5 paragraph essay about courage

Defining Courage

Courage Is a word often used to describe an act despite the presence of fear. It is often used interchangeably with bravery, and often misunderstood. For us to understand Courage, we must first arrive upon a clear definition, and understanding of the etymology, a breakdown of how, when, and why courage is evoked…

“Courage is a selfless madness which descends on us in a dichotomous haze where we see the ugliness of the outcome and yet choose to walk towards the beauty of the sacrifice”. Coker (2017)

What is courage, when, where, why and how do we experience it?

The above series of linked questions have occupied an increasing space in my mind since the concept, and central theme of ‘courage’ dropped out of my dissertation project on the road to completing my Masters in Applied Positive Psychology. My dissertation explored the subject of hope and fear, and set me on a journey into many of my own hopes and fears as I dared to gaze inwards. The following poetic episode is a meaningful glimpse into the conclusion of my work in this area, and the beginning of an entirely new chapter.

This paper explores and discusses the concept of courage as a central theme which emerged from an earlier study forming part of a dissertation project. To give context, some of the dissertation work is shared within this paper, specifically the exploration of hope and fear which gave birth to the interest in courage. This exploration should be viewed as a precursor to detailed research within this area, together with an eventual literature review. Initially, the bulk of this paper explores the concept of courage from the writer’s viewpoint, whilst delving into some of the detail to emerge from the dissertation.

Excerpt from Dissertation

For my lighthouse:

“Fear is an ocean wide and vast. Its roaring waves dwell in all temporal planes reaching the shores of the future, present and past. Fear can divert us from the course of our dreams of the future. Its currents can paralyze us in the present and halt our forward momentum. Its draw can pull us back into the past. Hope is a lighthouse in this ocean, and its light penetrates the fogs of fear. Hope shows us the way and gives us the will to move forwards. Its whisper can be heard above the roar for those who listen!” (Coker, 2016)

My conclusion that hope is a lighthouse which gives us direction and binds us to our deeply meaningful goal. The function of hope is to attenuate the fear of non-attainment, and to show us that the end is within our grasp. For some, the lighthouse may be represented by a person, their own self-efficacy, or by the gravity and magnetism of the goal itself. What if we have no hope, or a hope that is eclipsed by fear? Why do some still continue to put one foot in front of the other without the positive force? My polar model explained this in the way that hope pulls us towards it, whereas fear pushes us away. Where the two are in balance, they can be powerful. If fear generates too much magnetic force, it can fix us in place and halt our forward momentum. Even more force, and it can start to pull us backwards and we can fall into despair, which for me is the absence of hope. Interestingly, through my study of hope and fear, the theme of courage dropped out, and seemed to appear constantly where hope and fear were experienced.

In an attempt to define courage, I would suggest that it be categorized as a virtue, or an intrinsic trait which has positive moral components, and an altruistic nature. Courage, for me is the ability to choose to move forwards, hold steady, or move away in the presence of a dominant sense of fear, lack of control, and where the balance of probability is a negative outcome which affects us. The concept of walking towards a personal loss, or away from a personal gain in favor of doing the right thing, and acting altruistically would suggest that courage is certainly a virtue!

The choice element of courage is a fascinating idea, and one which suggests that where we have no choice, and the fear is imposed on us, we may turn to hope, and not courage to attenuate the fear and break away from its “draw”. In this instance perhaps we deal with the threat because we have to deal with it, and we cannot run away from it. Imagine being told that we, or someone we love is going to die… My hope and fear research suggested that we immediately turn to hope – whether in the form of prayer, delusion, or the quest for knowledge in order to gain a sense of control. Where courage surfaced, was in the instant that fear started to win, or hope started to fade, and the individual chose to face their greatest fear in the form of acceptance, and walk towards the outcome, embrace it, or make peace with it.  So if hope pulls us towards a goal, and fear pushes us away from one, courage has the ability to overcome the push of fear where we choose to walk towards it. The polar model of hope and fear suggested that where we “hoped that it wouldn’t” happen, we would “fear that it would”. Imagine a scenario where we turned around and walked towards this fear by choice – when we could choose to walk away, or delude ourselves by focusing on the hope aspect. This would essentially go up against our most basic and selfish survival instincts. It is courage that gives us the ability to fight against this. Essentially, this is madness and entirely altruistic. Altruism of course, in its purist form always benefits the greater good, or the needs of the many, and this suggests that courage is an advancement mechanism, in the same way that fear is a survival mechanism. Maslow, (1943) suggests that for transcendence to occur, we have to be free of danger, and the basic needs. Courage may well be a nemesis to this theory, and those who operate altruistically have maybe discovered an ace-card, or way of cheating this concept

Fig:1 Courage Operator Pyramid (Coker, 2016)

The Pyramid suggests that there is always a choice and action associated with invoking courage, and that there is fear, or hope present, and a perceived risk or reward.

Download the proceedings paper submitted for Buckinghamshire New University May 2016 Positive Psychology Symposium: May 2017 Symposium

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Three Super Inspirational Real Life Stories of Courage

I have always been an ardent fan of the word ‘courage’. There is something about being brave that makes you feel ‘wow’. Doesn’t it? A confession:- I  am a fallible human first & then a motivational speaker . I go on stage every now and then talking of courage to an auditorium full of people. But honestly, I have my own mind-issues about me not feeling courageous at a lot of other places and aspects in my life!. But then – this isn’t my story. This blog is about some exceptional real life stories of courage; courage of all kinds. And what are those kinds, one may ask! I think courage comes in all shapes and sizes.

Men and women coming to terms with their humiliation and violation and talking about the worst experiences of their life, instead of choosing to suffer in silence – that takes tremendous amount of courage! So, if you are one of those making fun of the #MeToo campaign – don’t. It ain’t cool. Debate – yes. Fun – NO!

People suffering from mental health issues but managing to get out of bed every morning and going about their usual day, living to fight the battle one day at a time – it’s the kind of courage to keep your problem aside and think of the greater good. #Depression takes courage to fight.

Moving beyond your pain to live a life that’s worthy of others, working selflessly instead of just giving up – that’s a special kind of courage.

Having the guts to change the status quo, to keep believing in your own talent or skill or ability to work hard and change destiny – that stubbornness also takes courage. That going against conventional wisdom, takes a lot of courage.

Being shit scared to do something but doing it anyway because it is important – that’s another level of courage. The list goes on…

In the end, it all boils down to just one thing – one brave step at a time.

And this blog is about those small steps, those inspirational anecdotes, those real life stories of courage. This blog is about the stories of a few ordinary men and women whose courage made them extra-ordinary. It’s about the courage to do the new, or the courage to do the same old – but mostly, it’s about doing what needs to be done in the moment!

1. The courage to choose RIGHT over EASY

Yes. When saving even one life matters, imagine having saved hundreds of lives just because you had the courage to do the right instead of the easy.

This is the story of a ship in the middle of shipwreck and a lifeboat that reached in time.

There were three ships around this sinking ship when the distress signal was being sent. The first one, Sampson, was approx. 7 miles away from the sinking ship. Only 7 miles! They could see the sinking ship! But they turned their backs. Why? Because the crew aboard the ship had been involved in illegal hunting of seals. They turned their backs to a shipwreck because they didn’t want to get caught.

Sometimes, courage is not about insane bravery. It’s just simply about having the guts to let go of what’s important to you because someone else is in dire need. Obviously, the crew of Sampson did not possess this royal quality.

There was another ship approx. 14 miles away from our sinking ship. The Californian saw the distress signals as it was within eyeshot but they were surrounded by ice and it was night time; and it wasn’t probably comfortable for them to move. They decided to wait till the morning for the conditions to improve. You know that ’20 seconds of insane courage’ we often talk about?When it is about someone else, those 20s become even more important!

The third ship was approx. 58 miles away and was already moving in the other direction but when they heard the cries over radio, they decided to be the lifeboat. The captain of this ship just prayed to God for direction and turned his boat. They waded ice fields in the dark but kept going.

This lifeboat was Carpathia. And the shipwreck it sailed to was none other than the Titanic. They saved a whopping 705 lives that night. Those 705 lives were saved because one man chose the right over the easy, that one man had the courage to look beyond his comfort. And the man deserves to be acknowledged. He is Captain Arthur Rostron, the man who simply said, “Mr Dean. Turn the ship around.”

HMS Carpathia captain Arthur Rostron (Image courtesy: news.com.au)

Sometimes, that’s how supreme courage is! Again, I have done no justice to original the story. Read the full story of how one brave man changed 705 lives. 

(Some Kickass Motivational Stories to shake you up !)

2. The courage to PURSUE YOUR DREAM

Courage doesn’t always have to be exhibited through the extreme. Sometimes it’s in the every mundane choices we make.

And what do you do when the choice you have to make is – to play with fire every day?

That’s the story of Harini Kahnekar , the first woman firefighter of India! And it’s an incredible story too. All Harini wanted was to adorn a uniform. From NCC to preparing for armed forces, a job with a uniform was all that she dreamed of.

Harini was the first woman to apply to a fire engineering course at the National Fire Service College in Nagpur, a one-of-a-kind college in South East Asia, run by the Home Ministry. Her first hurdle – her family. It’s not a job women take up conventionally.

Harshini Kanhekar, the first woman firefighter of India (Image courtesy: Odisha shines)

Being the only woman in college, she had to face a lot of infrastructural issues but she remained put. Lack of a hostel for females made her commute and life difficult and hectic too. But these are nothing in comparison to the expectations people had. As she became the torchbearer for women in this field, the weight of heavy water hoses, suction hoses, mock drill dummies etc. (which were heavy for everyone) became heavier for her in a society that’s often ready to mock a woman doing the new.

But she sailed through all of it. Harini Kahnekar’s story of courage is about doing something no one has done before, about swimming against the tides, and against the odds. Her motivational story of courage is about having the courage to have absolute faith in your dream – so much that the word ‘can’t’ stops reaching your ears at all!

(Image courtesy: Athena Coaching)

3. The courage to CHANGE THE STATUS QUO

I knew we were struggling. But when she was mixing in water with the milk, I realized it was over, you know what I mean? This was our life.

This is Romelu Lukaku’s statement about his childhood days. For those who don’t know, Romelu Lukaku is a Belgian footballer who plays striker for the Belgian national team and the English club, Manchester United. I wouldn’t be doing justice to his brilliant track record by attempting to write it. Read more about him here.

(Image courtesy: FIFA)

This is about his journey of becoming who he is today, from where he was when that statement was the reality of his life. Romelu was born in Antwerp, Belgium to Congolese parents. Despite his father being a professional footballer too, the money was gone and they were as broke as they could be, with his mother often mixing water in milk cans for survival.

What amazes me about Romelu’s story is that even as a 6yr old kid, he had the courage to believe in himself – to believe that he can and he will change his status quo. He didn’t crib about empty stomachs or unfulfilled dreams. He silently worked on himself, on his strong conviction that he was going to beat this poverty out of the park and into the goalpost someday!

Courage is an everyday choice. Romelu made that choice every day. He says,

“Let me tell you something — every game I ever played was a Final. When I played in the park, it was a Final. When I played during break in kindergarten, it was a Final. I’m dead-ass serious. I used to try to tear the cover off the ball every time I shot it. Full power. We weren’t hitting R1, bro. No finesse shot. I didn’t have the new FIFA. I didn’t have a Playstation. I wasn’t playing around. I was trying to kill you.”

In an age when kids are just busy growing up, he had the courage to set himself a mission – to become the BEST football player in Belgian history. Too ludicrous is it? Not too bad for a 12yr old. His mission got him 76 goals in 34 matches by the time he turned a dozen years old.

Romelu’s goal was play in the national team by the time was 16. He was only 11 days late. His mission had finally started to see daylight. He literally worked his ass off to make good on the silent promise a 6yr old made to his mom standing in front of the refrigerator, filling the milk bottle with water because they were broke.

This courage to not give up – it takes insane effort. Let me tell you why. It is easy to give up because that’s the momentum, that’s your current state. You won’t probably lose much more but will gain everything by deciding to not give up just one more day; by deciding to play your every match like it’s your world cup final!

(Read: 3 Successful athlete stories of perseverance )

These are just three of the many stories of brave men, women, and kids that I have come across. It’s their doggedness that gets them through the invisible finish line of life; that gets them through all odds.

What’s the ingredient for this insanity, this ability to not give up?

It’s not rocket science really. Nor does one need to inculcate the bravery of a soldier. Being courageous mostly includes making that choice everyday – that something else is more important than your fear.

(Image courtesy: Peak Performance MMA)

That’s about it. Nothing Else. Hope you find it in you to always do the RIGHT thing!

P. S – Do share your courage stories. Would love to hear from you about your real life heroes.

P. P. S – Dedicating this post to all the brave soldiers of the Indian military who choose to put their own selves on the line of fire every day. Their courage is beyond words.

Lots of love, Akash Gautam

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World’s Top Corporate Organizations including 30+ of the NIFTY-50 companies in India trust Akash as their Keynote Motivational Speaker. India’s premier colleges like IIMs, IITs, SRCC too go to him whenever they need a refreshing, big bang impact. Write to us to know how he can transform your Team.

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• October 17, 2018

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Who Needs Courage? You Do!

• Devotional , Share Your Faith

Courage is the “perfect sensibility of the measure of danger and a mental willingness to endure it.”

General William T. Sherman’s quote reflects the fact that courage can coexist with fear but doesn’t have to cave into it. It’s what keeps the other virtues from crumbling under the pressure of life’s challenges.

When you sacrifice self-interest for the sake of something greater, you exercise your courage muscles.

Courage Isn’t a Magic Trick

Bravery requires practice. It’s not enough to see it in other people and admire it.

You have to make daring, bold choices of your own. If you shrink in fear every time there's a chance to share your faith, stand up for what’s right or face your sin, courage won’t get a chance to develop.

As a follower of Christ, your life gives you the opportunity to build courage. It may be at school, work or even the corner market — at some point, you’ll be faced with a choice. The motivation to grow closer to God and mature in your faith will pull you away from cowardice and compromise. It will push you toward courage.

Jesus Gets Between You and Your Fears

Courage and faith are intertwined.

When you see heroism in the Bible, it’s fueled by faith. Believing God and believing His promises emboldens His people. When Jesus told His disciples to “be of good cheer,” He challenged fear and summoned them to courage. He assured them that they were safe with Him, and His presence was constant.

The most convincing argument Jesus offers in support of courage is Himself.

You’ll see this over and over when you look at Peter’s life:

• Jesus was there to pull him up when he sank into the sea (Matthew 14:22-33).
• When Peter brashly vowed his willingness to die with Jesus, He was there to warn him that a test of his faith was coming (Matthew 26:31-35).
• When he needed assurance and encouragement after denying Jesus, Christ was there to restore and motivate him (John 21).
• After Pentecost, Peter walked in the Spirit — healing, preaching and boldly confessing the power of Christ when threatened by those who opposed Him (Acts 3-4).    

The Cru devotional, “ Why Courage Matters ,” takes a close look at the topic of courage and why it’s desperately needed in a Christian’s life. It also offers a way to evaluate your current supply of bravery and take practical steps to build up what you have.

Sign up below to join us for a 7-day email series on courage.

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Courage , also called fortitude , is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty or intimidation. It can be divided into "physical courage" — in face of physical pain, hardship, and threat of death — and "moral courage" — in the face of shame, scandal, and discouragement.

Arranged alphabetically by author or source: A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · J · K · L · M · N · O · P · Q · R · S · T · U · V · W · X · Y · Z · Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations · Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895) · See also · External links

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• Variant: Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities, because, as has been said, 'it is the quality which guarantees all others.' Winston Churchill , Great Contemporaries , "Alfonso XIII" (1937).
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• Clare Boothe Luce , Reader's Digest (May 1979).
• Nelson Mandela , Long Walk to Freedom (1995).
• George R. R. Martin , A Game of Thrones , Bran (I)—Bran and Ned
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• Rollo May , Man's Search for Himself (1953), p. 192.
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• Tom Hanks as Chuck Noland in Cast Away (2000)
• Reinhold Niebuhr The Serenity Prayer (c. 1942).
• Kai Ozu, interpreted by Atsushi Hashimoto in Mahou Sentai Magiranger (2005), written by Jun Maekawa , Naruhisa Arakawa , Michiko Yokote and Akatsuki Yamatoya
• The burden which is well borne becomes light.
• Ovid , Amorum (16 BC), I. 2. 10.
• Jean-Luc Picard , Star Trek Generations (1994) story by Brannon Braga , Ronald D. Moore and Rick Berman
• Eddie Rickenbacker , as quoted in Quote Unquote (1977) compiled by Lloyd Cory, p. 73.
• Eleanor Roosevelt , You Learn by Living (1960).
• J.K. Rowling , Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone ( Albus Dumbledore ).
• Carl Sagan , Cosmos . New York: Random House. 1980. LCC QB44.2.S235 . ISBN 0394502949 .   , p. 193.
• Walter Scott , Lady of the Lake (1810), Canto V, Stanza 10.
• William Shakespeare , Richard III (c. 1591), Act V, scene iv.
• William Shakespeare , Hamlet (1600-02), Act IV, scene 7, line 29.
• William Shakespeare , Henry IV , Part I (c. 1597), Act I, scene 3, line 198.
• William Shakespeare , Henry VI , Part III (c. 1591), Act II, scene 2, line 17.
• William Shakespeare , Henry VI , Part III (c. 1591), Act V, scene 4, line 37.
• William Shakespeare , Julius Caesar (1599), Act II, scene 2.
• William Shakespeare , Macbeth (1605), Act I, scene 7, line 59.
• William Shakespeare , Macbeth (1605), Act I, scene 7.
• William Shakespeare , King John (1598), Act II, scene 1, line 80.
• William Shakespeare , Love's Labour's Lost (c. 1595-6), Act V, scene 2, line 85.
• William Shakespeare , Much Ado About Nothing (1598-99), Act I, scene 1, line 13.
• William Shakespeare , Troilus and Cressida (c. 1602), Act I, scene 3, line 51.
• Sanu Sharma , Tee Saat Din pp.93
• Florence Scovel Shinn , from her book The Game of Life (and How to Play it) (1925).
• Tobias Smollett , The Regicide (1749), Act II, scene vii.
• Nassim Nicholas Taleb , The Bed of Procrustes: Philosophical and Practical Aphorisms (2010) Fooled by Randomness, p.57.
• James Thomson , The Seasons , Summer (1727), line 1,516
• Mark Twain , Pudd'nhead Wilson , Chapter 12 (1894).
• Allen West , "I'd like to see MORE football player protests — NOT less" (27 September 2017)
• Charles Wilson , The Anatomy of Courage (1967).
• Roger Zelazny , The Moment of the Storm in The Doors of His Face, The Lamps of His Mouth, and Other Stories (1971), p. 199 (originally published in Fantasy & Science Fiction , June 1966)

Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations [ edit ]

• Robert Blair , The Grave , Part I, line 58.
• Robert Browning , Epilogue. Asolando.
• Joseph Chamberlain , speech at Southwick (Jan. 15, 1906).
• Cicero , The Tusculan Disputations , Book III, Chapter VII. Yonge's translation.
• Ralph Waldo Emerson , Society and Solitude , Courage.
• George Farquhar , Love and a Bottle . Part of dedication to the Lord Marquis of Carmarthen.
• Robert Greene , Worth of Wit .
• J. C. and A. W. Hare, Guesses at Truth .
• Aaron Hill , Verses Written on a Window .
• Homer , The Iliad , Book V, line 663. Bryant's translation.
• The man who is just and resolute will not be moved from his settled purpose, either by the misdirected rage of his fellow citizens, or by the threats of an imperious tyrant.
• Horace , Carmina , III. 3. 1.
• Inscription on the Gates of Busyrane.
• We can never be certain of our courage until we have faced danger.
• François de La Rochefoucauld , Premier Supplément , 42.
• Henry Wadsworth Longfellow , Morituri Salutamus .
• James Russell Lowell , To W. L. Garrison , Stanza 5.
• Matthew, XIV. 27.
• John Milton , Sonnet , To Cyriack Skinner .
• Courage conquers all things: it even gives strength to the body.
• Ovid , Epistolæ Ex Ponto , II. 7. 75.
• It does not matter a feather whether a man be supported by patron or client, if he himself wants courage.
• Plautus , Mostellaria , II. 1. 64.
• Courage in danger is half the battle.
• Plautus , Pseudolus , I. 5. 37.
• Not only does the bull attack its foe with its crooked horns, but the injured sheep will fight its assailant.
• Sextus Propertius , Elegiæ , II. 5. 19.
• Sir Walter Raleigh , the night before he died. Bayley's Life of Raleigh, p. 157.
• It is in great dangers that we see great courage.
• Jean-François Regnard , Le Légataire .
• Jesus , attributed by Mary in the Berlin Codex , Gospel of Mary , Chapter 4 [1]
• Bertrand Russell , Education and the Social Order (1932), p. 112.
• Courage leads to heaven; fear, to death.
• Seneca the Younger , Hercules Œtæus , LXXI.
• Fortune can take away riches, but not courage.
• Seneca the Younger , Medea , CLXXVI.
• Grave was the man in years, in looks, in word, His locks were gray, yet was his courage green.
• Torquato Tasso , Gerusalemme , I. 53.
• Whatever chance shall bring, we will bear with equanimity.
• Terence , Phormio , I. 2. 88.

Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers (1895) [ edit ]

• Phillips Brooks , p. 165.
• James F. Clarke , p. 166.
• James F. Clarke , p. 167.
• Charles Caleb Colton , p. 253.
• John Flavel , p. 166.
• James Hamilton , p. 253.
• Felicia Hemans , p. 253.
• Josiah Gilbert Holland , p. 166.
• Elias Lyman Magoon , p. 253.
• John McClellan Holmes , p. 165.
• Menander , p. 167.
• Dwight L. Moody , p. 166.
• Plutarch , p. 166.
• Samuel Rutherford , p. 165.
• Samuel Rutherford , p. 253.
• Laurence Sterne , p. 166.

See also [ edit ]

External links [ edit ].

Virtues Altruism • Asceticism • Beneficence • Benevolence • Bravery • Carefulness • Charity • Cheerfulness • Cleanliness • Common sense • Compassion • Constancy • Courage • Dignity • Diligence • Discretion • Earnestness • Faith • Fidelity • Forethought • Forgiveness • Friendship • Frugality • Gentleness • Goodness • Grace • Gratitude • Holiness • Honesty • Honor • Hope • Hospitality • Humanity • Humility • Integrity • Intelligence • Justice • Kindness • Love • Loyalty • Mercy • Moderation • Modesty • Optimism • Patience • Philanthropy • Piety • Prudence • Punctuality • Poverty • Purity • Self-control • Simplicity • Sincerity • Sobriety • Sympathy • Temperance • Tolerance

Vices Aggression • Anger • Apathy • Arrogance • Bigotry • Contempt • Cowardice • Cruelty • Dishonesty • Drunkenness • Egotism • Envy • Evil speaking • Gluttony • Greed • Hatred • Hypocrisy • Idleness • Ignorance • Impatience • Impenitence • Ingratitude • Inhumanity • Intemperance • Jealousy • Laziness • Lust • Malice • Neglect • Obstinacy • Philistinism • Prejudice • Pretension • Pride • Recklessness • Self-righteousness • Selfishness • Superficiality • Tryphé • Unkindness • Usury • Vanity • Worldliness

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3 Inspiring Short Stories about Courage for You to become Fearless in Life

What is Courage? Many of us would answer Fearless.

But the correct answer would be,  Ability to take action even if you have fear.

We all need the courage to start things we pursue. At the start, if we think about the result, we will go into the fear zone.

But courage helps us overcome fear and makes us attempt things we were scared of before.

Being courageous in our life gives us the power to chase our dreams and increase our belief in our abilities despite being surrounded by fear.

We have three inspiring short stories about the courage to become fearless in life. 

#1. Short Stories about Courage – Get out of the Crowd and Reach New Heights

Image Source: Giampaolo Mastro from  Pixabay  

John and his friends used to go mountain climbing once every year. This time they have decided to climb mountains in the Swiss Alps.

They reached the famous mountain spot in the Swiss Alps and were surprised to see many people climbing the mountains.

John and his friends started wearing all the mountain climbing gear and started climbing. In no time, they reached the top of the hill.

After reaching there, friends decided to camp there.

Then John saw another mountain where only a handful of people were trying to climb it.

He told his friends, “Let us go and climb that mountain also. It will be fun and challenging instead of camping here.”

A friend replied, “No way, I have heard people talking about that mountain. It seems the path is difficult to climb, and only a few people can able to climb.”

People nearby hearing the conversation made fun of John and said, “If it was easy to climb, why we were sitting idle here.”

Hearing them, John took that as a challenge and went alone towards climbing the peak.

Two hours later, he reached the top of the hill. People who were already there welcomed John with a round of applause.

John was happy having climbed the peak. He could see the beautiful views of nature from the top.

He started a conversation with people and asked them, “While climbing this peak, I felt it was not so difficult. Then why only a handful of people here?

If people could climb the below peak, they can climb here also if they put in some effort.”

A veteran climber replied, “Most people in the crowd right there are happy with what they find easy. They never think that they have the potential to achieve more.

Even people who are not happy there do not want to take any risk. They think if we take risks, they will lose what they already have.

But to reach a new peak, we need to put in our effort.

Many of them do not show any courage, and they remain part of the crowd the whole life.

And keep complaining about the handful of courageous people and call them lucky.”

Hearing this, John thanked the veteran for explaining the importance of courage in our life.

Moral of the story

In our life, many of us stay in our comfort zone. But to achieve something big, we need effort and courage.

We should never stop, have the courage to push ourselves out of the crowd. 

Focus on moving to the handful of people, whom the people called  Courageous People.

#2. Short Stories about Courage – Father to the Rescue

Image Source: Jérémie Crausaz on Unsplash

One late evening, Azhar was getting ready for the jog in the park. He asked his wife, “Where is our daughter?”

She replied, “She went to meet her friend.”

Azhar, “Okay, call her to come home early. I am going jogging now.”

He started jogging in the park. Suddenly he heard screaming from the bushes. He stopped and listened to the screaming.

It was the voice of a girl. Then he heard the voice of a man. It looks like the girl is in danger.

He continuously heard the sounds of fighting and muttering.

Azhar was hesitant to get involved and worried about his safety. He was thinking about calling the police.

As he was thinking about his safety, he could feel the voice going down.

He realized that he should act quickly to save the girl.

Azhar took courage and started running towards the bushes. As he was running, he could feel some transformation in his body.

He jumped over the bushes and pulled the man off from the girl.

He started punching the face of the attacker. The man was not able to bear the punches of Azhar. He pushed Azhar onto the ground and ran away.

Immediately Azhar stood up and went near the girl hiding behind the bushes. Since it was late in the evening, he could not see the face of the girl. He can hear only the shivering of the girl.

He said, “Do not worry, the man had run away. You are safe to come out now.”

Then she immediately came out running towards him and started crying, “Dad.”

She was the daughter of Azhar.

There will be difficult situations where we need action to manage them.

If we do not show any courage, the consequences will be painful.

So, have the courage to fight, whatever the situation.

#3. Short Stories about Courage – Master and the Coward Student

Image Source: Cory Schadt on Unsplash

Once there was a man in a village. He was called by villagers a coward because of his lack of courage.

The man then decided to change himself.

So, he visited a spiritual master in his village to teach him courage and bravery.

Master said, “I am ready to teach you but on one condition. You need to go and live in a big city for one month.

And during the stay, tell every person you meet there, You are a coward.

When you tell, you have to say it loudly, openly, and look straight into the eyes of the person.

After that, come back here.”

The man returned home and was thinking about the task. He was scared. He kept on thinking about it for some days.

Then he decided to travel to the city instead of living his entire life as a coward, which is unbearable.

In the initial days in the city, he could not talk to anyone.

Whenever he tried, he could not see the face and talk, or sometimes no words came out of his mouth.

He felt like he is going to die out of fear.

As the days passed, he pushed himself to finish the task.

He started talking to people.

As every passing day, his voice sounded louder, his eye contact with the person improved. His body was responding without any shivering.

One day he felt that he was not scared anymore to talk to people. Then he continued doing the task till the end of the month.

He returned to his village and met his Master.

He said, “Master, I finished the task. Now I do not have fear. I feel I can do anything with courage.

But I have one question.

What made you think this task will help me overcome cowardice?”

Master replied, “Being a coward is a habit. If you want to come out of this habit, you have to do things that scare you.

That is what you did. As a result, you have replaced your cowardice with the habit of courage.

So, similarly, if you have any bad habit that you want to change. Replace the bad habit with a good one.”

Moral of the story:

To overcome cowardice and fear, we should move out of our comfort zone and face it upfront.

To throw out any bad habits, we should replace them with good habits. And it may not happen immediately. We should take our time and work on it.

Once we have courage, we can accomplish anything in life.

Do you like these Short Stories about Courage? Share now for more reach!

More stories to Read: 

3 Inspiring Short Stories on Faith to Make You Trust Yourself

3 Inspiring Short Stories about Hope to Power Your Life

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Dante’s Divine Comedy: Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso — Made Easy

Exploring Dante's Divine Comedy

The Divine Comedy, or 'La Divina Commedia,' is a narrative poem by the Italian poet Dante Alighieri. He was a philosopher and theologist involved with religion and political issues in medieval Florence, his hometown. He started writing The Divine Comedy in 1308 and finished it in 1321. Dante's encounter with his great love, Beatrice took place in 1274, and her influence on his life and work is immeasurable. He immortalized her in La Vita Nuova (1292) and The Divine Comedy, ensuring that her legacy would live on through his words.

In the Middle Ages, poetry was primarily written in Latin, which made it available solely to the educated. Dante Alighieri chose to ignore this tradition and write The Divine Comedy in a more primitive version of the Italian language—the Tuscan dialect. The work is regarded as a comedy because, in a classical context, as opposed to a contemporary one, a comedy is a work that deals with explaining the beliefs of an ordered universe. The Divine Comedy is considered one of the most important pieces of world literature. Many writers and artists were so greatly inspired by it that, in turn, they created their own masterpieces.

The epic poem, The Divine Comedy, is about the author's journey towards God. It has three parts: Inferno (Hell), Purgatorio (Purgatory), and Paradiso (Heaven). Each part consists of thirty-three cantos. This division reflects the medieval theology specific to Christianity. The purpose of Dante's Divine Comedy was to show people the horrors their souls would go through if they did not obey God's laws and did not live righteously.

There is a lot of symbolism in connection with numbers throughout the novel. The number three is one of the most common and important ones. In Inferno, the first part of The Divine Comedy, we encounter three beasts, a three-headed dog—Cerberus, and a three-faced Satan. Dante Alighieri chose the number three because of its significance in Christianity: there is a Holy Spirit, God—the Father, and Jesus (the three godheads). Another number significant to The Divine Comedy is seven. There are seven deadly sins and seven terraces in Purgatorio. Lastly, the number nine is used for the nine circles of Hell and the nine spheres in Heaven.

In this article, our psychology essay writing service will take a detailed look at all of the parts of the poem, paying major attention to Dante's Inferno book. We will analyze the main characters and their significance to the plot. Meanwhile, you might also be interested in discovering SYMBOLISM and effective ways to use it in your writing.

Dante’s Divine Comedy Summary

Let's go through a quick rundown of what is the Divine Comedy about. In Dante’s Inferno, he finds himself lost in the forest. Virgil helps him on his journey, accompanying him throughout Inferno and Purgatorio. He encounters the horrors within Inferno and goes through its nine circles. We will take a closer look at each of the circles of hell, determine their specifics and differences, and look at Dante’s Inferno—Satan himself.

Purgatorio is a part of The Divine Comedy in which Dante and Virgil travel through the seven mountain terraces, each representing a deadly sin.

In Paradiso, the main character's beloved Beatrice guides Dante through the nine celestial spheres of Heaven. The final part of Dante's poem differs from Inferno and Purgatorio in that the protagonist encounters virtues, not sins. As a result, the poem concludes on a happy note, which provides an explanation for why is it called the divine comedy.

Don’t forget that if you want a more profound discussion of the poem, send us your pay someone to write my paper request to get professional writing help in no time! Meanwhile, let’s dive deeper into the book.

Inferno Summary

The first part of The Divine Comedy begins with Dante lost in a forest. He is confused and does not know how he got there:

Canto 2 “When I had journeyed half of our life’s way, I found myself within a shadowed forest, for I had lost the path that does not stray.”

Dante is the protagonist and main character in all three parts of the poem. His journey is an autobiographical portrayal where he includes many of his enemies and historical figures of the past to intervene in the complicated world of Heaven and Hell. He is spiritually lost and needs guidance to find the way of righteousness to God—called the 'True Way.' When he goes through the circles of Hell, he is often portrayed as having pity and compassion for the sinners. He realizes that they are guilty of their sins, but he still believes in the good in them and finds their suffering devastating. He is also terrified by all the horrors he encounters in Inferno and seems slightly frightened. Though Dante is very curious, he attempts to talk with many sinners along his way.

Canto 28 “Who, though with words unshackled from the rhymes, Could yet tell full the tale of wounds and blood Now shown me, let him try ten thousand times?”

This quote from Dante’s Inferno shows the vulnerability and sensitivity with which the protagonist speaks of his emotions throughout the journey. His compassion and love for the poor souls chained in Dante’s Inferno show him as a good Christian and God-fearing man.

In the forest, he sees a mountain nearby and tries to climb it, but a lion, a leopard, and a wolf block his path. The spirit of Virgil, an Ancient Roman poet whose major work is titled Aenid, comes to help him get through this obstacle and lead him through Inferno and Purgatorio to Heaven. Virgil is a brave soul. He represents human reason and wisdom acquired throughout the ages. On their journey through Inferno, they meet many beasts and scary creatures, but Virgil stands up to every one of them. He is also incredibly smart and intelligent; he can trick any creature into helping them because he is a gifted speaker. He is a good friend as he supports Dante and comforts him when he feels scared or uneasy about his challenges throughout Inferno and Purgatorio. Virgil understands that Dante and his fate are dependent on him. Despite this, he is fair to Dante, scolds him when he gets too soft, and pities the sinners too much. He encourages him to be strong and brave:

Canto 5 “Be as a tower, that, firmly set, Shakes not its top for any blast that blows!”

Virgil was sent to help Dante by Beatrice, his beloved. Her character was inspired by a real woman named Beatrice, whom Dante met when he was a child and instantly fell in love with. Unfortunately, she died when she was only 25. Dante wrote many beautiful poems dedicated to her, praising her beauty and love.

Dante and Virgil approach the entrance to Inferno and see a group of souls whose fate will later be determined, as it is not clear whether there is more bad or good they have committed. To get to Hell, one must cross the river Acheron. Charon is an old man who takes souls across the river. He is hesitant to transport Dante at first because, technically, he is still alive, but Virgil convinces him to do so anyway because Dante’s journey is overseen by God. When they enter Inferno, they see an inscription on its gate:

Canto 3 "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."

First Circle – Limbo

The first circle consists not of sinners but people who are not baptized; either they lived before Christ when baptism had not yet spread or never got baptized. They reside in a castle with seven gates, symbols of the seven virtues. Technically, it is an inferior form of Heaven where pagans are stuck and punished for eternity. Dante and Virgil meet many Greek and Roman philosophers, poets, and artists, such as Homer, Ovid, Socrates, Cicero, and even Julius Cesar. Virgil is one of them, which he explains in the following quote:

Canto 4 “They sinned not; yet their merit lacked its chiefest Fulfillment, lacking baptism, which is The gateway to the faith which thou believest; Or, living before Christendom, their knees Paid not aright those tributes that belong To God; and I myself am one of these.”

Second Circle – Lust

The second circle has a more traditional appearance of Hell. It is dark, full of screaming noises and suffering. Near the entrance to the second circle stands Minos, a huge beast who decides where souls should be sent for torment. The second circle holds people who were lustful throughout their lives. They are punished by strong winds blown over them, throwing them back and forth. These winds symbolize the restlessness and instability of people guilty of lust. Dante and Virgil notice many people of Greek and Roman antiquity, mythology, and history—such as Cleopatra, Tristan, and Helen of Troy. Among other sinners punished for lust, they meet the souls of Paolo and Francesca da Rimini—a couple condemned to Hell for their adultery and numerous love affairs. Francesca explains:

Canto 5 "Love, which quickly arrests the gentle heart, Seized him with my beautiful form That was taken from me, in a manner which still grieves me.”

Dante, so touched and devastated by their story, faints. When he wakes, he realizes that he has already arrived in the third circle of Hell.

Third Circle – Gluttony

In the third circle of Hell, Dante and Virgil encounter souls whose sin is gluttony. A worm monster, Cerberus, watches over them. They are punished with icy, slushy rain that pours all over them without stopping. They cannot stand, so the slushy water covers their bodies as they lie. The slushy rain symbolizes personal destruction and the inability to stop eating. People in this circle of Inferno have a weak will and cannot resist the earthly pleasures of indulgence—food and drinks. Here, the protagonist meets the soul of Ciacco, his political opponent from Florence.

Fourth Circle – Greed

The fourth circle of Dante’s Inferno is guarded by Pluto, a Roman god of the underworld who is also regarded as the God of wealth. Here, the sinners are divided into two groups: those who hoarded their possessions and those who spent sumptuously. Their punishment is pushing heavy weights up a mountain—mostly boulders, which symbolizes their lust for never-ending money and possessions. There, Dante recognizes many people he is familiar with, such as clergymen, popes, and cardinals—all of whom have been greedy throughout their lifetimes.

Fifth Circle – Anger

In this circle of hell, Dante and Virgil encounter people guilty of wrath and fury. Those found guilty of being angry and impatient are immersed in the river Styx or simply are forced to fight among each other on its surface. They gurgle the water of the river, struggle, and drown. The water is made up of a black toxic liquid, leaving them to suffer. Dante encounters another political enemy, Filippo Argenti, who confiscated his possessions when he was banished from Florence. He tries to climb up into a boat but gets pushed away.

Phlegyas is the boatman who helps Dante and Virgil get across this river. A group of fallen angels stops them. Furies threaten to summon Medusa so that she can turn Dante into stone because he does not belong in the world of the dead. An angel arrives and opens the gate before Medusa can get to them.

Sixth Circle – Heresy

The sixth circle of Inferno is for heretics – people with contrary opinions to Christian beliefs. There, they lie in tombs that burn them alive. Dante talks with Farinata degli Uberti, a political leader, and his contemporaries, who did not believe in God. He also sees Epicurus, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, and Pope Anastasius II.

Seventh Circle – Violence

The passage to the seventh circle is blocked by a Minotaur—half-man, half-bull. Virgil insults him, and the minotaur bursts into a violent outrage, letting Dante and Virgil sneak past him. The seventh circle of Hell of Dante’s Inferno is divided into three rings. Nessus is a centaur who carries the protagonist through the first ring. In this circle, they see a forest inhabited by harpies – mythological creatures with birds’ bodies and women’s heads. Dante tears a branch from a tree that shrieks in horror and pain. The tree turns out to be the soul of Pier della Vigna. He ended his life because he was accused of conspiracy against the emperor. They blinded him for treason and threw him into jail, where he killed himself. He explains that all the souls who commit suicide are kept in the seventh circle and become trees. There, their leaves are eaten by harpies, which causes the trees much pain.

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To get from the seventh to the eighth circle of Inferno, Virgil and Dante get help from Geryon – a giant Monster of the Fraud. He has a dragon-like body and wings, the paws of a lion, and a human face.

Eighth Circle – Fraud

This circle is divided into ten Bolgias – ditches with bridges between them, placed around a circular well. Malacoda is the leader who guards the entrance to the eighth circle of Hell. He lies and deceives both the poet and Virgil by telling them that there are bridges in this circle and that they have nothing to worry about. Nonetheless, their path is very dangerous. Each Bolgia has different kinds of people who sin is a fraud:

Canto 11 “Of all malicious wrong that earns Heaven's hate The end is injury; all such ends are won Either by force or fraud. Both perpetrate Evil to others; but since man alone Is capable of fraud, God hates that worst; The fraudulent lie lowest, then, and groan”

They encounter panderers, seducers, sorcerers, false prophets, corrupt politicians, hypocrites, thieves, evil counselors and advisers, alchemists, counterfeits, and perjurers. Pope Boniface VIII, Dante’s political enemy, is among the sinners they meet in this circle. In the journey from the eighth to the ninth of Dante’s Inferno circles of Hell, they get help from Antaeus, a giant who carries them down the well, which is the path to the ninth and final circle of Hell.

Ninth Circle – Treachery

This circle is made up of a lake – Cocytus. The sinners here are submerged in ice; only their heads stick out. Dante sees Bocca degli Abati, a Florentine traitor, who is so ashamed of his sins, he does not want to tell Dante his name at first. As Dante and Virgil proceed through the lake, they see the giant figure of Lucifer, also stuck in ice. Lucifer is the Prince of Hell. He has three mouths, and in each of them, he holds a sinner: Judas, Brutus, and Cassius:

Canto 34 “Each mouth devoured a sinner clenched within, Frayed by the fangs like flax beneath a brake; Three at a time he tortured them for sin.”

In order to get out of Inferno, Dante and Virgil must climb Lucifer’s body. They manage to crawl out of the hole and find themselves on an island where they see a lot of bright stars and Mt. Purgatory. This ends Dante’s Inferno book.

Purgatorio Summary

At the beginning of the second part of The Divine Comedy, Dante and Virgil find themselves at the dawn of a new day. They stand at the shore and see a boat arrive. On the boat are souls brought by an angel who will climb Mount Purgatory - created by the displacement of rock which resulted when Satan's fall created Hell, along with Dante, to rid themselves of sins and proceed to Heaven. Dante cannot waste any time, but he is forced to spend the night outside of Purgatory with other souls, who, unlike him, cannot travel at night. Dante falls asleep, and when he wakes up, Virgil tells him that St. Lucia helped him and carried him straight to the gates of Purgatory.

In Purgatory, they have seven terraces to journey through. Before they enter, an angel puts the seven 'P's on Dante's forehead. They correspond to the seven deadly sins. The angel says that every time a terrace of sin is surpassed, a 'P' will be removed.

The first terrace is of Pride. There, the pilgrim Dante and Virgil see penitents carry heavy weights up the mountain of humility to cure them of their pride:

Canto 10 “Whatever makes them suffer their heavy torment bends them to the ground; at first I was unsure of what they were. But look intently there, and let your eyes unravel what’s beneath those stones: you can already see what penalty strikes each.”

The second terrace is dedicated to Envy. The envious penitents there are treated with their eyelids sewn shut with iron wire. Voices shout examples of punished envy to intensify the effect.

The third terrace has to do with Wrath. The penitents here are treated with black smoke that gets into their eyes and makes them blind.

The fourth terrace is of the Slothful. They are punished by running without stopping or any rest.

On the fifth terrace, they punish greedy and avaricious souls. The punished are tied by their feet and arms, face down on the ground. To rid themselves of these sins, they must shout examples of poverty and generosity.

The sixth terrace is dedicated to Gluttony. Here, penitents clean their souls by experiencing extreme hunger and thirst.

The seventh and final terrace is of Lust, where the penitents walk in flames and shout out examples of virtue.

At sunset, they reach the exit of the last terrace, and Dante's last 'P' is removed by the angel. To proceed, he must go through a wall of flames that separates Purgatorio and Paradiso. He is very scared and hesitates, but Virgil convinces him to cheer up and be brave because he will finally see Beatrice once he is through this obstacle. When Dante passes through the flames, he falls asleep. He wakes up the following morning, ready to start his journey through Paradiso. They approach the banks of the river Lethe, and suddenly, Virgil disappears, and instead, Beatrice appears in front of the protagonist. He is devastated by the loss of his friend and grieves.

Beatrice is portrayed as Dante's guide through Purgatorio. She is very knowledgeable, a little strict, and obviously believes in the good in Dante. She believes that this trip will save his soul and grant him salvation. She is a personification of divine knowledge, wisdom, and good, righteous judgment.

Dante confesses to Beatrice all of his sins. She judges him for them and expresses her disappointment in this quote:

Canto 2 “What trenches did you meet, what chains or rope Did you find barring you from passing on, That you should have divested all your hope?”

A woman named Matilda washes them off in the river Lethe when Dante falls asleep. When he wakes up, Beatrice tells him that he can proceed under one condition: he has to write about everything he sees in Paradiso when he returns to Earth.

Then, Matilda submerges Dante in the river Eunoe, which makes him ready to ascend to Heaven alongside Beatrice.

Read also our articles on how to write a process essay and character analysis example - one of the difficult types of essays, they may be of interest to you.

Paradiso Summary

Paradiso consists of nine spheres:

• The first sphere is the Moon. Beatrice explains to Dante the structure of the universe. She says the Moon is the home for souls that broke their vows. Their words lacked courage and could not be trusted.
• The second sphere is Mercury. There, Dante and Beatrice meet Justinian, who explains the history of Ancient Rome. This sphere is situated too close to the Sun; it represents those who did good deeds for fame and glory.
• The third sphere is Venus. There, Dante encounters Charles Martel of Anjou. He talks to Dante about the importance of societal diversity and improving its function by including people with different backgrounds.
• The fourth sphere is the sphere of the Sun. There, St. Thomas, along with another eleven souls, explains to Dante the importance of not judging hastily and being aware of prudence.
• The fifth heavenly sphere is Mars. It has to do with warriors who died for their faith and God. There, Dante meets Cacciaguida, who tells him about the noble past of Florentines, and Dante’s mission in delivering all the knowledge he has gained on his journey to Florence and its citizens.
• The sixth sphere is Jupiter. It is a place of kings who display justice. A giant eagle speaks to Dante of divine justice and the rulers of the past, such as Constantine and Trajan.
• The seventh level of heaven is the sphere of Saturn. It is dedicated to those who live by temperance and pray vigorously. He witnesses people who climb up and down a golden ladder. Here, Dante meets St. Peter Damian, who lectures him on clergy corruption and predestination. They discuss the moral decline of the institute of the church.
• The eighth level is called the Fixed Stars. Dante and Beatrice find the Virgin Mary and other Biblical characters, such as Adam, John, Peter, and James. They explain to Dante the complexities of Heaven and Eden.
• The ninth sphere is known as the Premium Mobile. It is controlled by God specifically and therefore affects all the lower spheres accordingly. It is the place where angels live. Beatrice explains to Dante the story of the creation of the universe and angels’ lives. They slowly ascend to Empyrean, the highest place in heaven. Once they get there, Dante becomes covered in light, allowing him to see God and the Holy Trinity.

After his journey has ended, Dante realizes that God’s love is eternal. He now fully understands the mystery of the Incarnation. The answer is blessed upon Dante by God’s hand, and now he fully grasps the complete picture of the world.

Dante’s Divine Comedy is a complex work of art, but how is Dante's divine comedy an example of humanist art exactly? Well, to at least say, it takes the reader through the nine circles of Hell, the seven terraces of Purgatory, and the nine spheres of Paradise. Each part of the journey is full of dead souls who suffer trying to rid themselves of their sins or simply survive in the afterlife. It is filled with many historical figures and mystical and mythological creatures.

Perhaps you need help editing or a complete rewrite of a finished essay? Contact our essay rewriting service to get your task proofread and edited or to buy online essay .

Extra Academic Help

Having walked through the Divine Comedy summary, we can say that Dante fearlessly points out human weaknesses and explores human nature with a deep level of understanding. This masterpiece has had a significant impact on the development of European literature and continues to inspire and influence readers to this day. For those who have yet to read this work of art, it should be clear that it is a journey well worth taking.

And if you want to deepen your understanding of one of the greatest literary works in history, order your summary of the Divine Comedy PDF from our essay services today and receive an uncontested custom paper!

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Should college essays touch on race? Some feel the affirmative action ruling leaves them no choice

By COLLIN BINKLEY, ANNIE MA and NOREEN NASIR Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — When she started writing her college essay, Hillary Amofa told the story she thought admissions offices wanted to hear. About being the daughter of immigrants from Ghana and growing up in a small apartment in Chicago. About hardship and struggle.

Then she deleted it all.

“I would just find myself kind of trauma-dumping,” said the 18-year-old senior at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago. “And I’m just like, this doesn’t really say anything about me as a person.”

When the Supreme Court ended affirmative action in higher education, it left the college essay as one of few places where race can play a role in admissions decisions. For many students of color, instantly more was riding on the already high-stakes writing assignment. Some say they felt pressure to exploit their hardships as they competed for a spot on campus.

Amofa was just starting to think about her essay when the court issued its decision, and it left her with a wave of questions. Could she still write about her race? Could she be penalized for it? She wanted to tell colleges about her heritage but she didn’t want to be defined by it.

In English class, Amofa and her classmates read sample essays that all seemed to focus on some trauma or hardship. It left her with the impression she had to write about her life’s hardest moments to show how far she’d come. But she and some of her classmates wondered if their lives had been hard enough to catch the attention of admissions offices.

“For a lot of students, there’s a feeling of, like, having to go through something so horrible to feel worthy of going to school, which is kind of sad,” said Amofa, the daughter of a hospital technician and an Uber driver.

This year’s senior class is the first in decades to navigate college admissions without affirmative action . The Supreme Court upheld the practice in decisions going back to the 1970s, but this court’s conservative supermajority found it is unconstitutional for colleges to give students extra weight because of their race alone.

Still, the decision left room for race to play an indirect role: Chief Justice John Roberts wrote universities can still consider how an applicant’s life was shaped by their race, “so long as that discussion is concretely tied to a quality of character or unique ability.”

“A benefit to a student who overcame racial discrimination, for example, must be tied to that student’s courage and determination,” he wrote.

Scores of colleges responded with new essay prompts asking about students’ backgrounds. Brown University asked applicants how “an aspect of your growing up has inspired or challenged you.” Rice University asked students how their perspectives were shaped by their “background, experiences, upbringing, and/or racial identity.”

WONDERING IF SCHOOLS ‘EXPECT A SOB STORY’

When Darrian Merritt started writing his essay, he knew the stakes were higher than ever because of the court’s decision. His first instinct was to write about events that led to him going to live with his grandmother as a child.

Those were painful memories, but he thought they might play well at schools like Yale, Stanford and Vanderbilt.

“I feel like the admissions committee might expect a sob story or a tragic story,” said Merritt, a senior in Cleveland. “And if you don’t provide that, then maybe they’re not going to feel like you went through enough to deserve having a spot at the university. I wrestled with that a lot.”

He wrote drafts focusing on his childhood, but it never amounted to more than a collection of memories. Eventually he abandoned the idea and aimed for an essay that would stand out for its positivity.

Merritt wrote about a summer camp where he started to feel more comfortable in his own skin. He described embracing his personality and defying his tendency to please others. The essay had humor — it centered on a water gun fight where he had victory in sight but, in a comedic twist, slipped and fell. But the essay also reflects on his feelings of not being “Black enough” and getting made fun of for listening to “white people music.”

“I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to write this for me, and we’re just going to see how it goes,’” he said. “It just felt real, and it felt like an honest story.”

The essay describes a breakthrough as he learned “to take ownership of myself and my future by sharing my true personality with the people I encounter. … I realized that the first chapter of my own story had just been written.”

A RULING PROMPTS PIVOTS ON ESSAY TOPICS

Like many students, Max Decker of Portland, Oregon, had drafted a college essay on one topic, only to change direction after the Supreme Court ruling in June.

Decker initially wrote about his love for video games. In a childhood surrounded by constant change, navigating his parents’ divorce, the games he took from place to place on his Nintendo DS were a source of comfort.

But the essay he submitted to colleges focused on the community he found through Word is Bond, a leadership group for young Black men in Portland.

As the only biracial, Jewish kid with divorced parents in a predominantly white, Christian community, Decker wrote he constantly felt like the odd one out. On a trip with Word is Bond to Capitol Hill, he and friends who looked just like him shook hands with lawmakers. The experience, he wrote, changed how he saw himself.

“It’s because I’m different that I provide something precious to the world, not the other way around,” he wrote.

As a first-generation college student, Decker thought about the subtle ways his peers seemed to know more about navigating the admissions process . They made sure to get into advanced classes at the start of high school, and they knew how to secure glowing letters of recommendation.

If writing about race would give him a slight edge and show admissions officers a fuller picture of his achievements, he wanted to take that small advantage.

His first memory about race, Decker said, was when he went to get a haircut in elementary school and the barber made rude comments about his curly hair. Until recently, the insecurity that moment created led him to keep his hair buzzed short.

Through Word is Bond, Decker said he found a space to explore his identity as a Black man. It was one of the first times he was surrounded by Black peers and saw Black role models. It filled him with a sense of pride in his identity. No more buzzcut.

The pressure to write about race involved a tradeoff with other important things in his life, Decker said. That included his passion for journalism, like the piece he wrote on efforts to revive a once-thriving Black neighborhood in Portland. In the end, he squeezed in 100 characters about his journalism under the application’s activities section.

“My final essay, it felt true to myself. But the difference between that and my other essay was the fact that it wasn’t the truth that I necessarily wanted to share,” said Decker, whose top college choice is Tulane, in New Orleans, because of the region’s diversity. “It felt like I just had to limit the truth I was sharing to what I feel like the world is expecting of me.”

SPELLING OUT THE IMPACT OF RACE

Before the Supreme Court ruling, it seemed a given to Imani Laird that colleges would consider the ways that race had touched her life. But now, she felt like she had to spell it out.

As she started her essay, she reflected on how she had faced bias or felt overlooked as a Black student in predominantly white spaces.

There was the year in math class when the teacher kept calling her by the name of another Black student. There were the comments that she’d have an easier time getting into college because she was Black .

“I didn’t have it easier because of my race,” said Laird, a senior at Newton South High School in the Boston suburbs who was accepted at Wellesley and Howard University, and is waiting to hear from several Ivy League colleges. “I had stuff I had to overcome.”

In her final essays, she wrote about her grandfather, who served in the military but was denied access to GI Bill benefits because of his race.

She described how discrimination fueled her ambition to excel and pursue a career in public policy.

“So, I never settled for mediocrity,” she wrote. “Regardless of the subject, my goal in class was not just to participate but to excel. Beyond academics, I wanted to excel while remembering what started this motivation in the first place.”

WILL SCHOOLS LOSE RACIAL DIVERSITY?

Amofa used to think affirmative action was only a factor at schools like Harvard and Yale. After the court’s ruling, she was surprised to find that race was taken into account even at some public universities she was applying to.

Now, without affirmative action, she wondered if mostly white schools will become even whiter.

It’s been on her mind as she chooses between Indiana University and the University of Dayton, both of which have relatively few Black students. When she was one of the only Black students in her grade school, she could fall back on her family and Ghanaian friends at church. At college, she worries about loneliness.

“That’s what I’m nervous about,” she said. “Going and just feeling so isolated, even though I’m constantly around people.”

The first drafts of her essay focused on growing up in a low-income family, sharing a bedroom with her brother and grandmother. But it didn’t tell colleges about who she is now, she said.

Her final essay tells how she came to embrace her natural hair . She wrote about going to a mostly white grade school where classmates made jokes about her afro. When her grandmother sent her back with braids or cornrows, they made fun of those too.

Over time, she ignored their insults and found beauty in the styles worn by women in her life. She now runs a business doing braids and other hairstyles in her neighborhood.

“I stopped seeing myself through the lens of the European traditional beauty standards and started seeing myself through the lens that I created,” Amofa wrote.

“Criticism will persist, but it loses its power when you know there’s a crown on your head!”

Ma reported from Portland, Oregon.

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org .

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