Week 4 homework - Jem's dairy entry

This morning, Atticus told Scout and I that Mrs Dubose had died only a few minutes previous. I had always thought that she was a bitter old lady that took pleasure in harassing my sister and I every time we walked past her house. She used call out things like, 'don't you say hey to me! You say good afternoon Mrs Dubose!" But it was when she called Atticus a nigger-lover that I could not hold my head any longer. But, I guess if I had kept my head, and not destroyed Mrs Dubose's garden, I would never have been able to truly understand the horrible woman that live on our street.

I did not realize when I started reading for Mrs Dubose that she was in fact a morphine addict.....but it does explain the fits she used to have while Scout and I spent the afternoon at her house. She was trying to ween herself of the drugs before she died so that she could, as Atticus says, "beholden to no one and nobody." Mrs Dubose knew that she would die if she came off the morphine, but she did it anyway. I guess a bit the same way as Atticus is going to take Tom Robinson's case even when he knows he will not win.

Atticus said he wanted me to see what real courage is....and by reading to Mrs Dubose I would understand. I used to think that courage was simply being able to point a gun and shoot well, but I reckon that maybe its not just that. I think there is more to it. People like Atticus or Mrs Dubose show real courage. They know they are licked before the even begin, but they begin anyway. Even though Atticus was the best shot in Maycomb, he is a gentleman. For he displays true courage, not the gun type, but the one where you have to sacrifice yourself if it means doing the right thing. Even though Atticus says Mrs Dubose is the bravest person he is ever met, I think he could probably giver her some competition, for my father is one of the bravest people I have ever met.