Courage is kind of a prerequisite for getting stuff done in Fablehaven. Having to face big scary monsters obviously requires some amount of bravery, and let's not even start in on how freaky Midsummer Eve is. The fact that Kendra and Seth don't run screaming from the preserve when they learn what's in store for them shows that they're pretty brave.
We also see, however, that there's a fine line between brave-brave and stupid-brave—Seth walks it quite frequently. His bravery is helpful in situations like getting up to Nero's place, but less helpful when he acts out and annoys witches, fairies, and pretty much any other magical creature we can name. Kendra, who doesn't really think of herself as brave, actually saves the day by being courageous enough to take a giant risk, and thus rescue her family. Who knew, right? Probably not Kendra, that's for sure.
Questions About Courage
- How would you distinguish between Kendra's style of bravery and Seth's style of bravery?
- Besides Kendra and Seth, which characters do you think are brave? Why?
- What do you think is the most courageous act in the book?
- Which monsters from the preserve do you think you'd need the most courage to face?
Chew on This
Kendra is not brave, only desperate.
True courage is almost indistinguishable from foolishness (especially when it comes to Seth).