Courage involves fist and fury; it is a man with a gun in his hand. There is nothing admirable about sitting quietly or walking away from brewing conflict. Scout Finch, a young girl from Maycomb County, Alabama, would disagree with these statements because she regards her father, who "hated guns and had never been to any wars," as "the bravest man who ever lived" (pg. 134). Atticus Finch is deeply respected by many citizens of Maycomb for his quiet courage; Atticus preservers against all odds and injustice in his country to legally defend a black man accused of rape, Tom Robinson. He demonstrates venerable and unwavering moral courage in all aspects of life. By remaining strong and courageous through interactions with insolent and degrading individuals, this man is a testament to moral courage being the most significant type of bravery. It builds and reinforces his integrity. Through the character of Atticus in To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee shows the close and dependent relationship between acts of moral courage and personal integrity; when an individual fosters the moral courage to do the right thing even in the face of despair and on a daily basis, they in turn steadfastly adhere to high moral principles and a standard for oneself. .
The first example of the way courageous acts reinforce and foster integrity is found at the beginning of To Kill a Mockingbird, when Atticus decides to take the Tom Robinson case. Defending the black man accused of raping a white woman is met with a majority negative response from all white citizens of Maycomb; including neighbours, friends and other clients of Atticus. Cecil Jacobs, a boy Scout attends school with, is one of the many children to torment and condemn Scout and her brother Jem in regards to Atticus's decision. Atticus remains firm about his stance on the issue despite the adversity he knows he must endure because of this.
