Assignment : Should heroes be defined as people who say what they think when we ourselves lack the courage to say it?
Essay :
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Heroism doesn’t have to be achieved by accomplishing unprecedented physical stunts or bombastic demonstrations of power. Often, the most pragmatic and impact-causing heroes are those who talk when no one else dares, when everyone fears rejection and abashment. People like my uncle, and ‘Chris’ from the ‘Lost Violin’ are two examples of heroes that have changed lives because of their audacity to speak their minds.
The courageous actions of my uncle serve as an example to prove that heroes are those who have the courage to state their opinion loudly. On Thanksgiving last year, my family invited my uncle’s family to dinner. They gladly
accepted and arrived within 3 hours. During dinner,my uncle noticed the almost palpable tension in the atmosphere
and he discerned the dissonance between my parents. Immediately, he stood up mid-dinner and vociferously said “What the hell is wrong with you guys!” to my parents. My parent were aghast. My uncle demanded an explanation of the current relationship between my parents and eventually, he got one. My sister and I had been sensing the same discord between my parents but we were too confused and dismayed to say anything. After my uncle was informed of the situation, he worked on the problem as if he were a marriage counselor,and he didn’t give up until he solved all of the problems between my parents. My uncle didn’t have any special physical prowess or abilities, but his boldness to articulate his feelings was more than enough evidence to substantiate his status as a hero. Had he not interfered, my mother and father would have separated even further and possibly eventually got a divorce.
The same way my uncle saved the day by being outspoken, “Chris”, from the novel ,“The Lost Violin”, changes the destiny many lives with his emotional outburst of words. In the novel, a ship crew sets sail to the Distant Realm in order to search for and obtain the “Lost Violin”, a musical instrument rumored to give anyone who hears its sound an extremely pleasurable sensation more potent than the top-notch drugs. On the dangerous trip to Distant Realm, the crew encounters a myriad of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, and they lose 7 crew members as a result. Chris,the vice-captain tries to convince the captain to end the scavenger hunt. When the captain refuses, Chris has no other choice than to tie up the captain and return to the home island. Because of Chris’ actions, his friends were spared death and he became regarded as a hero. Chris’ sudden courage and pragmatic attitude earned him the title of a hero.
The heroisms of Chris ,and more importantly my uncle, show that heroes are indeed those who express their opinions
when others don’t dare to do so.
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The essay fills 2 pages exactly. All examples are made up.