and be free from all the troubles that he had face on his way home from the Trojan War.
Atticus, Danny, and Odysseus showed courage in order to obtain freedom. Atticus defends a mans freedom in a time were most thought he did not deserve it. Danny goes against his father, and his heritage to pursue what he really wants. Odysseus needs to get home to his family but the gods are holding him back. All the characters in there own books are courageous. They seek freedom for themselves or others around them. These books are connected by the theme that defies their character.
