Call it Courage

Call it Courage is a middle grade novel by Armstrong Sperry. It recounts the Polynesian folktale of Mafatu, the Boy Who Was Afraid, and his adventurous journey across the sea to find courage. Sperry structures his bildungsroman according to a quest structure, in which the hero must leave home and face adversity to achieve a goal. The novel was first published in 1940 and received the Newberry Medal for excellence in American children’s literature in 1941. The story was filmed for television and aired on The Wonderful World of Disney in 1973. This guide refers to the 2011 Aladdin Paperbacks edition.

Plot Summary

Mafatu is afraid of the ocean. As a child, he was caught in a storm with his mother and their canoe was carried out to the open sea. Mafatu’s mother died, and ever since, Mafatu has felt that Moana, god of the sea, is trying to claim him. Mafatu’s fear is problematic because his culture values courage above all else. As the son of the village chief, Tavana Nui, Mafatu is ashamed of his fear. One night, Mafatu overhears the village boys talking about his cowardice, and he decides to leave the island.