Dubose, I see she was a strong and courageous woman. Although Mrs. Dubose was often prejudiced against Atticus helping a black man, she fought a battle against herself. This chapter allows the reader to understand two themes of the story, which are courage and human dignity. Even though she knew she was defeated, she struggled with an addiction to morphine. As stated by Atticus on page 112, “'I wanted you to see something about her: I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of having the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're beaten before you start, but you start anyway and make it no matter what.'' In other words, Atticus is saying that courage is not in holding a gun but rather in standing up for what is right, regardless of whether they win or lose. Furthermore, it teaches readers that we must fight for what we believe in. I didn't understand this paragraph or this chapter well. I wasn't sure why it was incorporated into the story. Could this have been imperative because it shows readers that Scout clearly understands the meaning of killing a mockingbird? Was the chapter included to show that Scout knows Arthur killed Mr. Ewell but should be spared brutal treatment? It means he understands that Boo Radley is a mockingbird and tries to help others