It is common to fear a challenge or obstacle that stands in one's way, Nelson Mandela's quote, "I learned that courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear" reminds us that true courage is not a lack of fear, but rather the ability to overcome it. It is not about avoiding fear, but about facing it head on and prevailing. The short story “The Terror” by Junot Diaz is a great example of the quote. In the text it tells the story of the narrator as an adolescent boy and the paralyzing fear he faced in his youth after getting jumped by 3 boys from the opposite side of his district. The line "I couldn’t make myself walk toward them, I could barely even look at them, so I settled for standing still.” (Diaz 14.) Connects to the quote by emphasizing that …show more content…
In the interview Joseph McNeil said, “he took his night stick, and he thumped it in his hand in a threatening manner, but we continued to sit.” (Newsday 12.) illustrating that even in the face of danger Joseph and his friends continued their protest against the prejudice they faced even with the knowledge that the policeman very well could harm them, but they maintained their ground because they had the courage to stand up against actions that they believed to be wrong even if that meant having to overcome their fear. Furthermore, in the interview it is stated, “You stand there and take a slug in the face, or you’re hit with a pipe like the Freedom Riders. You needed strong faith to be able to handle that” (Newsday 20.) representing the courage one must have to be able to stand their ground, be able to take a hit and stand for what one believes in even in the face of fear