In Chapter 11, Atticus gains respect for Mrs. Dubose after she breaks her addiction to morphine. Earlier in the chapter, Jem loses his temper and destroys Mrs. Dubose's camellia bush after she insults his father. Unbeknownst to Jem, Mrs. Dubose asked Atticus to prepare her will and told him "she was going to leave this world beholden to nothing and nobody." (Lee 148) Mrs. Dubose planned on beating her addiction to morphine before she died. Atticus gains respect for Mrs. Dubose because she had the courage to battle her addiction in the last days of her life. Atticus tells his children that he wanted them to witness what real courage was. According to Atticus, real courage is "when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway, and you see it through no matter what." (Lee 149) Mrs. Dubose knew that she was going to die soon, and nobody would have blamed her for taking morphine to die a peaceful death. Atticus tells Jem and Scout, "She was the bravest person I ever knew." (Lee 149) This comment provides evidence that Atticus has gained respect for Mrs. Dubose.
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