I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.- Atticus Finch

Harper Lee
About This Quote

The quote, “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what” is one of the most widely-quoted quotes from the famous novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It is often used to explain what true bravery is. In the novel, Atticus Finch is a lawyer in Depression-era Alabama who defends a black man accused of raping a white woman.

Not only does Atticus believe in the innocence of his client Tom Robinson, but he also knows that he cannot win in a courtroom under these circumstances. He’s right. The jury found Tom guilty even though Atticus still believes that he did not do anything wrong.

Source: To Kill A Mockingbird

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  1. With him, life was routine; without him, life was unbearable.
  2. It’s never an insult to be called what somebody thinks is a bad name. It just shows you how poor that person is, it doesn’t hurt you.
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