You know when you have to give a presentation in class or you have a band concert and you freak out a little before? Sometimes, day to day stuff can take a lot of courage. Now imagine how much truer that would have been during the Revolutionary War. Boatloads of scary situations crop up in My Brother Sam Is Dead, from creepy cowboys to violent battles. Sometimes, Tim and Sam are shaking in their boots, and other times, they show oodles of courage. In the end, the big test is: will the courage outweigh the fear? We're thinking definitely.
Questions About Courage
- What makes a person brave in My Brother Sam Is Dead? Who is the bravest character in the book? And what makes this character so brave?
- Does Tim ever feel brave and scared at the same time? Which is his more dominant emotion?
- What are some of the subtler acts of courage in the novel? We're not talking big time battle-fighting stuff; just the day-to-day courage the Meekers might have to show.
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Tim oozes courage when he needs to, and it helps him survive.
It's okay to be scared. Tim is frightened a lot, but that doesn't stop him from having courage, too.