Explication Of Courage

The definition of courage is “the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery” (“courage”). Is courage valued today? If courage did not exist, then the world would not be effective. Courage fetches the preeminent decisions and the impulsive decisions out of people. Dismally, people are frightened to expose their true colors. Consequently, this negative reason hurts people. Despite the fear, some rise up to the challenge of courage. Some people practice courage in a negative way as in reckless decisions. How can one simple word have so many outcomes? The answer is human nature. Human nature is what changes things for people. Courage, true courage, is not as common. Courage should be common. Edmund Rostand, who wrote the play Cyrano de Bergerac, shows how courage is used in different ways. Through his characters named Cyrano de Bergerac, Christian de Neuvillette, Comte de Guiche and Roxane, Rostand demonstrates the different types of courage.

We’ve all faced difficulties in life and been at a point where having courage and maintaining hope was the only option available. While you may think courage simply means an act of bravery it’s much more. Courage takes a bigger picture of an act of bravery. It takes one to believe and have the ability to push through the hardest of times even when the results may not be guaranteed. It can be compared to a weapon armed in everyone's heart. You know when to take your gun out and load the bullets. A few of the main characters in the novel Between Shades of Gray ,Elena, Lina, and Andrius display courage in occasions that are easier said than done.

People who are courageous are able to achieve their goals, to stand up and to have their say in what is right and what is wrong. They might’ve made mistakes in life, but if they are willing to reach it, they will get up and try again, becoming stronger than ever at trying to pursue their goals.

Courage (noun): the ability to do something that frightens one, the strength in the face of pain or grief. In the novels Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee the two characters Atticus and George both show courage throughout both novels. Atticus and George define courage by fighting alone when no one else supports them. “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do...” This quote states “you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” Meaning even though you start with a disadvantage you still push through and fight!

Courage is doing something even though it can be difficult and fearsome. I, for one, wholeheartedly agree with this statement. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, Gandhi- the list goes on and on. These famous people all have one thing in common- They fought for what they believed in. In our society today, it can be difficult to stand up for what is right in fear of going against the “norm”. Characters both fictional and in real life who have real courage, however, are not afraid to do what is right and needed for the greater good.

William Shakespeare once said, "For courage mounteth with occasion." William Shakespeare is portraying that courage comes when it is needed most. Shakespeare also displays that courage makes up for the strength that is absent in arduous situations. I agree with Shakespeare's message he is conveying in entirety. In the novels, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, the courageous acts are like one lone star lighting up the entire night sky.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ~ Winston Churchill. This quote defines what it is to be courageous, to be courageous is to persevere even if you know you will fail. This kind of courage is the courage which both Harold Crick in Stranger Than Fiction and Jean Louise “Scout” Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird. In Stranger Than Fiction, an IRS agent, Harold Crick, with a monotonous life learns that you must not only survive, but you must truly live. This lesson is taught through a series of events that lead to his breaking out of his shell and truly living his life. The events are preliminarily put into action through Harold hearing the voice of the author of a book about his life. In To Kill A Mockingbird, a tomboyish six-year-old, Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, discovers the true meaning of camaraderie and bravery. Her friendships are strong but her definition of courage is flawed. In the end, she realizes a great truth, that to really know someone, you have to imagine yourself in their shoes. Courage is important to these two characters, as they both discover what it really means to be brave and what the true definition of courage is. Courage is not always outspoken, sometimes courage is knowing that you will fail, but trying and failing anyway and then accepting your failure.

Courage is known to be one of the characteristics that every person aims to achieve. Obstacles get thrown in the way of things that cause others to feel very discouraged. The individuals who possess this characteristic find it easier to make the bad times into a better time. Courage will be one thing that could potentially save a life or make a difference in the world and it is something that people should be taught. History helps thoroughly show the way courage is applied to real world situations.

Bethany Hamilton once said “ courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid”. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you”. Hamilton gives a great description of what it takes to be courageous. Although some people face individual issues, others face racism throughout the society. Courage has no restriction, anybody can be courageous. Harper Lee uses one of her main characters Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird, to show how courage can help anyone overcome trials and tribulations.

I believe that Harper Lee’s definition of “courage” is doing something even though you know you may lose, and it doesn’t matter if it’s physically or emotionally. Scout, Atticus and Mrs. Dubose all help explain this definition.

God gives every human being the gift of courage. Courage is knowing the risks of a task ahead of time and still going through with it. This is different from bravery because a brave person goes ahead with the task without even considering the risks. Courage goes back to the days when our ancestors needed to kill dangerous game or fight off invaders. God gave us this ability to survive and showed us the greatest example of courage through his son, Jesus Christ, who knew what he was doing and saying was going to get him killed, but he did it anyway. Many modern authors such as Harper Lee, Andrew Stanton, and E. B. White illustrate the importance of courage through their famous works.

First of all, courage is one of the keys to wholehearted living. According to Brown the definition of courage has been changed over the past years. In today’s society most people refer courage to a hero. According to brown, courage originally meant “To speak one’s mind by telling all one’s heart. It is important to recognized courage in our lives. As

Courage is a necessity to overcome fears and achieve a desired goal. Fear is something that exists in all of us. There is no hero or any particular courageous figure that is without fear. Being fearless is not required to be courageous, one simply has to look past or overcome their fears to possess this great quality. When overcoming fears and going against the norm, there are always risks involved. There are different types of risks that come about. Someone could risk life or limb, while others risk their reputation. Either risk is serious enough that a person must have courage to endure that particular risk. Courage can occur anytime, anywhere, and often in our everyday lives. Everyone will experience courage no matter how young,