<p>The prompt is as follows:
Traditionally the term "heroism" has been applied to those who have braved physical danger to defend a cause or protect others. But one of the most feared dangers people face is that of disapproval by their family, peers, or community. Sometimes acting courageously requires someone to speak out at the risk of such rejection. We should consider those who do so true heroes.
Should heroes be defined as people who say what they think when we ourselves lack the courage to say it?</p>
<p>Here is my essay. I typed it as it was, including one or two grammatical errors. It filled boht pages.</p>
<pre><code>The courage to speak ones mind at the risk of disapproval by family, peers, or community is the trait of a hero willing to risk danger to himself to express what he believes is right. Several examples from literary works clearly demonstrate that the men who are willing to speak out against popular opinion are heroes crucial to the survival of morality and even society itself.
As demonstrated by Scarlet Letter, the bravery to go against popular opinion is heroic and rare. The minister, Dimmesdale, constantly preaches what society believes is right while ignoring his own hypocrisy. Even though he has had an affair with Hester Prynne and is father of Hesters child, he allows his community to believe in his morality and goodness because he is too afraid to say the truth. He hurts many people in the community, including Hester, Pearl, and a young woman who had falling in love with him because he is not willing to admit that he has done something his community considers immoral. On the other hand, Hester Prynne is a hero because she saves people through her honesty. By wearing her letter A and by choosing not to flee the town, she is openly admitting to her sin. By admitting that she has gone against society, she in fact provides comfort and assurance to other women in her community who believe they are alone. Through her bravery to stand against her communitys intolerance, Hester is the hero that Dimmesdale is not, bringing comfort to many in her town.
Likewise, in the novel Atlas Shrugged, the heroes of the novel do not just comfort to others, but are in fact crucial to the worlds survival. Whereas men like Jim Taggart are unwilling to admit to the true depravity of their society for fear that they will suffer horrible consequences, the competent, devoted industrialists such as Hank Rearden are willing to speak out against society. By admitting openly to his crime and proclaiming his belief that his choice to defy the law was in fact moral, he willingly puts risk to himself and in fact is the stimulus that ultimately saves his nation from its continued depravity.
After careful analysis of Scarlet Letter and Atlas Shrugged, one can see that courage to speak against popular opinion is indeed a heroic trait. With such bravery, these heroes can not only help their peers but also save an entire nation.
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