It is fitting that Code Name Verity, a book about World War II, is filled with stories of bravery, courage and heroism. The book has many characters who have a lot of courage in them. The focus of this paper is on Julie, Maddie, and. In order to identify the most brave character, we will compare characters from Code Name Verity.
Lady Julia Lindsey’s courage is the strongest in this story. She is an aristocratic descendant and the protagonist of the story. She is an example of a woman that isn’t afraid to pursue her dreams. She openly admits that she is a fan of espionage. It may be dangerous, but it’s her passion. Her love for adrenaline-filled activities like jumping out of airplanes is proof. Maddie says Julie was the best at the game, compared to the other spies. Julie may have misled readers by claiming she was a coward in her first remark, but if you look at the actions she took, it is clear that she has courage.
Julia is also feisty with her tormentors. This may be misinterpreted by some as a sign of stupidity, because being aggressive towards a torturer can lead to more brutal torture. Von Linden, a cruel Nazi commander, is told by her that she has missed a ‘fairly good show’ because she was absent the day when she is tortured (Wein 48). She bit the policeman who arrested her and was verbally abusive while in the Nazi jail. Julie did not seem to be affected by being put on death’s row. She even flirted a little with some German guards. A person only brave enough to face such dangers can have a mind like that. Julia insists that the very fact that she has a name that is defiant is itself a sign of her defiance. Hitler was, after all, the most fearsome man in the world during World War 2. Maddie calls Julie brave and generous.
Maddie also had to face some of Julie’s challenges, so a comparison is necessary. Maddie has to prove herself, as Julie was admitted quickly and without any problems. Maddie is more measured and level-headed than Julie. Maddie’s timidity is not a conclusion to be drawn. She did perform some brave acts. Maddie commandeers the plane in April 1943 and takes off even though she is not a certified pilot. It is bold of her to do so, as it challenges the military chain of commands, particularly since women were still not accepted in military positions. When she finds out that Julie’s pilot has been in an accident, she decides to use a damaged aircraft to transport Julie on an intelligence gathering mission six months later. But before the plane breaks down, she allows Julie to jump out and controls the impending crash alone. It was a selfless act of bravery. Maddie finds herself in a difficult situation when she is forced to kill out of mercy. Maddie is brave enough to perform the act even though it’s difficult for those who don’t know her. Maddie was leading a rescue mission for Julie, but it backfired. Maddie is compelled to kill Julie because she has been wounded by the Gestapo. Maddie is able to maintain her cool in a fast-paced environment. She trusts Julie and knows that she understood the request she made of her.
It may seem unfair to compare Maddie and Julie’s courage, but comparing them both with Fraulein Eng helps us see Julie from an entirely different perspective. Anna Engel plays a similar role to other women in World War II. If she wanted to reach the level of power she achieved, she had to fight as courageously as both other women. Engel’s villainous nature is hinted at in the beginning of the play, as Julie initially fakes her own account. Later, Engel’s alliance with Julie is revealed. She was working to make it appear that Julie was tortured and questioned by Gestapo. The film reveals a different heroine in the form of a woman who is working behind the scenes to ensure Julie’s safety and to destroy Nazi-run prison. Anna shows her bravery by secretly rebuffing von Linden. She also accepts Julie’s hostility, in which Julie calls her an officer of slaves. As well as that, she masked her contempt towards the Gestapo and endured ill-treatment to bring them down. This kind of silent courage is rare.
Julie’s courage is unparalleled, since she does not fear death. She always flirts with the danger of espionage and looks for adrenaline. However, the roles of Maddie Engel and Anna Engel as promoters of heroism should not be undervalued (Wein 111). The reason for this is that the kind of courage they promote is a quiet calculating one. Maddie is sometimes defiant, heroic and brave like Julie. Engel quietly endures humiliating conditions and self-degrading treatment at Gestapo headquarters to achieve his goal. Julie’s character, however, has a greater courage than the other two, because just as Maddie was analytical and calculated, so too could Engel tarnish his identity in order for her to achieve her goal. She was unique in that, even though she knew her fate was certain, she refused to give up on herself.
