Any feedback or comments would be appreciated. I personally think it is quite shabby as I'm so sick today.
Oh well.
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Heroes often emerge from conflict
A hero is someone who is remarkable and brave; they are the kind of being who often achieve great feats of sacrifice, selfishness and courage, undoubtedly showing soaring strength in character, although, it is mostly in desperate situations of suffering that these individuals are able to reveal these admirable traits, suggesting that praiseworthy persons are structured through conflict as it allows them to make full use of their resilient and justice-valuing nature, suggesting that anguish is needed to give birth to a heroic character.
The great distress that occurred in Massachusetts in 1692 that allowed for a heroic reputation to be formed is highlighted in Arthur Millers historical play, The Crucible. Farmer, John Proctor realises that Abigail Williams and her flock of girls are indeed frauds and he is no longer able to watch people be accused while remaining silent. He approaches the court and speaks up but the strength of the mob pull him down but despite this, Proctor doesn’t back down, instead, he shows further courage, sacrificing his clean reputation in order for justice; showing that the hysteria in the community acted as a prompt for Proctor, allowing him to act with extreme heroism while being a member of the minority. His bravery is further tested when he gets accused of witchcraft and is torn between survival and integrity. A large amount of weight is held on Proctors confession; if he confesses witchery, it will help the court uphold its dignity and it will help cease the hangings but it is also a lie. On the other hand his death will lead him to die a honest and good man. Proctors heroic nature is expressed through his final actions as it takes great strength and bravery to accept and bow down to death, furthermore, his actions can be defined as outstanding as he ponders the value of the truth, concluding that his survival would result in poorer life quality for his three kids, showing also a selfless side of Proctor that may have remained hidden if there was no unease to fuel it. Overall, it is clear that the accusations and the injustice that occurred throughout Salem was a catalyst to Proctors actions, clarifying that brave men and courageous actions are a result of immense conflict.
Another hero that was revealed during a disastrous period was John Simpson. Simpson was a stretcher bearer for Australia during World War I and although he was not a solider, his actions paralleled the resilient and brave deeds of the Australia soldiers that we now call heroes, making him, as well, worthy of the title ‘hero’. At first, Simpson was frowned upon for neglecting the original instructions he was given; instead of entering the war zone with a stretcher, he found a donkey and rescued the injured following his own assets, rather than following orders. Daily, he would make his way through sniper fire and shrapnel to collect the fallen without hesitation and regardless of the dangers of the conditions he was faced with. Nothing stopped him; negative opinions never stumped him and the risk of the challenge hardly turned him away, instead, it is the conflict that enabled him to act the way he did and therefore, his self-sacrificing, improvised but courageous actions do indeed make him a ‘hero’ and the fact that these qualities remained latent until he entered the war zone show another great example of an commendable man born out of war and disaster.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta provides us with an additional example of an individual emerged as a hero through disharmony. Initially, Mother Teresa was a teacher at St. Mary’s high school in Calcutta, during her time educating; she witnessed suffering and poverty outside the school walls that left a deep impression on her despite the notion that the conflict wasn’t related to her personally. The glimpse of pain she sighted was powerful enough to evoke heroic qualities in her being, she asked for permission to leave the school and work among the poor while living with them. Ultimately, her continuous exposure to the anguish of the poor allowed for her kind nature to step forward and act, despite her own physical pain, doubts and loneliness. Due to her ongoing will to support, Mother Theresa was able to form a congregation called the Missionaries of Charity, allowing her caring actions to be spread all over India. Her persistence to fight for justice echoes that of John Proctor and John Simpson; it can undoubtedly be said that Mother Theresa is a hero who was born through her experience with the poor, and through her own inner suffering, yet again, reinforcing the contention that heroes arise from distress.
In summary, valiant and selfless behaviour appears to occur as a result of inconsistency; whether it is a war, an unjust courtroom or a poverty consumed nation, there is a likely chance that the conflict will spark a desire for justice in at least one individual, allowing them to act bravely with determination in the face of danger, allowing us to label them worthy of being titled a hero.
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