Call It Courage

Call It Courage Summary | Plot Summary

Call it Courage is a Polynesian legend. It is the story of a young boy, named Mafatu, and his struggle for independence, courage, recognition and inclusion.

Mafatu, The Boy who was Afraid, has spent his life being ridiculed by his people, the

Mafatu fears the sea most of all, but he decides to conquer is fear and earn the respect of his people and his father. Mafatu is afraid of the sea because of a tragic event that occurred in his childhood, an event that resulted to the death of his mother.

He decides to leave home to try and conquer his demons, to overcome his fears. To do this, he sets out on a solitary journey with only Kivi and Uri (an albatross and a dog). Along the way, he is met with many challenges and he meets many enemies, including a giant octopus, a hammerhead shark, and a tribe of cannibals. Not only must he outsmart these enemies, he must also learn to make his way with no help from anyone else. He must find food, build fire and shelter and, in the end, he must find his way home. His main goal, however, is to be the kind of warrior his father wants to have for a son, and to do this he must prove that he has the courage and the wherewithal to do all of the things that a fine warrior must do.

While he is off on his journey, Mafatu realizes he has landed on an island that is at least visited - and perhaps inhabited - by cannibals.

The tragic way in which Mafatu's mother dies leaves a deep scar in his being, and a fear that goes far beyond the physical element of the sea. He fears being eternally rejected by his father and his tribe, and decides to take his fate into his hands. This is a story of a boy in search of courage, acceptance, and self worth. Further, it is a story of finding independence and of making one's way in the world, despite the challenges and obstacles that are thrown in our path.

This is a story that has been retold a million times and in a million formats, and it remains timeless. From William Golding's Lord of the Flies to the modern-day television series Survivor, Mafatu's story of survival and proving his worth is a common one. His story is further relatable, because it involves overcoming a childhood trauma, which is something that is reported daily on the news and experienced by many of us.