<p>Hey everyone, this is my first practice essay (I know, starting a little late on this part :P) If I could get some feedback on it so I know how to do better on the SAT tomorrow, it would be very appreciated!</p>
<p>Should heroes be defined as people who say what they think when we ourselves lack the courage to say it?</p>
<pre><code>True heroes will speak frankly, regardless of the resulting opinions of their peers. One should not go along with the crowd, simply out of fear of being noticed as a dissenter. All heroic figures, fictional and historical, value veracity over public opinion.
In Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, for example, many people believe Raskolnikov, the main character, to be a murderer. They, however, are too timid to voice their thoughts, because Raskolnikov has the political influence to punish them. Eventually, a hero, Zametov, gains the courage to speak up, and the murderer is prosecuted.
Fictional people are not the only candid heroes in existence. Abraham Lincoln is now celebrated as an American hero due to his courage to support the abolishment of slavery. He realized that Southern states may revolt, but Lincoln proceeded to attempt to pass legislation abolishing slavery. Thus the Civil War began, and Lincoln was assassinated, but Lincoln stands today as a martyr for the cause of emancipation, all because of his willingness to speak out.
I, myself, have born witness to an event supporting this thesis. In Primary School, a bully named Robert frequently harrassed and physically hurt a large number of students. We were all too intimidated to notify any adult figure, because we thought he would cripple us should we tattle. Thankfully, one of us, James, eventually had the courage to get help, which was successful in removing Robert from our environment. In this case, again, someone's courageous words proved to be heroic.
One has but to imagine a world in which nobody stands up for anybody to realize the importance of people saying what they really think. It would have been incredibly simple, for example, to have acted submissively when the Nazis started persecuting Jews in the 1930s. It would have been a more peaceful path to disregard these crimes against humanity. It was for the best, however, that heroes stood up during these times and accused the Nazis of what they did. These people led their countries into war against nazi Germany, and prevented a terrible, unjust future for humanity. Heroes are those who, despite potential repercussions, have the courage to say what they really think, and it is important for humanity that we do not devalue this important quality.
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