Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird is an iconic novel which exposes timeless themes and issues which are just as relevant today as they were when the novel was written and set. This legendary text explored the prejudice of Maycomb, a town in the Deep South during the 1930's, and the racist society a black man faces when is if wrongfully accused of raping a white girl. To Kill a Mockingbird is narrated in first person by Scout, a protagonist in the story, whose childhood is tainted with racism and prejudice by the society she lives in. Scout's father Atticus is a well-respected lawyer in Maycomb who strongly represents the timeless themes and moral values explored in the story. It is through this voice that he guides young Scout and her brother Jem to becoming good, honest people. Courage is pushing through your fears and seeing something through to the end, no matter what the result may be. The power and strength of this timeless theme is represented by Mrs Dubose, an elderly neighbour of Jem and Scout. Both Jem and Scout are terrified of Mrs Dubose, calling her vicious. Mrs Dubose is a metaphorical representation of the toxicity surrounding prejudice and racism in Maycomb. The taunts and ridicule of Mrs Dubose are stereotypical of the community's attitude towards ˜n*gger lovers', however as the story progresses we begin to see Mrs Dubose from a different perspective. Mrs Dubose is very ill and is addicted to the morphine that minimizes her pain and it is when we learn of her determination to beat this addiction that the courage of her character becomes clear. She uses Jem reading to her as a distraction, in order for her to gradually break away from her addiction. Despite Scout's opinion on Mrs Dubose, we still see the pain and fear that she experiences each time the alarm is about to ring. Mrs Dubose shows true courage by refusing to give in to her addiction and fighting of her urges directly in the face of fear. Although she is heavily infected by the disease of prejudice, the courage Mrs Dubose shows balances out the evil within her and it is through this that Jem and Scout learn that it is possible for both good and evil to coexist in the one person. Atticus teaches his children that real courage is " ¦when you know you're licked before you