The Yearling Theme of Courage

Bravery is kind of a given if you're trying to make it in the harsh scrub forest. You've got your wild animals, your crazy weather, your complete lack of emergency services… And it's not like you can just cower in your house all day—you've got to go out and face it, hunting and driving away predators. And most of all, you've got to have enough courage to face the hardships that will crop up in your life instead of just lying down to die.

Questions About Courage

  1. What does courage mean to Penny? What about Ory? Is courage different for men and women?
  2. Who shows more courage: the loud and boasting Forresters, or the quiet and hard-working Penny?
  3. What is the bravest thing Jody does? Why is it so brave?
  4. Can animals have courage? Think about Penny's dogs, or Slewfoot.

Chew on This

Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.

Out in the wild, courage is more important than brains or brawn.

In The Yearling, endurance is the same thing as courage. Just surviving from day-to-day takes guts.