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Essay by EssaySwap ContributorHigh School, 11th grade February 2008

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ESSAY "The test of a courageous person is the ability to bear heart". I interpret this quote to mean, if a person is truly courageous he or she will be able to deal with most emotional problems and not be affected by the outcome. I agree with the statement. Two works that we have read this year that exhibit this quote is 'To Kill a Mockingbird', by Harper Lee and the other being '???' In 'To Kill a Mockingbird' Atticus Finch is the main charter. HE is a very flat charter. His emotions and other characteristics stay the same throughout the whole novel. He is employed as a defense lawyer in the town of Mayville. The sheriff of this small southern town asks Attics to defend a black man accused of raping a white woman. As the name hints this is a story whose theme is, don't kill something that hasn't bothered anyone else.

Tom resembles the mockingbird because he's accused of a crime he didn't commit and everyone wants to kill him. Atticus was a simple man who always followed the rules. So knowing the consequences he agrees to defend Tom Robinson. Eventually Tom loses the trial, mainly because the jury was made up of all white racists. Even though Atticus believes they may win on the appeal, Tom doesn't think so. So when he was being transferred to another prison out of town Tom ties to escape. He attempts his unsuccessful. It results in his death. At this point in the story Atticus accepts that he has lost and breaks the news to Toms family. Atticus saying true to his connection of is a flat character doesn't show much emotion, even though he lost something that was in reach of winning. This shows that Atticus is a very courageous person.

Another Book that expresses the quote is the short story, '???'. The main character is a lady who loses he husband and son in a hunting accident many years ago. Every night she sets the table and makes dinner for them, expecting them to walk through the door after coming back from a hard and successful day of hunting. Every night ends disappointment for the character, as they never come home. Through her actions she shows this quote. Not in the same way as Atticus but she shows it by keeping faith. Long ago she probably accepted that they weren't coming back but every day she continues to keep faith that they will. This is how she's courageous.

To be courageous you have to be able to accept something or keep faith in something. I feel these stories's exhibited the quote pretty good.