Quiet Courage: Lessons from Atticus Finch by suzanne
suzanne's entry into Varsity Tutor's October 2025 scholarship contest
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Quiet Courage: Lessons from Atticus Finch by suzanne - October 2025 Scholarship Essay
Quiet Courage: Lessons from Atticus Finch
One of the most meaningful lessons I’ve learned from a fictional character comes
from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The character Atticus Finch taught me that real
courage isn’t loud or dramatic, it’s quiet, steady, and often uncomfortable. Throughout the
story, Atticus chooses to defend Tom Robinson, an innocent Black man in a deeply racist
town, even though he knows the odds are against him. Watching the way, he carried
himself reminded me that doing the right thing isn’t about the outcome; it’s about the
intention and the integrity behind your actions.
As a young woman trying to find her place in the world, that lesson really stuck with
me. There have been times when I felt pressure to stay quiet to avoid conflict, even when I
knew something wasn’t right. Reading about Atticus showed me that standing up for your
beliefs don’t always look heroic, it can simply mean holding your ground with grace when
others misunderstand you. That kind of strength, the quiet and steady kind, is something
I’ve been trying to build in myself.
Another lesson I took from Atticus is about empathy. When he tells Scout to “climb
into another person’s skin and walk around in it,” I realized how powerful it can be to slow
down and truly see things from someone else’s perspective. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve
learned how rare and meaningful it is to meet people with compassion instead of
judgment. It changes the way you communicate, and it softens the way you see the world.
Atticus Finch may be a fictional character, but the lessons he teaches feel deeply
real. He showed me that courage and empathy are not just traits of their choices we make
every day. Whenever I’m faced with a hard decision or a situation that tests my patience, I
think of him and remind myself to choose what’s right, even when it’s not easy.
Thank you for your consideration to aid my future,
Suzanne Radford