The Nature of True Courage

The novel explores that true courage is not the absence of fear but the willingness to act in spite of it, as demonstrated by the Cowardly Lion.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Lion's Fear

The Coward's Confession The Admission The Lion freely admits he is a coward. He is afraid of everything. He is unhappy about it. The King of Beasts' Burden He is expected to be brave because he is a lion. He feels he is a failure. He wants to be courageous. The Misconception He thinks courage means never being afraid. He will learn that is not true.

Facing the Kalidahs

The First True Test The Attack When the Kalidahs appear, the Lion is terrified. He trembles. But he does not run. He turns to face them and roars. The Roar His roar is loud and terrible. It startles the Kalidahs. He buys time for the others to cross. The Aftermath He is relieved when the Kalidahs fall. He says his heart is still beating. But he acted. He was brave despite being afraid.

The Spider Battle

The Ultimate Act The Challenge The Lion volunteers to fight the giant spider. He is afraid, but he knows he must do it. The Attack He leaps on the spider's back and kills it with a single blow. He is victorious. The Recognition The animals crown him King. He has proven his courage. He realizes that courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to act in spite of it. This is the true nature of bravery.

Oz's Lesson

The Wizard's Words The Gift of Courage Oz gives the Lion a drink, but he also tells him: 'You have plenty of courage. All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The True courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty.' The Realization The Lion understands. He has always been brave. He just needed to recognize it. The Transformation From that point on, the Lion is confident. He becomes the King of Beasts. He has learned the nature of true courage.

Throughout the story

During the forest journey

On the journey to the South

After the revelation