Literary argument on the theme of the manifestation of courage. Cowardice - arguments

Direction "COURAGE AND CORISHNESS"

This direction is based on a comparison of opposite manifestations of the human "I": readiness for decisive actions and the desire to hide from danger, to evade the resolution of complex, sometimes extreme life situations. On the pages of many literary works are presented both heroes capable of bold actions and characters demonstrating weakness of spirit and lack of will.

The topic "Courage and cowardice" can be considered in the following aspects:

Courage and cowardice in war

Courage and cowardice in expressing one's position, point of view, in defending one's principles, views

Courage and cowardice of a man in love

COURAGE - a positive moral-volitional personality trait, manifested as determination, fearlessness, courage when performing actions associated with risk and danger. Courage allows a person to overcome the fear of something unknown, complex, new by willpower and achieve success in achieving the goal. It is not for nothing that this quality is highly revered among the people: “God owns the brave”, “The courage of the city takes”. It is also honored as the ability to speak the truth (“Dare to have your own judgment”). Courage allows you to face the truth and objectively assess your capabilities, not be afraid of the dark, loneliness, water, heights and other difficulties and obstacles. Courage provides a person with a sense of dignity, a sense of responsibility, security, and reliability of life.

Synonyms: courage, determination, courage, heroism, enterprise, arrogance, self-confidence, energy; presence, uplifting of spirit; spirit, courage, desire (to tell the truth), audacity, boldness; fearlessness, fearlessness, fearlessness, fearlessness; fearlessness, decisiveness, daring, heroism, courage, riskiness, desperation, audacity, innovation, daring, audacity, audacity, daring, trouble, valor, novelty, courage, masculinity.

Courage

Courage is the ability of a person, overcoming fear, to do desperate things, sometimes risking his own life.

Courage is shown by a person in war, when he courageously, bravely fights the enemy, does not allow fear to overcome him, thinks about his comrades, relatives, people, country. Courage helps him overcome all the hardships of the war, emerging victorious or dying for his homeland.

Courage is a quality of a person, expressed in the fact that he always upholds his views, principles to the end, he can openly express his position in the eyes of people if he does not agree with them. Courageous people are able to defend their ideals, move forward, leading others, transforming society.

Professional courage pushes people to take risks, people strive to realize their projects, dreams, sometimes overcoming obstacles that authorities can put up for them.

Courage may not manifest itself in a person for a long time. On the contrary, he is sometimes outwardly very modest and quiet. However, in a difficult moment, it is the brave people who take responsibility for themselves, saving others, helping them. And often these are not only adults, but children who amaze with their determination and courage, for example, saving a drowning friend.

Courageous people can do great things. And if there are a lot of these people or the whole people, then such a state is invincible.

Courage is also manifested in the fact that a person is irreconcilable to any injustice, both in relation to himself and in relation to other people. A brave person will not look indifferently or indifferently at the way they humiliate and insult others, for example, colleagues. He will always stand up for them, as he does not accept any manifestation of injustice and evil.

Courage is one of the highest moral qualities of a person. It is necessary to strive to be truly courageous in everything in life: deeds, deeds, relationships, while thinking about others.

COWARDICE - one of the expressions of cowardice; a negative, moral quality that characterizes the behavior of a person who is unable to perform actions that meet moral requirements (or, conversely, refrain from immoral actions), due to the inability to overcome fear of natural or social forces. T. can be a manifestation of prudent self-love, when it is based on fears of incurring adverse consequences, someone's anger, fear of losing existing benefits or social position. It can also be subconscious, a manifestation of spontaneous fear of unknown phenomena, unknown and uncontrolled social and natural laws. In both cases, T. is not just an individual property of the psyche of this or that person, but a social phenomenon. It is associated either with egoism, which has taken root in the psychology of people over the centuries-old history of private property, or with the impotence and depressed position of a person, generated by a state of alienation (even fear of natural phenomena develops into T. only under certain conditions of social life and the corresponding upbringing of a person). Communist morality condemns T., because it leads to immoral acts: to dishonesty, opportunism, unscrupulousness, deprives a person of the ability to be a fighter for a just cause, entails connivance with evil and injustice. Communist education of the individual and the masses, enlisting people to take an active part in the construction of the society of the future, man's awareness of his place in the world, his purpose and possibilities, and the subordination of natural and social laws to him contribute to the gradual eradication of technology from the life of individuals and society as a whole.

Synonyms : timidity, timidity, cowardice, suspiciousness, indecision, hesitation, fear; fearfulness, fear, shyness, cowardice, timidity, fearfulness, capitulation, cowardice, cowardice. Cowardice

Cowardice is such a state of a person when he is afraid of literally everything: a new environment, changes in life, meeting new people. Fear fetters all his movements, preventing him from living with dignity, joyfully.

At the heart of cowardice is often a person's low self-esteem, fear of seeming ridiculous, of being in an awkward position. A person is better to keep silent, try to be invisible.

A cowardly person will never take responsibility for himself, he will hide behind other people's backs so that, in which case, he will not be guilty.

Cowardice interferes with promotion, in the realization of one's dreams, in the realization of goals. The indecision inherent in such a person will not allow him to reach the end along the intended path, since there will always be reasons that do not allow this to be done.

A cowardly person makes his life bleak. He always seems to envy from someone and something, he lives with an eye.

However, a coward is terrible during difficult trials for the people, the country. It is cowardly people who become traitors, because they think first of all about themselves, about their lives. Fear pushes them to crime.

Cowardice is one of the most negative traits of a person's character, you must try to get rid of it in yourself.

The composition in the context of this aspect can be based on a comparison of opposite manifestations of personality - from determination and courage, manifestations of willpower and fortitude of some heroes to the desire to evade responsibility, hide from danger, show weakness, which can even lead to betrayal.

1. N.V. Gogol "Taras Bulba"

Ostap and Andriy are the two sons of Taras Bulba, the protagonist of N.V. Gogol's story. Both were brought up in the same family, studied in the same seminary. Both from childhood were inspired by the same high moral principles. Why did one become a traitor and the other a hero? What pushed Andriy to a low deed - to go against his comrades, his father? In fact, he became a coward, because he could not stay true to what he was taught, showed a weakness of character. And what is this if not cowardice? Ostap heroically accepted martyrdom, boldly looking into the eyes of enemies. How hard it was for him in the last minutes, so he wanted to see a loved one in the crowd of strangers. So he shouted, overcoming the pain: “Father! Where are you? Do you hear? The father, risking his life, supported his son, shouting out from the crowd that he heard him, his Ostap. At the heart of people's actions are those moral foundations that make up the essence of his character. For Andriy, he was always in the first place. Since childhood, he tried to dodge punishment, hide behind other people's backs. And in the war, in the first place were not his comrades, not his homeland, but love for the young beauty - the Poles, for the sake of which he betrayed everyone, in battle he went to his own. How not to recall the famous speech of Taras about comradeship, in which he put loyalty to his comrades, fighting comrades-in-arms in the first place. “Let them all know what partnership means in the Russian land! If it comes to that, to die, then none of them will ever die like that! .. No one, no one! .. Their mouse nature is not enough for that!” Andriy could not become like that, cowardly in the last minutes of his life looking into the eyes of his father, whom he had betrayed. Ostap was always a proud, independent person, he never hid behind the backs of others, he always boldly answered for his actions, in the war he turned out to be a real comrade, whom Taras could be proud of. To remain brave to the end, not to show cowardice in one's deeds and deeds - readers of N.V. Gogol's story, "Taras Bulba", come to this conclusion, realizing how important it is to do right, deliberate deeds and deeds in life.

2. M.A. Sholokhov "The fate of man"

War is a serious test for the country, the people, for each individual. She checks who is who. In war, everyone reveals himself in all his essence. Here you can not play the role of a traitor or a coward. Here they become. Andrey Sokolov. His fate is the fate of millions of Soviet people who survived the war, who survived the most terrible battle with fascism. He, like many others, remained a Man - devoted, courageous, loyal to the people, close, who did not lose the feeling of kindness, pity and mercy for others. At the heart of his actions is love. Love for loved ones, country, life in general. This feeling makes him bold, courageous, helps to survive all the severe trials that befell the hero: the death of his family, the terrible battles in which he participated, the horrors of captivity, the death of his comrades. How much you need to have this huge love to survive after all this!

Courage- this is an opportunity to overcome fear, which, of course, was characteristic of everyone in the war. However, not everyone could overcome this fear. Then cowardice crept into my heart - for myself, for my life. She literally took possession of a person, forcing him to commit betrayal. So one of the prisoners, soldier Kryzhnev, who, like Sokolov, fell into the hands of the Nazis, decided to extradite a communist platoon commander (“... I don’t intend to answer for you”) in order to save his life. He has not yet experienced the horrors of captivity, but fear has already made him a coward, and cowardice has led to the thought of betrayal. It's hard to kill your own, but Andrey did it because this "one's own" crossed the line beyond which - betrayal, spiritual death, death of other people. To remain a human being in inhuman conditions, to be able to overcome one's fear, showing courage, courage, not to become a coward and a traitor - this is a moral rule that a person simply must follow, no matter how hard it may be.

Courage and cowardice in love.

Georgy Zheltkov is a petty official whose life is devoted to unrequited love for Princess Vera. As you know, his love was born long before her marriage, but he preferred to write letters to her, pursued her. The reason for this behavior lay in his self-doubt and fear of being rejected. Perhaps if he were bolder, he could become happy with the woman he loves. Vera Sheina was also afraid to be happy and wanted a quiet marriage, without shocks, so she married a cheerful and handsome Vasily, with whom everything was very simple, but she did not experience great love. Only after the death of her admirer, looking at his dead body, Vera realized that the love that every woman dreams of had passed her by. The moral of this story is this: you need to be brave not only in everyday life, but also in love, you need to take risks without fear of being rejected. Only courage can lead to happiness, cowardice and, as a result, conformism, leads to great disappointment, as happened with Vera Sheina.

Examples of the manifestation of these qualities of a person can be found in almost any work of classical literature.

Artworks:

§ VC. Zheleznikov "Scarecrow"

§ M.A. Bulgakov: The Master and Margarita, The White Guard

§ J. Rowling "Harry Potter"

§ B.L. Vasiliev "The Dawns Here Are Quiet"

§ A.S. Pushkin: "The Captain's Daughter", "Eugene Onegin"

§ V.V. Bykov "Sotnikov

§ S. Collins "The Hunger Games"

§ A.I. Kuprin "Garnet bracelet", "Olesya"

§ V.G. Korolenko "The Blind Musician"

§ J. Orwell "1984"

§ V. Roth "Divergent"

§ M.A. Sholokhov "The Fate of Man"

§ M.Yu. Lermontov "A Hero of Our Time", "Song of Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, a young guardsman and a daring merchant Kalashnikov"

§ N.V. Gogol "Taras Bulba", "Overcoat"

§ M. Gorky "Old Woman Izergil"

§ A.T. Tvardovsky "Vasily Terkin"

Sample topics:

What does it mean to be brave?

Why does a person need courage?

What does cowardice lead to?

What actions does cowardice push a person to?

In what situations in life is courage best manifested?

Do you need courage in love?

Does it take courage to admit your mistakes?

How do you understand the expression “fear has big eyes”?

Is the saying "courage is half the battle" true?

What actions can be called courageous?

What is the difference between arrogance and courage?

Who can be called a coward?

Can you cultivate courage?

All arguments for the final essay in the direction of "Courage and cowardice". Does it take courage to say no?

Some people are shy. Such people very often do not know how to refuse, which is used by others. The heroine of the story by A.P. Chekhov "". Yulia Vasilievna works as a governess for the narrator. She is characterized by shyness, but this quality of her reaches the point of absurdity. Even when she is openly oppressed, unfairly deprived of her earnings, she is silent, because her character does not allow her to fight back and say no. The behavior of the heroine shows us that courage is needed not only in emergency situations, but also in everyday life, when you need to stand up for yourself.

How is courage shown in war?

Extreme conditions, as a rule, reveal the true essence of a person. Confirmation of this can be found in the story of M.A. Sholokhov "The Fate of Man". During the war, Andrei Sokolov was captured by the Germans, he was starved, kept in a punishment cell for trying to escape, but he did not lose his human dignity, did not behave like a coward. The situation is indicative when, for careless words, the camp commandant called him to his place to shoot him. But Sokolov did not retract his words, did not show his fear to the German soldiers. He was ready to face death with dignity, for which he was spared his life. However, after the war, a more serious test awaited him: he learned that his wife and daughters had died, and only a funnel remained in place of the house. His son survived, but his father's happiness was short-lived: on the last day of the war, Anatoly was killed by a sniper. Despair did not break his spirit, he found the courage to continue life. He adopted a boy who also lost his entire family during the war. Thus, Andrey Sokolov shows a wonderful example of how to maintain dignity, honor and remain courageous in the most difficult life situations. Such people make the world better and kinder.

How is courage shown in war? What kind of person can be called brave?

War is a terrible event in the life of any person. It takes away friends and loved ones, makes children orphans, destroys hopes. War breaks some people, makes others stronger. A striking example of a bold strong-willed personality is Alexei Meresyev, the main character of B.N. Field. Meresyev, who had dreamed of becoming a professional fighter pilot all his life, was seriously wounded in battle, and both legs were amputated in the hospital. It seems to the hero that his life is over, he cannot fly, walk, loses hope of creating a family. Being in a military hospital and seeing an example of the courage of other wounded, he understands that he must fight. Every day, overcoming physical pain, Alexey does exercises. Soon he can walk and even dance. With all his might, Meresyev is trying to get admission to the flight school, because only in the sky does he feel in his place. Despite the serious requirements for the pilots, Alexey receives a positive response. The girl he loves does not refuse him: after the war they get married and have a son. Aleksey Meresyev is an example of a man with an unbending will, whose courage even the war could not break.

In the epic novel "War and Peace" you can find many examples of human behavior in war. So, officer Zherkov manifests himself as a person who is not ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of victory. During the battle of Shengraben, he shows cowardice, which leads to the death of many soldiers. By order of Bagration, he must go to the left flank with a very important message - an order to retreat. However, Zherkov is cowardly and does not convey the message. At this time, the French are attacking the left flank, and the authorities do not know what to do, because they did not receive any orders. Chaos begins: the infantry flees into the forest, and the hussars go on the attack. Because of the actions of Zherkov, a huge number of soldiers die. During this battle, young Nikolai Rostov is wounded, he, along with the hussars, boldly rushes to the attack, while other soldiers are in disarray. Unlike Zherkov, he did not chicken out, for which he was promoted to officer. On the example of one episode in the work, we can see the consequences of courage and cowardice in the war. Fear paralyzes some and makes others act. Neither flight nor fight guarantees the salvation of a life, but courageous behavior not only preserves honor, but also gives strength in battle, which increases the chances of survival.

How are the concepts of courage and self-confidence related? Courage to admit wrong. What is the difference between true courage and false courage? What's the difference between courage and risk-taking? Does it take courage to admit your mistakes? Who can be called a coward?

Courage, expressed in excessive self-confidence, can lead to irreparable consequences. It is generally accepted that courage is a positive quality of character. This statement is true if it is associated with intelligence. but a fool is sometimes dangerous. So, in the novel "A Hero of Our Time" by M.Yu. Lermontov can find confirmation of this. The young cadet Grushnitsky, one of the characters in the chapter "Princess Mary", is an example of a person who pays great attention to outward manifestations of courage. He likes to have an effect on people, speaks in pompous phrases and pays excessive attention to his military uniform. He cannot be called a coward, but his courage is ostentatious, not aimed at real threats. Grushnitsky and Pechorin have a conflict, and offended pride requires a duel with Grigory. However, Grushnitsky decides on meanness and does not load the enemy's pistol. Learning about this puts him in a difficult situation: to ask for forgiveness or be killed. Unfortunately, the cadet cannot overcome his pride, he is ready to face death bravely, because recognition is unthinkable for him. His "courage" does no one any good. He dies because he does not realize that the courage to admit his mistakes is sometimes the most important thing.

How are the concepts of courage and riskiness, self-confidence, stupidity related? What is the difference between arrogance and courage?

Another character whose courage was stupid is Azamat, Bela's younger brother. He is not afraid of risk and bullets whistling over his head, but his courage is stupid, even fatal. He steals his sister from the house, risking not only his relationship with his father and his safety, but also Bela's happiness. His courage is not aimed either at self-defense or at saving lives, therefore it leads to sad consequences: his father and sister die at the hands of a robber, from whom he stole a horse, and he himself is forced to flee to the mountains. Thus, courage can lead to terrible consequences if used by a person to achieve goals or protect his ego.

Courage in love. Can love inspire people to great deeds?

Love inspires people to great deeds. So, the main characters of O. Henry's story "" showed an example of courage to readers. For the sake of love, they sacrificed the most precious thing: Della gave her beautiful hair, and Jim gave the watch he inherited from his father. It takes a lot of courage to realize what is really important in life. Even more courage is needed to sacrifice something for the sake of a loved one.

Can a brave person be afraid? Why shouldn't you be afraid to admit your feelings? What is the danger of indecision in love?

A. Morois in the story "" shows readers how dangerous indecision in love is. The protagonist of the story, Andre, falls in love with an actress named Jenny. He wears violets to her every Wednesday, but does not even dare to approach her. Passions boil in his soul, the walls of his room are hung with portraits of his beloved, but in real life he cannot even write a letter to her. The reason for this behavior lies in his fear of being rejected, as well as in self-doubt. He considers his passion for the actress "hopeless" and elevates Jenny to an unattainable ideal. However, this person cannot be called a "coward". A plan arises in his head: to go to war in order to accomplish a feat that will "bring" him closer to Jenny. Unfortunately, he dies there, never having time to tell her about his feelings. After his death, Jenny learns from his father that he wrote many letters, but never sent a single one. If Andre had come closer to her at least once, he would have known that for her "modesty, constancy and nobility are better than any feat." This example proves that indecision in love is dangerous because it prevents a person from becoming happy. It is likely that Andre's courage could make two people happy, and no one would have to mourn the unnecessary feat that did not bring him closer to the main goal.

What actions can be called courageous? What is the feat of a doctor? Why is it important to be bold in life? What does it mean to be brave in everyday life?

Dr. Dymov is a noble man who has chosen to serve people as his profession. Only indifference to others, their troubles and illnesses can serve as the reason for such a choice. Despite the hardships in family life, Dymov thinks about his patients more than about himself. His dedication to work often threatens him with dangers, so he dies saving the boy from diphtheria. He manifests himself as a hero by doing what he was not obliged to do. His courage, loyalty to his profession and duty do not allow him to do otherwise. To be a doctor with a capital letter, you must be courageous and resolute, such as Osip Ivanovich Dymov.

What does cowardice lead to? What actions does cowardice push a person to? Why is cowardice dangerous? What is the difference between fear and cowardice? Who can be called a coward? Can a brave person be afraid? Is it possible to say that there is only one step from fear to cowardice? Cowardice is a sentence? How do extreme conditions affect courage? Why is it important to have courage in making your decisions? Can cowardice hinder the development of personality? Do you agree with Diderot's statement: "We consider a coward who allowed his friend to be insulted in his presence"? Do you agree with the statement of Confucius: “Cowardice is knowing what to do and not to do it”

It's hard to be brave all the time. Sometimes even strong and honest people with high moral principles can be frightened, as, for example, the hero of the story V.V. Zheleznikova Dima Somov. His character traits, such as "courage", "correctness" set him apart from other guys from the very beginning, he appears to readers as a hero who does not allow offending the weak, protects animals, strives for independence and loves work. During the campaign, Dima saves Lena from her classmates, who began to scare her by wearing the "muzzles" of animals. It is for this reason that Lenochka Bessoltseva falls in love with him.

But over time, we observe the moral decline of the "hero" Dima. At first, he is frightened by the problem with his classmate's brother and violates his principle. He does not talk about the fact that his classmate Valya is a flayer, because he is afraid of his brother. But the next act showed a completely different side of Dima Somov. He deliberately let the whole class think about what Lena told the teacher about the disruption of the lesson, although he did it himself. The reason for this act was cowardice. Further, Dima Somov plunges deeper and deeper into the abyss of fear. Even when Lena was boycotted, they mocked her, Somov could not confess, although he had a lot of chances. This hero was paralyzed by fear, turning him from a "hero" into an ordinary "coward", devaluing all his positive qualities.

This hero shows us another truth: we are all woven from contradictions. Sometimes we are brave, sometimes we are afraid. But there is a huge gap between fear and cowardice. Cowardice is never useful, it is dangerous, because it pushes a person to bad deeds, awakens base instincts. And fear is something that is inherent in everyone. A person who performs a feat may be afraid. Heroes are afraid, ordinary people are afraid, and this is normal, fear itself is a condition for the survival of the species. But cowardice is already a formed character trait.

What does it mean to be brave? How does courage affect the formation of personality? In what situations in life is courage best manifested? What is true courage? What actions can be called courageous? Courage is the resistance to fear, not the absence of it. Can a brave person be afraid?

Lena Bessoltseva is one of the most powerful characters in Russian literature. In her example, we can see a huge gap between fear and cowardice. This is a little girl who finds herself in an unfair situation. Fear is inherent in her: she is frightened by the cruelty of children, she is afraid of stuffed animals at night. But in fact, she turns out to be the most courageous of all the heroes, because she is able to stand up for those who are weaker, she is not afraid of general condemnation, she is not afraid to be special, not like others. Lena proves her courage many times, such as when she rushes to Dima's aid when he is in danger, even though he betrayed her. Her example taught the whole class goodness, showed that everything in the world is not always decided by force. “And longing, such a desperate longing for human purity, for selfless courage and nobility, more and more captured their hearts and demanded a way out.”

Is it necessary to defend the truth, to fight for justice? Do you agree with Diderot's statement: "We consider a coward who allowed his friend to be insulted in his presence"? Why is it important to have the courage to stand up for your ideals? Why are people afraid to speak their mind? Do you agree with the statement of Confucius: “Cowardice is knowing what to do and not to do it”

It takes courage to fight injustice. The hero of the story, Vasiliev, saw injustice, but due to his weakness of character, he could not resist the team and its leader, the Iron Button. This hero tries not to offend Lena Bessoltseva, refuses to beat her, but at the same time tries to remain neutral. Vasiliev tries to protect Lena, but he lacks character and courage. On the one hand, there is hope that this character will improve. Perhaps the example of the brave Lena Bessoltseva will help him overcome his fears and teach him to stand up for the truth, even if everyone around him is against it. On the other hand, Vasiliev's behavior and what his inaction led to teaches us that you cannot stand aside if you understand that injustice is happening. Vasiliev's tacit consent is instructive, since many of us face similar situations in life. But there is a question that every person must ask himself before making a choice: is there anything worse than knowing about injustice, being a witness to it and just being silent? Courage, like cowardice, is a matter of choice.

Do you agree with the saying: “You can never live happily when you are trembling with fear all the time”? How is hypocrisy related to cowardice? Why is fear dangerous? Can fear stop a person from living? How do you understand the saying of Helvetius: “To be completely devoid of courage, one must be completely devoid of desires”? How do you understand the stable expression: “fear has big eyes”? Can it be argued that a person is afraid of what he does not know? How do you understand Shakespeare's saying: "Cowards die many times before death, the brave die only once"?

"The Wise Piskar" is an instructive story about how fear is dangerous. Piskar lived and trembled all his life. He considered himself very smart because he made a cave in which he could be safe, but the downside of this existence was the complete absence of real life. He did not create a family, he did not find friends, he did not breathe deeply, he did not eat his fill, he did not live, he just sat in his hole. He sometimes thought about whether there was any benefit from his existence for someone, he understood that there was not, but fear did not allow him to leave his comfort and safety zone. So Piskar died without knowing any joy in life. In this instructive allegory, many people can see themselves. This story teaches us not to be afraid of life. Yes, it is full of dangers and disappointments, but if you are afraid of everything, then when will you live?

Do you agree with the words of Plutarch: "Courage is the beginning of victory"? Is it important to be able to overcome your fears? Why fight fears? What does it mean to be brave? Can you cultivate courage? Do you agree with Balzac's statement: "Fear can make a daredevil timid, but it gives courage to the indecisive"? Can a brave person be afraid?

The problem of overcoming fear is also revealed in Veronica Roth's novel Divergent. Beatrice Pryor, the protagonist of the story, leaves her home, the Forsaken faction, to become the Dauntless. She is afraid of the reaction of her parents, afraid of not going through the rite of initiation, of being rejected in a new place. But her main strength lies in the fact that she challenges all her fears, looks them in the face. Tris puts herself in great danger, being in the company of the Dauntless, because she is "different", people like her are destroyed. This scares her terribly, but much more she is afraid of herself. She does not understand the nature of her difference from others, she is frightened by the thought that her very existence can be dangerous for people.

The struggle with fears is one of the key problems of the novel. So, Beatrice's beloved name is For, translated from English it means "four". That is the number of fears he needs to overcome. Tris and Four fearlessly fight for their lives, for justice, for peace in the city they call home. They defeat both external enemies and internal ones, which undoubtedly characterizes them as courageous people.

A.I. Kuprin "Garnet bracelet"
Georgy Zheltkov is a petty official whose life is devoted to unrequited love for Princess Vera. As you know, his love was born long before her marriage, but he preferred to write letters to her, pursued her. The reason for this behavior lay in his self-doubt and fear of being rejected. Perhaps if he were bolder, he could become happy with the woman he loves.

Can a person be afraid of happiness? Does it take courage to change your life? Is it necessary to take risks?

Vera Sheina was afraid to be happy and wanted a quiet marriage, without shocks, so she married a cheerful and handsome Vasily, with whom everything was very simple, but she did not experience great love. Only after the death of her admirer, looking at his dead body, Vera realized that the love that every woman dreams of had passed her by. The moral of this story is this: you need to be brave not only in everyday life, but also in love, you need to take risks without fear of being rejected. Only courage can lead to happiness, cowardice and, as a result, conformism, leads to great disappointment, as happened with Vera Sheina.

How do you understand Twain's statement: “Courage is resistance to fear, not its absence”? How is willpower related to courage? Do you agree with the words of Plutarch: "Courage is the beginning of victory"? Is it important to be able to overcome your fears? Why fight fears? What does it mean to be brave? Can you cultivate courage? Do you agree with Balzac's statement: "Fear can make a daredevil timid, but it gives courage to the indecisive"? Can a brave person be afraid?

Numerous writers have addressed this topic. So, the story of E. Ilyina "The Fourth Height" is dedicated to overcoming fears. Gulya Koroleva is an example of courage in all its manifestations. Her whole life is a battle with fear, and each victory is a new height. In the work we see the life story of one person, the formation of a real personality. Every step she takes is a manifesto of determination. From the first lines of the story, little Gulya shows real courage in a variety of life situations. Overcoming children's fears, he takes a snake out of the box with his bare hands, sneaks into the cage from the elephants in the zoo. The heroine grows, and the trials encountered in life become more serious: the first role in the cinema, the recognition of her wrong, the ability to answer for her actions. Throughout the work, she struggles with her fears, does what she is afraid of. Already an adult, Gulya Koroleva is getting married, her son is born, it seems that her fears are defeated, she can live a calm family life, but the biggest test lies ahead of her. The war begins, and her husband goes to the front. She fears for her husband, for her son, for the future of the country. But fear does not paralyze her, does not force her to hide. The girl goes to work as a nurse in the hospital to somehow help. Unfortunately, her husband dies, and Gulya is forced to continue fighting alone. She goes to the front, unable to look at the horrors that happen to her loved ones. The heroine takes the fourth height, she dies, having defeated the last fear that lives in a person, the fear of death. On the pages of the story, we see how the main character is afraid, but she overcomes all her fears, such a person can undoubtedly be called a brave man.

Pontius Pilate is a cowardly man. And it was for cowardice that he was punished. The procurator could have saved Yeshua Ha-Notsri from execution, but he signed the death warrant. Pontius Pilate feared for the inviolability of his power. He did not go against the Sanhedrin, ensuring his peace at the cost of the life of another person. And all this despite the fact that Yeshua was sympathetic to the procurator. Cowardice prevented saving a man. Cowardice is one of the most serious sins (based on the novel The Master and Margarita).

A.S. Pushkin "Eugene Onegin"

Vladimir Lensky challenged Eugene Onegin to a duel. He could cancel the fight, but he chickened out. Cowardice manifested itself in the fact that the hero reckoned with the opinion of society. Eugene Onegin thought only about what people would say about him. The result was sad: Vladimir Lensky died. If his friend had not been afraid, but preferred moral principles to public opinion, tragic consequences could have been avoided.

A.S. Pushkin "The Captain's Daughter"

The siege of the Belogorsk fortress by the troops of the impostor Pugachev showed who was considered a hero, who was a coward. Aleksey Ivanovich Shvabrin, saving his life, betrayed his homeland at the first opportunity and went over to the side of the enemy. In this case, cowardice is a synonym

How will brave and indecisive characters help to get "pass"?

Text: Anna Chainikova, teacher of Russian and literature at school No. 171
Photo: frame from the cartoon "The Wise Gudgeon", 1979

There are only a few days left before the final essay, and we continue to analyze the main directions, this time we will talk about Courage and Cowardice. Is it easy to be brave in everyday life? How are fear and betrayal related? Can a coward be happy? The graduates will have to find answers to these difficult questions in literary works.

FIPI comment:

This direction is based on a comparison of opposite manifestations of the human "I": readiness for decisive actions and the desire to hide from danger, to evade the resolution of complex, sometimes extreme life situations.

On the pages of many literary works are presented both heroes capable of bold actions and characters demonstrating weakness of spirit and lack of will.

vocabulary work

According to the explanatory dictionary of D.N. Ushakov:
COURAGE - courage, determination, courageous behavior.
Cowardice - timidity characteristic of a coward, timidity.

Synonyms
Courage - courage, fearlessness, courage, valor, fearlessness, determination, bravery.
Cowardice- cowardice, indecision.

In what situations does a person show courage or cowardice?

• In extreme situations (at war, during natural disasters and catastrophes)
• In peaceful life (in relations with other people, in defending views, ideals, in love)

Quite often we come across examples of courage shown in extreme situations: in war, during catastrophes, natural disasters, in a critical situation when someone needs help and protection. Then a person, without thinking about his own life, rushes to save the one who is in trouble.

However, it is possible to be brave or cowardly not only at such moments, in everyday life there is also a place for such concepts as courage and cowardice.

How will courage be manifested in everyday life? Is it necessary to be brave day in and day out? What drives a person to fear? How are fear and betrayal related? Is it possible to attribute to “time” the fact that a person commits a cowardly and vile act? Makes the reader think about these questions Y. Trifonov in the story "The House on the Embankment".

Glebov, the protagonist of the story, grew up in a poor family, all his life he strove to break out into people, to get rid of the inferiority complex that had formed in his childhood, spent next to the famous "House on the Embankment", next to the children of the Soviet elite: party workers and professors. The protagonist puts his well-being above all else, therefore, when fate confronts him with a choice: to defend the future father-in-law, Professor Ganchuk, at a meeting, or to slander, supporting the campaign launched against him, Glebov does not know what to do. On the one hand, he is held by family ties and conscientiousness: he is the future son-in-law of Ganchuk and saw only good things from this family, the professor himself repeatedly assisted Glebov, and the hero cannot betray his supervisor. On the other hand, at stake is the Griboedov scholarship promised to him, which opens all the doors, giving prospects for career growth.

Glebov's father was a cautious, frightened man who saw some hidden dangers even in his son's harmless friendship with children from party families. Caution in itself is not cowardice, but a principle inspired from childhood in the form of a joke: “My children, follow the tram rule - keep your head down!”- bears fruit in Glebov's adult life. At a critical moment, when Ganchuk needs help, Glebov goes into the shadows. Some demand from him to support the professor, others - to denounce him. Ganchuk's friends appeal to conscience, Glebov's nobility, they say that an honest person simply cannot do otherwise, has no right, while in the educational part the hero is promised Griboedov's scholarship and career advancement.

Only one thing is required from Glebov - a decision with whom he is, and he just cannot decide: “Glebov belonged to a special breed of heroes: he was ready to stagnate at a crossroads to the last opportunity, until that final second when they fall dead from exhaustion. The hero is a waiter, the hero is a rubber puller. Of those who do not decide on anything themselves, but leave it to the horse to decide.

Why can't the hero make a decision that seems obvious to an honest person? The point is not so much in the unwillingness to miss potential opportunities, Y. Trifonov believes, but in fear: “What was there to be afraid of at that time of stupid-eyed youth? Impossible to understand, impossible to explain. Thirty years later, there's nothing to dig. But the skeleton shows through... They rolled the barrel at Ganchuk. And nothing else. Absolutely nothing! And there was fear - completely insignificant, blind, shapeless, like a creature born in a dark underground - fear of who knows what, to act contrary to, to stand in defiance of ". Glebov implicitly follows the same paternal principle of "not sticking out." He wants to "come and keep silent" in order to maintain relations with the Ganchuks as much as possible and not block his path "forward and upward."

"Why are you silent, Dima?" - the main question asked to Glebov.

The “bogatyr-waiter” wants with all his might to delay the moment of making a decision, he waits for the situation to somehow resolve itself, dreams of a heart attack or loss of consciousness, which would save him from the need to speak, make a decision and be responsible for his choice. The death of his grandmother relieves Glebov of the need to attend the meeting, however, despite the fact that he did not denounce Ganchuk, his cowardice and cowardly silence are betrayal and complicity in a crime. "Yes, if before your eyes<…>they attack a person and rob in the middle of the street, and they ask you, a passerby, for a handkerchief to shut up the victim's mouth ...<…>Who are you, you ask? Accidental witness or accomplice?- denounces Glebov on the eve of the meeting Kuno Ivanovich, a friend of the Ganchuk family.

Cowardice and cowardice are pushing Glebov to betrayal. “Sometimes even silence will kill you,” Kuno Ivanovich says in front of the meeting. Glebov will be tormented by memories of his cowardly act, the betrayal of a teacher, throughout his life. A reminder of him will be a recurring dream about crosses, medals and orders, Glebov’s “thirty pieces of silver”, which he, trying not to rattle, sorts out in a box from under a montpensier.

Glebov wants to absolve himself of responsibility for not finding the strength to stand up in front of everyone and tell the truth, for being scared, so he reassures himself with the phrase: “It’s not Glebov’s fault and not people, but times.” However, according to the author, the responsibility lies entirely with the person. After all, finding himself in exactly the same situation as Glebov, Professor Ganchuk behaves differently: he defends his colleague, his student Asturga, although he disagrees with him in many respects professionally. “When people are undeservedly humiliated, he cannot stand aside and be silent,” the author writes about Professor Ganchuk. “He will fight for others like a lion, he will go anywhere, he will grapple with anyone. So fought for this insignificant Asturgus ", - says Kuno Ivanovich about him. It is also important that it was precisely the active defense of the student that Professor Ganchuk brought disaster upon himself. So, Y. Trifonov concludes, the point is not in “times”, but in the choice that everyone makes himself.

It cannot be said that Glebov commits a betrayal just because he is a cold pragmatist, prudent and unprincipled person, as Yulia Mikhailovna, Ganchuk's wife, says about him (“... a smart man, but his mind is icy, useless, inhuman, this is a mind for himself ”), because betrayal is not easy for him, he suffers from the realization of what he has done for many years to come. Glebov is a coward and a conformist who did not find the strength in himself to "act contrary to, stand in defiance of."

Even in everyday life, sometimes a person is faced with situations in which fearlessness is required from him, for example, the courage to speak up, go against everyone, protect the weak. This everyday, everyday courage is no less important than courage on the battlefield. It is this that allows a person to remain human, respect himself and inspire the respect of others.

Aphorisms and sayings of famous people

• When you are afraid - act boldly, and you will avoid the worst troubles. (G. Sachs)
• In battle, those are most exposed to danger who are most obsessed with fear; courage is like a wall. (Sallust)
• Courage is resistance to fear, not its absence. (M. Twain)
• Frightened - half defeated. (A. V. Suvorov)
• Man fears only that which he does not know; knowledge conquers all fear. (V. G. Belinsky)
• A coward is more dangerous than any other person, he should be feared more than anything. (L. Berne)
• There is nothing worse than fear itself. (F. Bacon)
• Cowards die many times before death, the brave die only once. (W. Shakespeare)
• Cowardice is very harmful because it keeps the will from useful actions. (R. Descartes)
• Cowardice in its prime turns into cruelty. (G. Ibsen)
• You can never live happily when you are trembling with fear all the time. (P. Holbach)
• You can't love someone you're afraid of, or someone who's afraid of you. (Cicero)
• To be afraid of love is to be afraid of life, and to be afraid of life is to be two-thirds dead. (B. Russell)

What are the questions to think about?

• What does it mean to be brave in everyday life?
• What drives a person to cowardice?
• How is fear related to dishonor?
• What actions can be called courageous?
• What is the difference between arrogance and courage?
• Who can be called a coward?
• Can you cultivate courage?
• What are the causes of fear?
• Can a brave person be afraid of anything?
• What is the difference between fear and cowardice?
• Why is it important to have courage when making decisions?
• Why are people afraid to express their opinion?
• Why does creativity require courage?
• Do you need courage in love?
• Can a coward be happy?

Courage. What it is? I think that courage is decisiveness in thoughts and actions, the ability to stand up for yourself and for other people who need your help, overcoming all kinds of fears: for example, fear of the dark, of someone else's brute force, of life's obstacles and difficulties. Is it easy to be brave? Not easy. Probably, this quality should be brought up from childhood. Overcoming your fears, moving forward despite difficulties, developing willpower in yourself, not being afraid to defend your opinion - all this will help to cultivate in yourself such a quality as courage. Synonyms for the word "courage" - "courage", "decisiveness", "courage". Antonym - "cowardice". Cowardice is one of the human vices. We are afraid of many things in life, but fear and cowardice are not the same thing. I think that meanness grows out of cowardice. The cowardly will always hide in the shadows, stay aloof, fearing for his own life, betray in order to save himself.

The theme of courage and cowardice is also reflected in fiction, in particular in the works of the Russian writer Maxim Gorky.

“We sing glory to the madness of the brave!” - wrote M. Gorky in his "Song of the Falcon". This work is a hymn to courage, courage. In a battle with enemies, the Falcon received his mortal wounds, he bleeds. Already, for whom the main thing is to be "warm and damp", he does not understand what the sky, the battle, real life is, and not a miserable existence. And the Falcon, even in the last minutes of his life, thinks not about pain and wounds, but about a bold flight in the sky, about the battle with the enemy. Courage lives in Gorky's hero. The falcon does not want to die, lying on the stones, bleeding. On the advice of the snake, he comes to the edge of the cliff and rushes down, making his last flight. "The madness of the brave is the wisdom of life!" the author exclaims. Without people like Falcon, life would be dull and bleak.

In M. Gorky's story "Old Woman Izergil" there is a legend about Danko. The image of his burning heart has long become a symbol of love for people, readiness to give his life for them. Danko's courage is manifested in the fact that he was not afraid to take responsibility for the lives of other people who had a choice: either die or go through a dense forest to escape. Danko stood at the head of these people. The path was difficult, many died in the forest. And when they lost faith that they would come out of the thicket, the brave Danko lit the way for them with his heart and led people to freedom. But the writer speaks not only about courage. He talks about Danko's compatriots who were afraid to die so as not to lose their traditions. I think they just got scared, they were afraid of the enemies, and who needs the traditions of cowards. After all, they did not fight for their land, but left, giving it to the enemy. Gorky calls the cautious person the one who stepped on Danko's heart so that it would not shine on people anymore. I would call such a coward. A “cautious person” is afraid of the brave, because life is easier without them.

In conclusion, I would like to say that this topic of the essay made me think about the role courage and cowardice play in our life, how to cultivate the best human qualities in ourselves, become brave and strong, not be a coward.