The school year has come to an end. It's time for exams for 11th grade students. As you know, in order to get a school certificate, you must pass two main exams: in mathematics and the Russian language. But also a few more items to choose from.
The nuances of essays in the Russian language on the exam
To get the maximum points for passing, you need to correctly write an essay, that is, the third part. In part "C" there are many topics for essays. The organizers of the exam offer written papers about friendship, love, childhood, motherhood, science, duty, honor, and so on. One of the most difficult topics is the problem of courage and resilience. You will find arguments for it in our article. But that's not all. Your attention is also offered a plan according to which you need to write an essay on the exam in Russian in grade 11.
Many authors wrote about the war. Only, unfortunately, these works, like many others, do not linger in the memory of children. We propose to recall the most striking works in which you can find examples of courage and feat.
The plan of the final essay on the exam in the Russian language
Checking teachers give a large number of points for an essay that has the correct composition. If you use our Courage Writing Plan, teachers will appreciate your work. But do not forget about literacy.
Remember that an essay in the Russian language on the unified state exam is significantly different from written works in social science, history and literature. It must be compositionally correct.
And we are moving on to a plan for a future essay on the problem of courage and steadfastness. The arguments will be given below.
1. Introduction. Why do you think it is needed? The thing is that the graduate needs to bring the inspector to the main problem that is considered in the text. As a rule, this is a small paragraph, consisting of 3-5 sentences on the topic.
2. Statement of the problem. In this part, the graduate writes that he identified the problem. Attention! When you indicate it, think carefully and find the arguments in the text (there are about 3 of them in the fragment).
3. Commentary of the graduate. In this paragraph, the student explains to the reader the problem of the read text, and also characterizes it. The volume of this paragraph - no more than 7 sentences.
5. Own point of view. At this point, the student must write whether he agrees with the author of the text or not. In any case, you need to justify your answer, in our case, on the issue of courage and perseverance. The arguments are given in the next paragraph.
6. Evidence from works of art or arguments from life. Most teachers insist that graduates give 2-3 arguments from works of fiction.
7. Conclusion. As a rule, it consists of 3 sentences. At this point, the task of the graduate is to conclude everything that has been said above, that is, to sum up a certain result. The conclusion will sound more effective if you complete the essay with a rhetorical question.
Many examinees note that the point of argumentation is the most difficult for them to give. Therefore, we have selected for you examples of courage in literature.
Mikhail Sholokhov. The story "The fate of man"
You can also show resilience in captivity. Soviet soldier Andrei Sokolov is captured. He then ends up in a death camp. One evening, the camp commandant calls him and invites him to raise a glass of vodka for the victory of fascist weapons. Sokolov refuses to do so. Among them was a drunk Muller. He offers the prisoner to drink for his own death.
Andrei agreed, took a glass and immediately drank it, without having a bite. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Paint me." The company of drunken German officers appreciated the courage and steadfastness. Argument #1 for your essay is ready. It should be noted that this story ended successfully for the captured soldier Sokolov.
Lev Tolstoy. Epic novel "War and Peace"
It was considered not only in the literature of the second half of the twentieth century, but also a century earlier. When we read this novel at literature lessons, we involuntarily became witnesses of the courage and stamina of the Russian people. Leo Tolstoy wrote that during the battle the command did not tell the soldiers what to do. Everything went by itself. Wounded soldiers were taken to medical aid stations, the bodies of the dead were carried behind the front line, and the ranks of the fighters closed again.
We see that people did not want to say goodbye to life. But they overcame fear, kept fighting spirit under flying bullets. This is where courage and perseverance are shown. Argument #2 is ready.
Boris Vasiliev. The story "The Dawns Here Are Quiet"
We continue to consider This time a lesson of courage will be demonstrated to readers by a brave girl during the Great Patriotic War. In this story, Boris Vasiliev writes about a detachment of girls who died, but still managed to win, because they did not let a single enemy warrior into their native land. This victory took place because they wholeheartedly and sincerely loved their Motherland.
Komelkova Evgenia - the heroine of the story. A young, strong and courageous girl from the fighters of the story. Comic and dramatic episodes are associated with her name. In her character, traits of benevolence and optimism, cheerfulness and confidence are manifested. But the most important feature is hatred of the enemy. It is she who attracts the attention of readers, arouses their admiration. Only Zhenya had the courage to call upon himself enemy fire in order to avert a deadly threat from the wounded Rita and Fedot. Not everyone can forget such a lesson in courage.
Boris Polevoy. "A Tale of a Real Man"
We present to your attention another bright work that tells about the Great Patriotic War, heroism and firmness of character of the Soviet pilot Maresyev.
In general, in the arsenal of Boris Polevoy there are many works where the author considers the problem of courage and steadfastness.
Arguments for writing:
In this story, the author writes about the Soviet pilot Maresyev. It so happened that he survived after a plane crash, but was left without legs. This did not prevent him from returning to life. The man put on prosthetic legs. Maresyev again returned to the cause of his life - to flying.
We have considered the problem of courage and perseverance. We have presented the arguments. Good luck on your exam!
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.
Courage and cowardice are most clearly manifested in people in difficult life situations, when it is necessary to make a decision on what to do, and in war. Let's look at some examples from the literature.
In the work of A.S. Pushkin " Captain's daughter» main character- Pyotr Grinev. He serves in the Belogorsk fortress. There are two young officers here. The second is Shvabrin. They act differently when the Pugachevites captured the fortress. In the face of death, Grinev boldly behaves. He is ready to die, but not to violate the oath to faithfully serve the Fatherland. But Shvabrin is not like that. To save his life, he goes to the service of Pugachev. Of course, who wants to die young. But it is in such situations that hidden human qualities are revealed: the best and the worst, courage and cowardice.
In the story of V. Bykov "Sotnikov" there are two main characters. They are also young and also face death: they fall into the clutches of enemies. Courageously keeps Sotnikov. Beaten, tormented, he does not agree to go to the service of the Nazis. Not only devotion to the Motherland lives in him, but, of course, courage. Courage, courage, loyalty to his native land help him to remain a man to the end. And what about the second - Rybak? He was already afraid when he left a comrade on the road, who alone was shooting with the policemen. And only the fear of the partisans made Rybak return. He was also afraid in the face of death: he agreed to go to the police to save his life, and even became an executioner: he knocked out a stool under the gallows on which Sotnikov stood. Courage and cowardice are most clearly manifested in war.
Speaking of courage and cowardice, one cannot help but recall the story of Boris Vasiliev "The Dawns Here Are Quiet." Five anti-aircraft gunners are sent with foreman Vaskov to detain a detachment of German saboteurs. Recall the episode in which it is told how Zhenya Komelkova goes to swim in the lake in order to force the Nazis, who are hiding on the other side, to go to the railway by a detour, to lose time. Was she scared at that moment? Of course, it's very scary. But Zhenya did a bold deed, she did not think about herself at that time. Behind her were comrades, in her heart lived devotion to her native land. And the brave Zhenya dies heroically: she leads the enemies away from her comrades, from her wounded girlfriend. And Galka Chetvertak? Is she the meanest? Then why is her name also engraved on a monument standing at the edge of the forest? She didn't die because she was scared. Just fear seized her when she saw enemies very close for the first time in her life. Let's not blame a very young girl for this, let's not say that she chickened out. Indeed, in war, adult men are also afraid of a lot, they just know how to overcome the feeling of fear.
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.
Courage and timidity are moral categories associated with the spiritual side of the personality. They are an indicator of human dignity, they demonstrate weakness, or vice versa, strength of character, which manifests itself in difficult life situations. Our history is rich in such ups and downs, so arguments in the direction of "Courage and cowardice" for the final essay are presented in abundance in Russian classics. Examples from Russian literature will help the reader figure out how and where courage manifests itself and fear comes out.
- In the novel by L.N. Tolstoy's "War and Peace" one of these situations is a war that puts the heroes before a choice: to give in to fear and save their own lives, or, defying danger, to preserve their fortitude. Andrei Bolkonsky in battle shows remarkable courage, he is the first to rush into battle to cheer up the soldiers. He knows that he can die in battle, but the fear of death does not frighten him. Desperately fighting in the war and Fedor Dolokhov. The feeling of fear is alien to him. He knows that a brave soldier can influence the outcome of the battle, so he bravely rushes into battle, despising
cowardice. But the young cornet Zherkov succumbs to fear and refuses to convey the order to retreat. The letter, which was never delivered to them, causes the death of many soldiers. The price for showing cowardice is prohibitively high. - Courage conquers time and perpetuates names. Cowardice is a shameful stain on the pages of history and literature.
In the novel by A.S. Pushkin's "The Captain's Daughter" an example of courage and courage is the image of Pyotr Grinev. He is ready to defend the Belogorsk fortress at the cost of his life under the onslaught of Pugachev, and the fear of death is alien to the hero at the moment of danger. A heightened sense of justice and duty does not allow him to escape or refuse the oath. Clumsy and petty in his motives, Shvabrin is presented in the novel as the antipode of Grinev. He goes over to the side of Pugachev, committing a betrayal. He is driven by fear for his own life, while the fate of other people means nothing to Shvabrin, who is ready to save himself by exposing another to a blow. His image entered the history of Russian literature as one of the archetypes of cowardice. - War reveals hidden human fears, the most ancient of which is the fear of death. In V. Bykov's story "The Crane Cry", the heroes face a seemingly impossible task: to detain the German troops. Each of them understands that it is possible to fulfill a duty only at the cost of one's own life. Everyone must decide for himself what is more important for him: to avoid death or to fulfill the order. Pshenichny believes that life is more precious than a ghostly victory, so he is ready to surrender in advance. He decides that surrendering to the Germans is much wiser than needlessly risking his life. Solidarity with him and Ovseev. He regrets that he did not have time to escape before the arrival of the German troops, and most the battlefield sits in a trench. In the next attack, he makes a cowardly attempt to escape, but Glechik shoots at him, not allowing him to escape. Glechik himself is no longer afraid to die. It seems to him that only now, in a moment of complete despair, he felt responsible for the outcome of the battle. The fear of death for him is small and insignificant, compared with the idea that by fleeing he can betray the memory of his dead comrades. This is the true heroism and fearlessness of a hero doomed to death.
- Vasily Terkin is another archetype hero who entered the history of literature as an image of a brave, cheerful and brave soldier going into battle with a smile on his lips. But he attracts the reader not so much with feigned fun and well-aimed jokes as with genuine heroism, masculinity and steadfastness. The image of Terkin was created by Tvardovsky as a joke, however, the author depicts the war in the poem without embellishment. Against the backdrop of military realities, the unpretentious and so captivating image of the fighter Terkin becomes the popular embodiment of the ideal of a real soldier. Of course, the hero is afraid of death, dreams of family comfort, but he knows for sure that protecting the Fatherland is his main duty. Duty to the Motherland, to the dead comrades and to himself.
- In the story "Coward" V.M. Garshin displays the characteristics of the character in the title, thereby, as it were, evaluating him in advance, hinting at the further course of the story. “The war definitely haunts me,” the hero writes in his notes. He is afraid that he will be taken as a soldier and does not want to go to war. It seems to him that the millions of ruined human lives cannot be justified by a great goal. However, in contemplation of his own fear, he comes to the conclusion that he can hardly accuse himself of cowardice. He is disgusted by the idea that you can use influential acquaintances and evade war. An inner sense of truth does not allow him to resort to such a petty and unworthy means. “You can’t run away from a bullet,” the hero says before his death, thereby accepting it, realizing his involvement in the ongoing battle. His heroism lies in the voluntary rejection of cowardice, in the impossibility of doing otherwise.
- “The Dawns Here Are Quiet…” B. Vasilyeva is by no means a book about cowardice. On the contrary, about incredible, superhuman courage. Moreover, her heroes prove that war can also have a female face, and courage is not only a male destiny. Five young girls are engaged in an unequal battle with a German detachment, a battle from which they are unlikely to come out alive. Each of them understands this, but not one of them stops before death and humbly goes to meet her in order to fulfill her duty. All of them - Lisa Brichkina, Rita Osyanina, Zhenya Komelkova, Sonya Gurvich and Galya Chetvertak - perish at the hands of the Germans. However, there is not a shadow of doubt in their silent feat. They know for sure that there is no other choice. Their faith is unshakable, and steadfastness and courage are examples of true heroism, direct proof that there is no limit to human capabilities.
- “I am a trembling creature or do I have rights?” - asks Rodion Raskolnikov, confident that he is more likely the second than the first. However, due to the incomprehensible irony of life, everything turns out to be exactly the opposite. The soul of Raskolnikov turns out to be cowardly, despite the fact that he found the strength in himself to commit murder. In an attempt to rise above the masses, he loses himself and crosses the moral line. Dostoevsky in the novel emphasizes that it is very easy to embark on the false path of self-deception, but to overcome the fear in oneself and suffer the punishment that Raskolnikov is so afraid of is necessary for the spiritual purification of the hero. Sonya Marmeladova comes to the aid of Rodion, who lives in constant fear for what he has done. Despite all her external fragility, the heroine has a persistent character. She inspires confidence and courage in the hero, helps him overcome cowardice, and is even ready to share Raskolnikov's punishment in order to save his soul. Both heroes struggle with fate and circumstances, this shows their strength and courage.
- “The Fate of a Man” by M. Sholokhov is another book about courage and courage, the hero of which is an ordinary soldier Andrei Sokolov, whose fate the pages of the book are devoted to. The war forced him to leave home and go to the front to be tested by fear and death. In battle, Andrei is honest and brave, like many soldiers. He is faithful to duty, for which he is ready to pay even with his own life. Stunned by a live shell, Sokolov sees the approaching Germans, but does not want to run, deciding that the last minutes should be spent with dignity. He refuses to obey the invaders, his courage impresses even the German commandant, who sees in him a worthy opponent and a valiant soldier. Fate is merciless to the hero: he loses the most precious thing in the war - his loving wife and children. But, despite the tragedy, Sokolov remains a man, lives according to the laws of conscience, according to the laws of a brave human heart.
- The novel by V. Aksyonov "The Moscow Saga" is dedicated to the history of the Gradov family, which devoted its entire life to serving the Fatherland. This is a trilogy novel, which is a description of the life of an entire dynasty, closely related by family ties. Heroes are ready to sacrifice a lot for each other's happiness and well-being. In desperate attempts to save their loved ones, they show remarkable courage, the call of conscience and duty for them - defining, guiding all their decisions and actions. Each of the characters is brave in their own way. Nikita Gradov heroically defends his homeland. He receives the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The hero is uncompromising in his decisions, several military operations are successfully carried out under his leadership. The adopted son of the Gradovs, Mitya, also goes to war. Creating heroes, plunging them into an atmosphere of constant anxiety, Aksyonov shows that courage is the destiny of not only a single individual, but also of a whole generation brought up on respect for family values and moral duty.
- Feats are a theme eternal in literature. Cowardice and courage, their confrontation, numerous victories of one over the other, and now become the subject of controversy and search for modern writers.
One of these authors was the famous British writer Joan K. Rowling and her world-famous hero, Harry Potter. Her series of novels about the wizard boy won the hearts of young readers with the fantasy of the plot and, of course, the courage of the heart of the central character. Each of the books is a story of the struggle between good and evil, in which the first always wins, thanks to the courage of Harry and his friends. In the face of danger, each of them maintains steadfastness and faith in the final triumph of good, which, according to a happy tradition, the winners are rewarded for their courage and courage. Interesting? Save it on your wall!
FIPI comment on the direction "Courage and cowardice":
"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 presented as heroes capable of bold actions, as well as characters demonstrating weakness of spirit and lack of will."
Recommendations for students:
The table contains works that reflect any concept related to the direction "Courage and cowardice". You DO NOT NEED to read all of the titles listed. You may have already read a lot. Your task is to revise your reading knowledge and, if there is a lack of arguments in one direction or another, fill in the gaps. In this case, you will need this information. Take it as a guide in the vast world of literary works. Please note: the table shows only a part of the works in which the problems we need are present. This does not mean at all that you cannot bring completely different arguments in your works. For convenience, each work is accompanied by small explanations (the third column of the table), which will help you navigate exactly how, through which characters, you will need to rely on literary material (the second mandatory criterion when evaluating a final essay)
An approximate list of literary works and carriers of problems in the direction of "Courage and cowardice"
| Direction | Approximate list of literary works | Carriers of the problem |
|---|---|---|
| Courage and cowardice | L. N. Tolstoy "War and Peace" | Andrey Bolkonsky, captain Tushin, Kutuzov- Courage and heroism in war. Zherkov- cowardice, the desire to be in the rear. |
| A. S. Pushkin. "Captain's daughter" | Grinev, Captain Mironov's family, Pugachev- bold in their actions and aspirations. Shvabrin- a coward and a traitor. | |
| M. Yu. Lermontov "Song about the merchant Kalashnikov" | Merchant Kalashnikov boldly goes to a duel with Kiribeevich, defending the honor of his wife. | |
| A. P. Chekhov. "About love" | Alekhine afraid to be happy, as it requires courage in overcoming social rules and stereotypes. | |
| A. P. Chekhov. "The Man in the Case" | Belikov afraid to live, because "no matter what happens." | |
| M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin "The Wise Gudgeon" | Fairy tale hero The wise gudgeon chose fear as his life strategy. He decided to be afraid and take care, because only in this way can one outsmart the pike and not fall into the nets of fishermen. | |
| A. M. Gorky "Old Woman Izergil" | Danko took the liberty of leading people out of the forest and saving them. | |
| V. V. Bykov "Sotnikov" | Sotnikov(courage), Fisherman(cowardice, betrayed the partisans). | |
| V. V. Bykov "Obelisk" | Teacher Frost courageously fulfilled the duty of a teacher and remained with his students. | |
| M. Sholokhov. "Destiny of Man" | Andrey Sokolov(the embodiment of courage at all stages life path). But cowards were also encountered along the way (the episode in the church when Sokolov strangled a man who intended to give the Germans the names of communists). | |
| B. Vasiliev "The Dawns Here Are Quiet" | Girls from the platoon of foreman Vaskov, who took on an unequal battle with German saboteurs. | |
| B. Vasiliev. "Not listed" | Nikolai Pluzhnikov courageously resists the Germans, even when he remains the only defender of the Brest Fortress. |
The topic "Courage and cowardice" was proposed among other topics of the final essay on literature for 2020 graduates. Many great people have talked about these two phenomena. “Courage is the beginning of victory,” Plutarch once said. “The courage of the city takes,” A.V. Suvorov agreed with him many centuries later. And some even made provocative statements on this topic: “Real courage rarely does without stupidity” (F. Bacon). Be sure to include such quotes in your work - this will have a positive effect on your assessment, as well as mentioning examples from history, literature or from life.
What to write about in an essay on this topic? You can consider courage and cowardice as abstract concepts in their broadest sense, think about them as two sides of the coin of one person, about the truth and falsity of these feelings. Write about the fact that courage can be a manifestation of excessive self-confidence, that there is a direct connection between selfishness and cowardice, but rational fear and cowardice are not the same thing.
A popular topic for reflection is cowardice and courage in extreme conditions, for example, in war, when the most important and previously hidden human fears are exposed, when a person shows character traits previously unknown to others and to himself. Or vice versa: even the most positive people in an emergency situation can show cowardice. Here it would be useful to speculate about heroism, heroism, desertion and betrayal.
As part of this essay, you can write about courage and cowardice in love, as well as in your mind. Here it would be appropriate to recall willpower, the ability to say “no”, the ability or inability to defend one’s opinion. You can talk about human behavior when making decisions or getting to know something new, getting out of your comfort zone, the courage to admit your mistakes.
Other directions of the final essay.
In the novel by V.A. Kaverina "Two Captains" Valka Zhukov is a friend of the protagonist Sanya Grigoriev. They became friends from the moment they met at the boarding school, where Sanya ended up as a homeless child. Valka is a true friend of Sanya, not like Mikhail Romashov. When a conflict arises between Romashka and Grigoriev, Valka knows the truth, but is afraid to tell it, since the vile Romashov is blackmailing him. However, realizing that his silence may cost his friend too much, he tells everything to Sana, and he asks him to tell everyone at the teachers' council, which will discuss his expulsion from school. If you have the support of such a brave and courageous friend, no one is scary.
2. A.S. Griboyedov "Woe from Wit"
In comedy, a conflict arises between Chatsky and Famus Society. The young man boldly speaks to the face of all representatives of the Moscow world about how ridiculous their habits and addictions look. He bravely condemns hypocrisy and hypocrisy reigning here, speaks contemptuously about servility and servility. Every guest at the ball heard something offensive in his words. But, in fact, who is pleased to hear something accusatory about themselves. So for the countess-granddaughter, such words seemed to compare her with a milliner, for Natalya Dmitrievna Gorich - a recommendation to move to the village, the old woman Khlestova was offended by his laughter about Zagoretsky. But nevertheless, Chatsky continues to talk about the meanness of the feudal lords, who treat the peasants like cattle, about sycophancy, about the eternal imitation of foreigners. It was for this courage that I.A. Goncharov called the hero Griboyedov the winner.
3. B. Vasiliev "Tomorrow there was a war"
The story shows the relationship of three friends: Zina Kovalenko, Iskra Polyakova and Vika Lyuberetskaya. Once, at a birthday party, Yesenin's poems were heard in the Lyuberetsky's apartment. The work of this poet was considered forbidden. The head teacher of the school, Valentina Andronovna, collected information from children who were weaker than others in character and personal qualities. This was Zinochka. She told Valendra that they were reading Yesenin. Some time later, Vika Luberetskaya's father is arrested. Vika faces a difficult choice: she must either abandon her father or leave the Komsomol. She can do neither. Not wanting to listen to accusatory words addressed to her, to substitute her friends, she decides to poison herself. With her death, Vika protests the existing world order. Iskra Polyakova reads Yesenin's poems at the funeral of her friend, proving to everyone that these people did not defeat either Vika or their friendship.
