i am fearless essay

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Be brave even if you aren't yet (9 ways to conquer your fears)

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Is fear holding you back from making life-changing decisions?

Is fear always a bad thing.

How to be courageous: 9 ways to become fearless 

Learn how to be brave and inspire others

Do you want to meet the best version of yourself? Start by learning how to be brave

Taking steps to live courageously and get out of your comfort zone is the quickest path to reaching your full potential.

The problem is, many of us let our fears get in the way. We don’t go for a job because we’re afraid we’re not qualified enough. Or we don’t make a positive change in our life because we’re afraid of the unknown.

Sound familiar? That’s because we all experience fear. It’s a natural human emotion. But always living in fear of the "what-if" can hold us back in our professional and personal lives.

To overcome our fears requires a little acting. Let’s explore how to be brave and courageous using nine powerful tips.

Fear can be paralyzing.

The fear of what might happen or making the wrong decision can cause nothing to happen in your life. Instead of moving forward, you retreat to a safe and warm comfort zone and avoid making any major life decisions.

However, getting too attached to your comfort zone can be dangerous. It can hold you back from any kind of personal, professional, and emotional growth.

Personal growth

Each of us is on our own unique journey of personal growth. It’s a continuous process that spans our entire life. Personal growth can mean many things:

• Setting and achieving goals
• Building your self-esteem
• Finding your purpose
• Reaching your full potential

Our biggest growth comes from overcoming problems and situations that challenge us.

And that’s when fear sets in . Fear of failing, fear of the unknown — you name it.

When you let fear become a roadblock that gets in the way of your own life, your personal growth gets temporarily stunted. Instead of developing our mental fitness and growing, we retreat into our shells. We also avoid new experiences to avoid uncomfortable feelings.

Eventually, we start to feel unfulfilled because we’re not living an authentic life. Instead of moving forward, we stay in a safe place that we’ve long outgrown.

Professional growth

Fear can also affect different aspects of your professional growth. According to performance strategist Laura Garnett, one of the things that hold you back from being successful is fear of failure

Imagine you’re currently in an unfulfilling role. You know that you need to make a career change , but the thought of failing is keeping you from making a decision. So you stay where you are for another year, or two, or three.

This is just one example of how the fear of failure affects your professional growth. Instead of advancing in your career, developing new skills , and being in a role that aligns with your true potential, you choose to feel safe.

Fear of failure is also tied in with fear of not being good enough. This is another common obstacle in your professional growth that manifests itself as imposter syndrome .

In this scenario, you may be reluctant to take on a leadership role because you don’t believe you’re good enough.

When you let fear run the show in your professional life, it will always keep you from making decisions that drive you forward.

Emotional growth

Avoiding situations that take you out of your comfort zone because you’re afraid affects your emotional growth. You miss out on developing strong emotional skills that you need to succeed in your personal and professional life. These include:

• Building resilience
• Developing emotional regulation
• Improving emotional intelligence
• Expanding your self-awareness

Failing to develop on an emotional level can leave you extremely vulnerable to unexpected or stressful situations. This type of chronic and acute stress is known as “bad stress” - the opposite of the good kind of stress that leads to growth.

A lack of resilience, for example, will make you perceive challenges at work as threats instead of opportunities. This affects your job performance and ability to adapt to this new environment.

If you constantly dodge opportunities for emotional growth, you’ll find yourself unable to deal with challenging situations in your personal and professional life.

Fear isn’t always an inherently bad thing. After all, fear is and has been a normal and healthy response to threatening situations since the dawn of time. It triggers our fight-or-flight instincts and keeps us safe from potential dangers.

Today, we don’t feel true fear as often as our cave-dwelling ancestors did. Yet, there are situations when it can manifest as a gut feeling or a sudden instinct .

Imagine you’re walking down the street at night. Your senses pick up subtle signals you may be unsafe and fear sets in. In these instances, listening to your body’s intuition can save your life.

Fear is also a very powerful human emotion. It can guide you towards the part of you that needs the most work. As psychiatrist Carl Jung put it, “Find out what a person fears most, and that is where he will develop next.”

In other words, doing whatever you’re afraid of most leads to your biggest growth as a human being.

For example, If you’re afraid of public speaking, give a presentation in front of dozens of people. It can be extremely empowering and help you develop into a more confident person. Improving and mastering public speaking skills is essential if you want to stay competitive in today’s job market.

On the other hand, when fear consistently holds you back from living your life to the fullest, it becomes a problem.

Often, this fear manifests as anxiety . Anxiety is a consistent response you have to things that may not pose an actual threat to you. And they’re not even immediate threats, but things you anticipate that may not happen.

Some examples of this could be:

• Worrying about being negatively judged and ridiculed by others in social settings
• Not trying something new because you fear failure and rejection
• Fearing change and uncertainty
• Not going after what you want because you fear you’re inadequate

This kind of fear keeps you stuck in your comfort zone and robs you of opportunities and experiences that can enhance your life.

Overcoming these common fears doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s certainly achievable.

Can you be brave when you’re afraid?

The words brave and courage are often used interchangeably, but by definition, they’re not the same. Bravery comes with a lack of fear. In contrast, being courageous doesn’t mean you’re not afraid. It means doing something even though it scares you.

In Nelson Mandela’s own words: “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.”

Learning how to be courageous in the face of fear takes practice and persistence. Think of it as learning a new skill. Once you’ve mastered it, it can be extremely liberating. Similarly, being brave when the situation calls for it can also be cultivated.

How to be courageous: 9 ways to become fearless

It’s never too late to become fearless and step out of your comfort zone. Here are 10 ways to become a more courageous version of yourself:

1. Acknowledge your fear

Never try to sweep your fear under the rug. It will give it more power.

Instead, you need to acknowledge and accept your fears. We all have them, and there’s no shame in that. Like we mentioned before, bravery is not about eliminating fear but moving forward despite being afraid.

2. Confront it

Confronting your fear is about understanding the underlying reasons why you’re afraid in the first place.

For example, if you’re afraid to ask for a promotion or apply for a new role, ask yourself why. Is it because you may not get it? Are you afraid of rejection, failure, or ridicule?

You’ll soon realize that your fear is often your ego trying to protect itself from feeling diminished. In reality, these experiences can only make you a stronger person, not weaker.

3. Use positive self-talk

Self-talk is that inner voice inside your head that reveals your beliefs and thoughts. When you’re afraid, it means that for a long time, you’ve created a negative stream of self-talk that may look like this:

“I would like to speak up more during meetings, but I’ll probably just say the wrong thing.”

“I’m not going to that networking event. What if I don’t know anyone there?”

When you start believing these negative thoughts, you sabotage your growth. You must catch these thoughts when they arise and replace them with positive self-talk:

“I am capable of speaking in front of my peers, even if it’s not perfect.”

“It’s okay If I don’t know anyone there. It’s a chance to meet new people and learn.”

Consistent, positive self-talk will build your confidence and your ability to overcome your fears.

4. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable

American writer and self-improvement pioneer Dale Carnegie once said, “Do the thing you fear to do and keep on doing it...that is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear.”

So if you’re afraid of being alone, for example, go see a movie by yourself. If you want to be even braver, take a solo trip.

The best way to become fearless is to put yourself in situations that intimidate you. Once you do them despite being afraid, fear will lose power over you.

5. Make being brave a habit

Once you conquer your fear for the first time, don’t stop there. Strengthen your fearlessness like a muscle by overcoming your fears on a regular basis.

In her book Fear Is Not An Option author Monica Berg advises making a list of things that you would do if you weren’t afraid.

Make your own list and start doing those things. Begin with the easiest ones and gradually move up.

When you learn how to live courageously, you’ll realize how much you were missing out on because fear was getting in the way.

6. Practice mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness in all areas of your life means always staying grounded in the present moment. Mindfulness practices like breathwork and meditation can help you relieve worries and anxiety .

Mindfulness teacher and author of “The Power of Now explains that fear is completely mind-made.

You’re always afraid of what might happen, not what is actually happening in the present moment. The fear he refers to is not an immediate danger. He’s talking about feelings of unease, anxiety, or worry about a future made-up problem.

When you practice mindfulness, you learn to observe these thoughts. You also learn not to let them take over you and turn your fear into a worst-case scenario.

7. Find a mentor

Do you know anyone in your personal or professional life whose fearlessness and confidence you admire? Build a mentorship relationship with them.

They can offer valuable advice and teach you how to be fearless and brave.

8. Embrace failure

We’re often afraid to do something because we’re afraid of failure. We try to do it once, and as soon as we fail, we give up.

Instead of fearing failure, we need to make the most of it and turn it into a learning opportunity.

So how do we do that? Start by building resilience.

Resilient people try not to be hard on themselves when they don’t succeed and have a growth mindset. When you have a growth mindset, you believe you can learn through your failures and try again.

9. Don’t aim for perfection

To overcome fear, try to approach anything you do with a beginner's mind .

Next time you want to try something you fear, don’t have any expectations of how it’s going to go. Approach it with a sense of curiosity and don’t worry about the outcome.

Learning not to judge an outcome as good or bad will take the fear of failure out of the equation.

Instead of aiming for perfection, aim to learn and grow.

Learning how to be brave doesn’t mean not being afraid. It means taking action despite feeling afraid.

It’s seeing fear as an opportunity instead of a roadbloc k — an opportunity for personal, professional, and emotional growth. Fear can guide you towards the areas of your life that need the most work.

Practicing positive self-talk or putting yourself in challenging situations are small but powerful steps to build self-confidence and become a brave person.

What steps will you take today to challenge yourself and others?

A BetterUp coach can help you develop the skills you need to overcome fear and reach your full potential.

Request a demo to get started.

Transform your life

Make meaningful changes and become the best version of yourself. BetterUp's professional Coaches are here to support your personal growth journey.

Maggie Wooll, MBA

Maggie Wooll is a researcher, author, and speaker focused on the evolving future of work. Formerly the lead researcher at the Deloitte Center for the Edge, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Princeton University and an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. Maggie is passionate about creating better work and greater opportunities for all.

When you are the obstacle: How to overcome self-sabotage

Building resilience part 6: what is self-efficacy, why do we fear failure understanding setbacks to conquer wins, don't worry about shyness: learn to make your quiet felt, how to break bad habits: 7 tips to succeed, recognizing, resolving, and releasing internal conflict, how to say no to others (and why you shouldn’t feel guilty), developing emotional intelligence skills for lasting success, what is resilience training and why does your team need it, similar articles, tired of playing it safe learn how to take risks that pay off, fear of success: why we’re sometimes afraid of being our best, how to use fear as a motivator, change your relationship with change: get comfortable being uncomfortable, 7 ways to overcome fear of failure and move forward in life, how to get out of your comfort zone (in 6 simple steps), the 9 enneagram personality types: what’s yours, don't let limiting beliefs hold you back. learn to overcome yours, 9 meaningful life goals to pursue for long-term fulfillment, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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How to Be Fearless

Last Updated: July 3, 2023 Approved

This article was co-authored by Annie Lin, MBA and by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure . Annie Lin is the founder of New York Life Coaching, a life and career coaching service based in Manhattan. Her holistic approach, combining elements from both Eastern and Western wisdom traditions, has made her a highly sought-after personal coach. Annie’s work has been featured in Elle Magazine, NBC News, New York Magazine, and BBC World News. She holds an MBA degree from Oxford Brookes University. Annie is also the founder of the New York Life Coaching Institute which offers a comprehensive life coach certification program. Learn more: https://newyorklifecoaching.com wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 91% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 501,891 times.

Successful people are often praised for being "fearless" in the pursuit of their goals. However, living a fearless life does not mean living in the absence of fear. Instead, it means taking risks and dreaming big, even in the face of things that may make you uncomfortable. On top of that, fear can often be useful as a teaching tool, or warning sign. By identifying and separating productive and unproductive forms of fear, it will be much easier to grow and become the best version of yourself.

Dig deep to examine your fears.

• Your fear may be biological, meaning that you’re hardwired to be scared right now. Examples here include a fear of snakes, or heights. These fears are often logical, and it often helps to rationalize and cope with them.
• Your fear may be based on a past experience. If you were attacked late at night when you were young, you may be scared of the dark. These fears are reasonable, but they aren’t rational, and it can be helpful to challenge these thoughts and expose yourself to these fears.
• A fear may also be based on uncertainty about the future. An example may include a fear of failing a test you haven’t taken yet. It makes sense to be scared of bad outcomes, but it can help to work through and combat these fears.

Be objective with obviously irrational fears.

• For example, if you have a fear of being robbed when you walk your dog at night, you might look at the crime rate where you live and realize how unlikely it is that you encounter a criminal, or start counting the number of trips you take without running into danger.
• If an irrational fear interferes with your daily life, you may have a phobia. Phobias are extremely common, but one of the best ways to get over them is to start challenging and fighting against them. [3] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source

Face your fears slowly over time.

• For example, if you have a fear of public speaking, you might start by watching videos of people speaking in public, and push yourself to share an idea publicly at work the next day. Then, slowly work your way up to giving toasts at weddings or gatherings. By increasing your exposure over time, you may be able to conquer your fear entirely.
• This is the foundation of a therapeutic practice known as exposure therapy. This is one of the most scientifically-accepted ways to help treat mental health issues that cause panic, anxiety, and fear. [5] X Trustworthy Source American Psychological Association Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists Go to source

Practice mindfulness.

• If you’ve never meditated before, there are apps and YouTube videos out there you can use to engage in some guided meditation.
• If you’re looking to be more fearless in your daily life, mindfulness is a great way to get closer to your goal.

Be blindly optimistic.

• For example, if you’re scared of heights and you’re out on a hiking trail where you come across a ridge with a steep fall, you could focus on the beautiful landscape, or the fresh air in your lungs.
• If you’re scared of taking a test in class, you could remind yourself that you’re learning a lot at school, or think about how fun it will be to hang out with your friends after school is over.

Improve your confidence.

• For example, if you’re scared to ask for a promotion. Read guides about negotiation, and watch motivational videos about working up the courage to ask for what you want. The more confident you feel, the less likely it will be that the fear wins out when it comes time for your performance review.
• Sometimes it can help to “fake it until you make it.” This is where you simply pretend you’re really confident, even if you aren’t! Eventually, if you keep acting confident, you’ll actually become confident.

Overprepare to minimize anticipatory fear.

• If you’re scared of a job interview you have coming up, prepare ruthlessly by researching the company, hosting some mock interviews, and scripting out responses for common questions like, “Tell us about yourself.”
• This even works with irrational fears and phobias. If you have a fear that the world is going to end, you might put together an emergency kit together for your home and vehicle. Even if you know in the back of your mind that you’re probably never going to need that kit, the mere act of putting it together may help ease the way you feel.

Try new things.

• If you’ve been stuck in a routine lately, make an effort to deviate from that routine at least once a day. Even if it’s something as simple as going somewhere new for lunch, it’s going to be productive.

Stop treating failure as meaningless.

• Let’s say you don’t land a new client at work. Ask yourself, “Why didn’t I land this client?” and, “What could I have done differently?” If you treat every setback as an opportunity for growth, any fear you experience won’t feel so unproductive.

Recognize productive fear.

• For example, if you’re in an argument or disagreement where tempers are high, your fear may be telling to calm people down or walk away.
• If someone is hitting on you at a party and they’re just kind of giving off the “wrong vibes,” that little fear in the back of your mind may be telling you to stay way.
• Some forms of fear are even fun. Think about something like a roller coaster, or a horror movie! The point here is that fear in and of itself is not a necessarily bad thing.

Expert Q&A

• If you’re struggling with irrational fears and phobias to the point that it’s making it difficult to live your daily life, talk to a doctor or mental health professional. There are tons of therapeutic treatments out there that will help with this! [12] X Research source Thanks Helpful 9 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/smashing-the-brainblocks/201512/7-ways-fearless-people-conquer-fear
• ↑ Annie Lin, MBA. Life & Career Coach. Expert Interview. 25 November 2019.
• ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/phobias-and-irrational-fears.htm
• ↑ https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/exposure-therapy
• ↑ https://ssir.org/articles/entry/its_time_to_be_fearless#
• ↑ https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/HealthyLiving/Fighting-your-fears

About This Article

Living a fearless life means taking risks and dreaming big. One of the first steps in living a fearless life is overcoming any fears by asking yourself what it is you’re afraid of. Be as specific as possible, so you can brainstorm practical solutions. Then, try facing your fear by taking small steps toward a larger goal. Keep yourself motivated by celebrating small victories or surrounding yourself with a community of people who are seeking a similar goal. If you have a misstep or failure along the way, embrace it as a learning experience and keep going. By cultivating this type of positive mindset, you can live a more fearless life in general. To learn how to use role models to live a more fearless life, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Self Mastery for Conscious Parents

• Lucia Griesbach CEC
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Consciousness , Leadership

• Consciousness
• Is it possible to be Fearless?

Is it possible to be Fearless? November 7, 2013 Consciousness , Leadership Off

Is it possible to be Fearless? This was a question that was asked of me when I first mentioned I wanted to create a website for Fearless Mommies. That lady that asked me the question stated “I don’t think it’s possible to be fearless, in the sense of without fear”. At the time, I questioned whether or not it was possible but I saw the word “ fearless ” and thought of courageous, which is what I think of all the moms that decide to lead with authenticity. Since that conversation, I’ve heard another person claim “it’s not possible to be fearless – without fear”.

I have a whole new perspective on what it means to be a Fearless Mommy since starting this journey and now I think it’s even possible to be without fear at times. Being Fearless, to me, means first and foremost, to be courageous. It also means to Fear-less and less on our journey and it means feeling the fear but going forward into it regardless that it scares the hell outa you.

The fastest way to break the cycle of perfectionism and become a fearless mother is to give up the idea of doing it perfectly – indeed to embrace uncertainty and imperfection. Arianna Huffington

Have I been fearful in my journey of authenticity? When I think of shining my light into the world, does it scare the heck out of me? Sometimes. But I have moments of complete and utter Fearlessness – that is without fear, moments that I know are not from leaning on my own capabilities but more about leaning on the strength of the Universe, so yes, I am without fear in those moments. I realize now that whenever I am fearful, it’s because I, for a moment, had forgotten my connection to the Universe and instead, was leaning on myself as a separate entity – which I am not.

To sum up what it means to be Fearless:

• Realize it is a journey towards being Fearless.
• Trusting in God or the Universe as your source and that being without fear.
• Being Fearless means complete utterly pure Love.
• Recognizing that fear comes from leaning on our own Ego and not tapping into our inner strength.
• It is possible to have moments of being Fearless.
• Being Fearless is our natural state.

You ever watch young children? They are pretty close to being Fearless when they start off in this world. It is only after we start learning all the fearful ways of the world that we distance ourselves from our natural state of being Fearless.

All we need to remember is, even though we have moments of fear, it doesn’t make us less perfect in our journey wherever we are at this moment. In our perfect state, we are Fearless… and that is the journey we are on.

What are your thoughts on being Fearless? What makes you scared and fearful? What are some ways you overcome fear? Please comment below… sharing your Fearlessness is what helps others do the same.

Keep loving and learning and making a difference, however big or small!

Tags: fears , mindfulness , universe

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• Insight and Guidance From Paramahansa Yogananda’s Talks and Writings

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Draw on God for the solution of all your problems. Do not allow your courage and quick wit to be paralyzed when overwhelming difficulties suddenly come down on you like an avalanche. Keep awake your intuitive common sense and your faith in God and try to find even the slenderest means of escape, and you will find that means. All will come out right in the end, for God has hidden His goodness behind the superficiality of the paradoxes of mortal experiences.

— Wine of the Mystic

Do not be afraid of anything. Even when tossing on a wave in a storm, you are still on the bosom of the ocean. Always hold on to the consciousness of God’s underlying presence. Be of even mind, and say: “I am fearless; I am made of the substance of God. I am a spark of the Fire of Spirit. I am an atom of the Cosmic Flame. I am a cell of the vast universal body of the Father. ‘I and my Father are One.’”

— Journey to Self-realization

God is the Fountain of health, prosperity, wisdom, and eternal joy. We make our life complete by contact with God. Without Him, life is not complete. Give your attention to the Almighty Power that is giving you life and strength and wisdom. Pray that unceasing truth flow into your mind, unceasing strength flow into your body, and unceasing joy flow into your soul. Right behind the darkness of closed eyes are the wondrous forces of the universe, and all the great saints; and the endlessness of the Infinite. Meditate, and you will realize the omnipresent Absolute Truth and see Its mysterious workings in your life and in all the glories of creation.

“The only true freedom lies in God. So strive deeply to contact Him in meditation morning and night.…Yoga teaches that where God is, there is no fear, no sorrow. The successful yogi can stand unshaken midst the crash of breaking worlds.”

Paramahansa Yogananda

You are all gods, if you only knew it. Behind the wave of your consciousness is the sea of God’s presence. You must look within. Don’t concentrate on the little wave of the body with its weaknesses; look beneath. Close your eyes and you see the vast omnipresence before you, everywhere you look. You are in the center of that sphere, and as you lift your consciousness from the body and its experiences, you will find that sphere filled with the great joy and bliss that lights the stars and gives power to the winds and storms. God is the source of all our joys and of all the manifestations in nature....

Awaken yourself from the gloom of ignorance. You have closed your eyes in the sleep of delusion. Awake! Open your eyes and you shall behold the glory of God — the vast vista of God’s light spreading over all things. I am telling you to be divine realists, and you will find the answer to all questions in God.

— The Divine Romance

Those who seek prosperity for themselves alone are in the end bound to become poor, or to suffer from mental inharmony; but those who consider the whole world as their home, and who really care and work for group or world prosperity, activate astral forces that lead them ultimately to the place where they can find the individual prosperity that is legitimately theirs. This is a sure and secret law.

— Self-Realization Fellowship Lessons

This world will always have turmoil and trouble. What are you worried about? Go where the Masters have gone, to the shelter of God, whence they are watching and helping the world. You shall have safety forever, not only for yourself, but for all those loved ones who have been entrusted to your care by our Lord and Father.

Make the Lord the Shepherd of your soul. Make Him your Searchlight when you move along a shadowy pathway in life. He is your Moon in the night of ignorance. He is your Sun during the wakeful hours. And He is your Polestar on the dark seas of mortal existence. Seek His guidance. The world will go on like this in its ups and downs. Where shall we look for a sense of direction? Not to the prejudices roused within us by our habits and the environmental influences of our families, our country, or the world; but to the guiding voice of Truth within.

Fear comes from the heart. If ever you feel overcome by dread of some illness or accident, you should inhale and exhale deeply, slowly, and rhythmically several times, relaxing with each exhalation. This helps the circulation to become normal. If your heart is truly quiet you cannot feel fear at all.

— Living Fearlessly

Whatever it is that you fear, take your mind away from it and leave it to God. Have faith in Him. Much suffering is due simply to worry. Why suffer now when the malady has not yet come? Since most of our ills come through fear, if you give up fear you will be free at once. The healing will be instant. Every night, before you sleep, affirm: “The Heavenly Father is with me; I am protected.” Mentally surround yourself with Spirit and His cosmic energy….Chant “ Aum ” three times, or the word “God.” That will shield you. You will feel His wonderful protection. Be fearless….

Whenever you feel afraid, put your hand over your heart, next to the skin; rub from left to right, and say, “Father, I am free. Tune out this fear from my heart-radio.” Just as you tune out static on an ordinary radio, so if you continuously rub the heart from left to right, and continuously concentrate on the thought that you want to tune out fear from your heart, it will go; and the joy of God will be perceived.

— Man’s Eternal Quest

God has given us one tremendous instrument of protection — more powerful than machine guns, electricity, poison gas, or any medic — the mind. It is the mind that must be strengthened....An important part of the adventure of life is to get hold of the mind, and to keep that controlled mind constantly attuned to the Lord. This is the secret of a happy, successful existence....It comes by exercising mind power and by attuning the mind to God through meditation....The easiest way to overcome disease, disappointments, and disasters is to be in constant attunement with God.

True happiness, lasting happiness, lies only in God, “having whom no other gain is greater.” In Him is the only safety, the only shelter, the only escape from all our fears. You have no other security in the world, no other freedom. The only true freedom lies in God. So strive deeply to contact Him in meditation morning and night, as well as throughout the day in all work and duties you perform. Yoga teaches that where God is, there is no fear, no sorrow. The successful yogi can stand unshaken midst the crash of breaking worlds; he is secure in the realization: “Lord, where I am, there Thou must come.”

Let us pray in our hearts for a League of Souls and a United World. Though we may seem divided by race, creed, color, class, and political prejudices, still, as children of the one God we are able in our souls to feel brotherhood and world unity. May we work for the creation of a United World in which every nation will be a useful part, guided by God through man’s enlightened conscience. In our hearts we can all learn to be free from hate and selfishness. Let us pray for harmony among the nations, that they march hand in hand through the gate of a fair new civilization.

— Metaphysical Meditations

Most of all I emphasize that you should get busy seeking God through meditation....Just beneath the shadows of this life is His wondrous Light. The universe is a vast temple of His presence. When you meditate, you will find doors opening to Him everywhere. When you have communion with Him, not all the ravages of the world can take away that Joy and Peace.

— World Crisis

• Inspiration from Paramahansa Yogananda
• Spiritual Light for These Challenging Times

To Be Fearless Essay

By: brittanyannsirk   •  Essay  •  671 Words  •  October 10, 2014  •  978 Views

To be “fearless” is to act against one’s insecurities and fears to overcome an obstacle. It is not simply lacking fear defined by the Oxford Dictionary, but in all accuracy, it is defined by the actions taken when facing a fear. Not many people use this word to describe someone’s actions because most people are afraid to do certain things and blame fear as the culprit for their problem. A person who exhibits fearlessness stands up for what he or she believes in, sets all doubts aside, and confidently pursues a goal.

First off, to be fearless is to believe in yourself and to have and to stand up for something you believe is right. Fearlessness is similar to being courageous or brave. When I think of fearlessness, I think of women’s rights. The women’s rights movement came about because women got tired of not being able to have a say so in anything, nor do anything. So they finally decided to stand up for their rights and what they strongly believed in, even though they were afraid of failing and dealing with the consequences. Because of that, women’s rights activists were sometimes arrested, and even convicted and sent to jail. Yet, they never backed down, not even through the worst of times. With all of that these women were fearless; they never let anything or anyone get in their way. In conclusion, women were given the rights they deserved because they promoted a cause in which they believed in. These women illustrated how showing no fear and doing what you believe is right can bring great rewards in the end.

Secondly, being fearless includes setting all your doubts aside. Most of us have doubted ourselves at one time or another. We all have insecurities and fears that hold us back from doing what we wish to do. Heroes or role models in our lives are perfect examples of fearlessness. They start off having insecurities about themselves, and then in some crazy way, they develop a supernatural power that gives them a reason to set all their doubts about themselves aside and do something good. Another example of fearlessness is my grandmother. When she was diagnosed with cancer, her doctors doubted that she would live for more than a year. Instead of giving up, my grandma faced something that claimed so many men and women, changed their lives, and scared them

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A Complete Analysis Of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein

Below is a complete analysis of Mary Shelley’s first novel Frankenstein which is one of the Gothic texts being studied at English A2 . I will be going through the book in chronological order looking at the most important quotes and their meanings (with page numbers. If the quote has no page number, take the page number of the previous quote(s) and it will be on the same page as that). Feel free to skip to the parts most relevant to you.

Frankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus

• By Shelley naming Frankenstein as ‘The Modern Prometheus’ makes clear it is a novel about trying to gain Godly-like powers and getting punished for transgressing for such powers.
• Prometheus was a demi-God (half Greek man / half God) that stole fire from heaven and gave it to human beings as a gift. He was punished by the Gods for doing this and was chained to a rock so that an Eagle could peck out his liver. He was immortal so every time the Eagle pecked out his liver, it would grow back and he would have to go through the pain of it being pecked out. Prometheus is linked with fire. Frankenstein is linked with lightning as that is what ultimately gives life to the monster.
• Under ‘The Modern Prometheus’, there is ‘Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay To mould me mass? Did I solicit thee From darkness to promote me? – Paradise Lost’. Paradise Lost is another novel where Adam questions God to why he made him if he was to be so lonely without anyone else to interact with. This relates to the monster who hates his creator (Frankenstein) for making him.
• The narration starts with letters from Walton to his sister about an exploration trip to the North Pole.
• When Walton meets Frankenstein who is helped onto Walton’s ship, he takes over the narrative from Walton and tells his story.
• When the monster meets Frankenstein in Frankenstein story, the monster takes over as the narrator.
• After the monster finishes his story, the narration goes back to Frankenstein.
• The narration then goes back to Walton.
• The start of the novel has the setting of the North Pole. This novel was created in the early 1800s. Therefore, the North Pole would have been viewed as an unknown area that is strange, weird and possibly even where God might be.
• Walton is pursing a scientific truth just like Frankenstein is.
• The vocabulary uses is wide. This makes clear that Walton is well educated. For example, read the first sentence of the novel and it’s vocabulary  P15 ‘You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of an enterprise which you have regarded with such evil forebodings’.
• P15 ‘I am already far north of London’. The setting is going to be as far away from normal life as possible (isolation – Gothic).
• ‘the sun is for ever visible’. This is the symbol for light, electricity and fire. Walton is on the quest for the six month daylight (as that is what happens at the North Pole).
• ‘attracts the needle’ – Walton is in pursuit of the magnetic pole.
• P16 ‘may tread a land never before imprinted by the foot of man’ – He wants to go nowhere no man has gone which is what Frankenstein also does.
• ‘the inestimable benefit which I shall confer on all mankind to the last generation’ – Walton believes his journey will bring great benefit to the human race (which, of course, links in with Frankenstein).
• P19 ‘I have no friend, Margaret’ – The theme of loneliness is explored early on. This is because the North Pole is an isolated and desolate setting.
• P20 ‘He is an Englishman, and in the midst of national and professional prejudices, unsoftened by cultivation, retains some of the noblest endowments of humanity’ – There is tension between the English and the continent (French). This can bring the point forward that Frankenstein is a foreigner as he is Swiss. The reader will have fear of foreigners as Frankenstein causes evil things.
• P21 ‘I am going to unexplored regions to ‘the land of mist and snow’; but I shall kill no albatross’ – This is a reference to Coleridge’s Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner. Shelley is connecting her story with the story of a man who goes wrong and gets punished and regrets it.
• P24 ‘What can stop the determined heart and resolved will of man?’ – Shelly uses this in an ironic way. The same thing can be said to Frankenstein: he is determined where nothing can stop him (but, he is doing the wrong thing). You can also compare this to Doctor Faustus too.
• P25 There are lots of quotes that describe the isolated Gothic theme, ‘surrounded by ice which closes in the ship on all sides’, ‘thick fog’, ‘the mist’, ‘vast and irregular plains of ice’, ‘he was lost among the distant inequalities of the ice’ and ‘many hundred miles from any land’. 
• ‘the shape of a man, but apparently of gigantic stature’. This is the first sight of the monster.
• P27 ‘I never saw a more interesting creature, his eyes have generally an expression of wildness, and even madness’ – This is the first description of Victor Frankenstein. Sometimes, madness is a punishment for evil (which could be why Frankenstein is described as mad).
• ‘But he is generally melancholy and despairing’ – Frankenstein is depressed which builds tension, drama and is foreshadowing: why is he depressed?
• ‘Have you drunk also of your intoxicating draught?’ – Frankenstein is drunk and mad. This brings a risk and danger to his scientific progress.
• P29 is an important part to the novel’s structure because it is the part where the reader realises Frankenstein is going to take over Walton’s narration, ‘let me reveal my tale, and you will dash the cups from your lips!’. Frankenstein starts his narration at the start of Chapter I.
• P31 ‘I imagine that you may deduce an apt moral from my tale’ – Frankenstein is saying that you can learn something from his mistake.
• P32 ‘Strange and harrowing must be his story, frightful the storm which embraced the gallant vessel on its course and wrecked it – thus!’ – This is Frankenstein foreshadowing the story he is about to tell. The shipwreck he describes is a metaphor to describe Frankenstein’s life. 
• We get a first glimpse of Frankenstein’s upbringing in Chapter I. His family consists of Elizabeth, his sister who is adopted and beautiful and Caroline who is his mother that is caring and loyal to their dying father and is beautiful in character.
• P34 ‘His daughter attended him with the the greatest tenderness’ – Elizabeth is caring in nature.
• P35 ‘He strove to shelter her, as a fair exotic is sheltered by the gardener, from every rougher wind’ – This botanical imagery. Exotic plants need to be cared for more than normal plants. This is also used in a structural way in the sense that women are vulnerable in the novel.
• P36 ‘a being heaven-sent, and bearing a celestial stamp in all her features’ – Elizabeth is described like an angel. This links in with with Prometheus and the fire from heaven: Elizabeth is good.
• ‘fairer than a garden rose among dark-leaved brambles’ – Foreshadowing the character of Elizabeth.
• P37 ‘Elizabeth Lavenza became the inmate of my parent’s house – my more than sister – the beautiful and adored companion of all my occupations and my pleasures’ – There is a strong bond between Elizabeth and Victor. It is no surprise that they marry.
• P38 ‘Harmony was the soul of our companionship, and the diversity and contrasts that subsisted in our characters drew us nearer together’ – This is an example of binary opposition. Victor and Elizabeth are opposites which, because they are opposites, made them attracted to each other.
• ‘I was capable of more intense application, and was more deeply smitten with the thirst for knowledge’ – Victor elaborated the contrast / too passionate (obsession might be a future problem for him).
• ‘The world was to me a secret which I desired to divine’ – He wants to know how things work.
• Henry Clerval is a contrast to Victor.
• P39 ‘No human being could have passed a happier childhood than myself’.
• ‘My temper was sometimes violent, and my passions vehement’ – Victor is a bit too obsessive.
• ‘The saintly soul of Elizabeth shone like a shrine dedicated lamp in our peaceful home’ – Elizabeth is like a light in darkness.
• P42 ‘the thunder burst at once with frightful loudness from various quarters of the heavens’ – Lightning is how Frankenstein created the monster. This experience he had with lightning might be what gave him the idea of life from lightning.
• P43 ‘Destiny was too potent, and her immutable laws had decreed my utter and terrible destruction’ – This has a strong Gothic theme.

Chapter III

• P47 ‘He was an uncouth man’ – It seems like M. Krempe has become evil and ugly because of science. Is this why Frankenstein first appeared weak and mad when met by Walton?
• P51 ‘I read with ardour those works, so full of genius and discrimination’ – His passion makes science seem obsessive and unrestrained (and possibly dangerous).
• ‘Two years passed in this manner, during which I paid no visit to Geneva, but was engaged, heart and soul, in the pursuit of some discoveries which I hoped to make’ -Victor is in a pursuit for knowledge: transgression.
• P52 ‘To examine the causes of life, we must first have recourse to death’ – Dissection was ‘big’ back in the early 1800s because no-one didn’t really know the anatomy of the human body. However, from Victor meddling with the death, the reader will view it as ugly and wrong with a moral suspect.
• P53 ‘I beheld the corruption of death succeed to the blooming cheek of life’ – We all die.
• ‘light broke in upon me – a light so brilliant and wondrous, yet so simple’ – Victor is having the stereotypical light-bulb idea on how to overcome death.
• ‘I became myself capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter’ – He now knows how to bring the dead back to life.
• ‘painful labour’ – This is birth imagery.
• At the top of P54, Victor is talking to Walton making clear it is a narrative aside. This reminds us that this is a story within a story, ‘Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow’ – Frankenstein is making clear this is a cautionary tale and is warning Walton about his journey to not follow in the same steps as Frankenstein.
• P55 ‘A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me. No father could claim the gratitude of his child so completely as I should deserve this’ – This quote has many references. One is to Aeschylus who was an ancient Greek tragedian. Another is of Adam and Eve. Frankenstein is playing God (which is his hubris: his tragic flaw). He is trying to put himself in the position of God.
• ‘Who shall conceive the horrors of my secret toil as I dabbled among the unhallowed damps of the grave or tortured the living animal to animate the lifeless clay? – Victor knows what he is doing is cruel and holy. This quote is a good example of macabre as it seems Victor has an obsession of death.
• ‘In a solitary chamber, or rather cell, at the top of the house, and separated from all the other apartments by a gallery and staircase, I kept my workshop of filthy creation’ – There is a Gothic setting for where the monster is created.
• P56 ‘The summer months passed while I was thud engaged, heart and soul, in one pursuit. It was a most beautiful seasons’ – Juxtaposition is used hear of a great summer versus the loneliness of Frankenstein: he has nocturnal habits.
• P57 ‘I shunned my fellow-creatures as if I had been guilty of a crime’ – Victor’s perception is that he has done evil things.
• This is the Chapter where the monster born and becomes alive.
• P58 ‘It was on a dreary night of November’ – Pathetic fallacy is used to set a Gothic setting.
• ‘infuse a spark of being’ – Lightning is used to give life to the monster.
• ‘my candle was nearly burnt out’ – Life represents life and the candle is about to burn out. This adds to the Gothic setting.
• ‘I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, ad a convulsive motion agitated its limbs’ – This makes it sound as if being brought to life was painful for the monster.
• ‘How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe’ – Victor sees this creation as a failure.
• ‘Beautiful – Great God!’ – Victor makes clear that this has turned out not in the slightest way he wanted.
• ‘the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart’ – Victor doesn’t know what to do now since what he wanted to happen will never happen.
• P59 ‘dead mother in my arms’. Frankenstein has a dream from sleeping that the girl he kisses turns into his mother (Oedipal response). The Oedipus complex was 100 years before Sigmund Freud.The dream is very Gothic and dark and is a prophetic dream. There is a focus on death, macabre, the gruesome and horrifying in the dream.
• ‘every limb become convulsed’ – Frankenstein and the monster are tied together. He is waking up from his sleep like the monster did when born.
• ‘wretch – the miserable monster whom I had created’ – Victor wished he didn’t create the monster.
• ‘while a grin wrinkled his cheeks’ – This makes clear the monster does not start evil but becomes evil. The monster is trying to communicate but can’t. It also links in with the 19th century philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau who stated that when first born everyone starts on a metaphorical blank sheet of paper. It is our experiences with nature that shapes us into the people we are today.
• ‘the demoniacal corpse to which I had so miserably given life’ – The monster is described as devil-like.
• ‘A mummy again endued with animation’ – This links to Egyptian mummies that were just being discovered in the 19th century.
• ‘it became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived’ – Dante was an Italian writer that wrote The Inferno which is a description of what hell is like.
• P60 ‘Morning, dismal and wet’ – Pathetic fallacy is used on the morning after the birth.
• ‘aching eyes the church of Ingolstadt’ – Religion (God) is watching him do wrong.
• ‘black and comfortless sky’ – Pathetic is used again here.
• ‘Like one, on a lonesome road who…Doth close behind him tread’ – This comes from the Ancient Mariner where he can’t get out of this situation. He has played God and now can’t go back on what he’s done. The monster is following him. Therefore, guilt is metaphorically following him too.
• Victor cannot call any place home now just like the Ancient Mariner.
• P 61 – ‘how very ill you appear; so thin and pale; and look as you had been watching for several nights’ – The monster has taken the life from Victor.
• P62 ‘I was lifeless’ – Like the monster.
• P63 ‘I perceived that the fallen leaves had disappeared and that the young buds were shooting forth from the trees’ – Victor is seeing beauty and getting better.
• Clerval brings moral perspective and the ordinary world to Victor. Victor being lonely is a punishment and Clerval stops this from happening.
• The Chapter starts with a letter (epistle). A letter is used as a narrative device. It enables the narrator to catch up on events elsewhere.
• P66 ‘her mother could not endure her, and after the death of M. Moritz, treated her very ill’ – Mistreated in the past foreshadows the future. 
• ‘Justine, thus received in our family, learned the duties of a servant’ – Justine is loyal.
• ‘for the same reason that Ariosto gives concerning the beauty of Angelica’ – This points out that women are the height of beauty.
• Women are domesticated and therefore trapped without freedom in domesticity. 
• P67 ‘Justine was the most grateful little creature in the world’ – By describing her as a ‘little creature’ makes women seem vulnerable.
• ‘poor Justine’, ‘anxious affection. Poor Justine’ and ‘poor girl’ – Women are sympathetic.
• ‘I assure you I love her tenderly’ – Elizabeth is trying to protect Justine through insuring Victor.

Chapter VII

• Chapter VII starts with a epistle too. However, the happiness of the previous Chapter is shattered with a letter that the brother, William, has died.
• P73 ‘William is dead! – that sweet child’ – What makes it worst is that William is the epitome of innocence.
• P74 ‘Oh, God! I have murdered my darling child!’ – There is someone to blame for the death. Maybe not the monster, but Victor’s fault.
• P76 ‘black sides of Jura, and the bright summit of Mont Blanc. I wept like a child. ‘Dear mountains! My own beautiful lake! How do you welcome your wanderer? Your summits are clear; the sky and lake are blue and placid. Is this to prognosticate peace, or to mock at my unhappiness?’ – There is a contract between Victor and the landscape. The scenery cannot link with Victor and his negative emotions. It is sublime as it is making Victor feel insignificant. 
• ‘I foresaw obscurely that I was destined to become the most wretched of human beings’ – Hamartia. 
• P77 ‘I saw the lightning playing on the summit of Mont Blanc in the most beautiful figures. The story appeared to approach rapidly’ – Electricity creates the spark for life. This links in with Prometheus. The mountains are a place of torture as Prometheus got tortured there. Is the storm the monster approaching?
• ‘William, dear angel! this is thy funeral, this thy dirge!’ As I said these words, I perceived in the gloom a figure which stole from behind a clump of trees near me’ – Juxtaposition is created from talking about William and innocence to the monster appearing. Evil destroys goodness. This is a symbolic moment of good vs. evil.
• ‘it was the wretch, the filthy daemon to whom I had given life’ – The monster is described in the worst was as he has done an evil deed (killed William)
• P78 ‘was this his first crime?’ – Foreshadows the monster’s future crimes.
• ‘had he not murdered my brother?’ – Victor realises he killed William from his fatal flaw of wanting to be God.
• ‘own vampire’ – A vampire is a evil side to someone. This is Victor’s evil side.
• P79 ‘poor Elizabeth to cease her vain and tormenting self-accusations. – Poor William! he was our darling and our pride’ – William is portray of absolute innocence which makes his death worst.
• P80 ‘she accused herself of having caused the death of my brother’ – She blames herself for the death of William.
• P81 ‘You are all mistaken; I know the murderer. Justine, poor, good Justine, is innocent’ – Victor is about to come clean about the monster.
• ‘My tale was not one to announce publicly; its astounding horror would be looked upon as madness by the vulgar’ – This is Victor’s excuse to not reveal the monster as the murderer. Shelley is being ironic as Victor could have done something to stop Justine being executed.

Chapter VIII

• P83 ‘A thousand times rather would I have confessed myself guilty of the crime ascribed to Justine’ – This is ironic as he wishes that he confesses but never actually does: hypocritical.
• ‘she appeared confident in innocence and did not tremble, although gazed on and execrated by thousands’ – Justine is the presentation of innocence, beauty and passiveness.
• P84 ‘When shown the body, she feel into violent hysterics and kept her bed for several days’ – ‘hysterics’ is Greek for the womb. This is a stereotypical reaction for a women to a dead body: she faints.
• P86 ‘The tortures of the accused did not equal mine; she was sustained by innocence, but the fangs of remorse tore my bosom and would not forego their hold’. Guilty is worse than innocent and dying which is part of the Christian mind set. the ‘fangs’ represent the snake from the garden of Eden which makes clear the devil us tearing into Victor.
• P87 ‘all judges had rather that ten innocent should suffer than that one guilty should escape’ – This is the court’s reasoning.
• P88 ‘He threatened excommunication and hell fire in my last moments if I continued obdurate’ – Justine confesses that she goes to heaven in the Catholic way.
• P89 ‘Learn from me, dear lady, to submit in patience to the will of heaven’ – Do what God has planned for you. This contrasts with Victor as he plays God and thinks he is as powerful as God. Justine is the structural opposition to Victor.
• ‘Anguish and despair had penetrated into the core of my heart; I bore a hell within me which nothing could extinguish’ – The imagery of fire is a twist from Prometheus. The fire he got (from transgressing) from heaven is burning him.
• P90 ‘Thus spoke my prophetic soul, as, torn by remorse, horror and despair , I beheld those I loved spend vain sorrow upon the graves of William and Justine, the first hapless victims to my unhallowed arts’ – This quote foretells the future as it makes clear the monster is going to kill again. It sets a funeral scene and sets the reader up for Volume 2.
• Frankenstein continues the narration.
• P93 ‘Sleep fled from my eyes; I wandered like an evil spirit, for I had committed deeds of mischief beyond description horrible, and more, much more (I persuaded myself) was yet behind’ – Guilt leads to sleeplessness. 
• P94 ‘I was tempted to plunge into the silent lake, that the waters might close over me and my calamities forever’ – Victor is wishing he could end this whole situation.
• P97 ‘these rugged roads. The weather was fine’ – Describing the setting.
• ‘The immense mountains and precipices that overhung me on every side – the sound of the river raging among the rocks, and the dashing of the waterfalls around , spoke of a power mighty as Omnipotence’ – ‘Omnipotence’ is a word to describe God which means all powerful. This is also a great description of the setting.
• ‘the valley assumed a more magnificent and astonishing character. Ruined castles hanging on the precipices of piny mountains; the impetuous Arve, and cottages every here and there peeping forth from among the trees, formed a scene of singular beauty. But it was augmented and rendered sublime by the mighty Alps, whose white and shining pyramids and domes towered above all, as belonging to another earth, the habitations of another race of beings’ – Nature will overpower man and a sublime setting
• P98 ‘This valley is more wonderful and sublime’ – Good setting quote.
• The sublime happens to Frankenstein because it is like a watchful eye of God looking down on him.
• P99 ‘this glorious presence-chamber of imperial Nature’ – In God’s throne.
• P11 ‘The effect of solemnising my mind and causing me to forget the passing cares of life’ – Frankenstein has gone to the monster to try and cleanse his guilt. It is ironic as he meets the monster in the mountains of whom he wants to run away from.
• P101 ‘We rest; a dream has power to poison sleep…Nought may endure but mutability!’ – This is by Percy Shelley (Marry Shelley’s husband) and is called Mutability. It is treated like a soliloquy as it is a hamartia where Victor is starting to release his mistake.
• ‘superhuman speed’ – The monster has powers greater than man.
• ‘and then close with him in mortal combat’ – Victor wants to kill him as he killed William and Justine.
• P102 ‘and do not fear the fierce vengeance of my arm wreaked on your miserable head?’ – This is Victor’s hubris. He is arrogant and full of pride and has not got the power to kill the monster.
• ‘that I may trample you to dust!’ – This has reference to the Bible as Adam was created from dust.
• ‘whom you have so diabolically murdered!’ – ‘Diabolically’ is an adverb for devilish.
• ‘Yet you, my creator, detest and spurn me’ – Frankenstein and the monster are a doppelgänger.
• P103 ‘Remember, that I am thy creature; I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed’ – The monster brings forward a religious view that he should be like Adam, but Victor has punished him for no reason.
• ‘I was benevolent; my soul glowed with love and humanity’ – In the beginning the monster was good and then turned evil. 
• ‘Shall I not then hate them who abhor me?’ – This is the monster’s justification for his evil deeds. He did it because people hated him. However, Justine is forgiving to people who hate her. This makes clear the monster is not educated on religious principles.
• P104 ‘I felt what the duties of a creator towards his creature were, and that I ought to render him happy before I complained of his wickedness’ – Victor owes the monster happiness.
• This is the start of the monster’s narrative.
• Shelley has chosen monster’s narrative voice so the reader will feel sympathy towards the monster.
• The monster speaks in the same way as the other characters in a highly educated fashion. This is a convention of the 1800s, P105 ‘It is with considerable difficult that I remembered the original era of my being…’.
• P106 ‘I started up and beheld a radiant form rise from among the trees. I gazed with a kind of wonder’ – The monster is having a sublime moment.
• P107 ‘I found a fire’ – This has reference to Prometheus.
• The monster’s first experience with people is negative.
• P110 ‘was a small and almost imperceptible chink’ – This is a plot device so the monster can see humans unseen so he can learn from them.
• P113 ‘What chiefly struck me was the gentle manners of these people; and I longed to join them, but dared not’ – This sets out the structure of the chapter.
• The monster begins to admire the De Lacey family who are presented as good people (therefore a positive image of humanity).
• P114 ‘I found that the youth spent a great part of each day in collecting wood for the family fire; and, during the night I often took his tools, the use of which I quickly discovered, and brought home firing sufficient for the consumption of several days’ – This has a fairy tale quality to it.
• P115 ‘I perceived that the words they spoke sometime produced pleasure or pain, smiles or sadness, in the minds of countenances of the hearers. This was indeed a godlike science, and I was ardently baffled to become acquainted with it’ – The monster is talking about the wonders of communication.
• ‘I distinguished several other words without being able as yet to understand or apply them; such as “good”, “dearest”, “unhappy” ‘ – The reader will feel sympathy for the monster. He doesn’t yet understand anything complex like love or any of the emotions.
• P116-117 ‘filled with the bitterest sensations of despondence and mortification’ – He is depressed and embarrassed when he realises he is ugly.
• This chapter features the story of Safie.
• P122 ‘I heard of the discovery of the American hemisphere and wept with Safie over the hapless fate of its original inhabitants’ – This is binary opposition of science versus nature.
• ‘These wonderful narrations inspired me with strange feelings. Was man, indeed, at once so powerful, so virtuous, and magnificent, yet so vicious and base?’ – Progress is not always good.
• ‘I heard of the divisions of the property, of immense wealth and squalid poverty; of rank, descent, and noble blood’ – Social inequality.
• Chapter VI of Volume Two in Frankenstein is a pretty irrelevant Chapter which is kind of a story of the main plot that leads nowhere inparticularly. There are no useful quotes to be used in this chapter either. Therefore, I will skip this chapter altogether.
• P130 ‘I found on the ground a leathern portmanteau, containing several articles of dress and some books. I eagerly seized the prize, and returned with it to my hovel. Fortunately the books were written in the language, the elements of which I had acquired at the cottage; they consisted of Paradise Lost , a volume of Plutarch’s Lives , and the Sorrows of Werter ‘ – This is a unbelievably unreal plot device. The monster has come across books to help with his education. The books are chosen because Paradise Lost is about morality, of good versus evil,  Lives is about the Roman history and past with Sorrows of Werter about what you can learn when reflecting.
• P132 ‘I often referred the several situations, as their similarity struck me, to my own’ – The monster draws parallels between his life and the life of Adam in Paradise Lost .
• ‘but I was wretched, helpless, and alone. Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition’ – The monster’s life story makes him view himself more like the Devil and less like Adam. He is evil and not good.
• P133 ‘Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust?’ – This is an important quote. The monster is questioning his creator, Frankenstein, like when Adam complains to God on a similar matter.
• P134 ‘I remembered Adam’s supplication to his Creator. But where was mine? He had abandoned me, and in the bitterness of my heart I cursed him’ – The monster wanted and needed a fatherly figure being his creator.
• P137 ‘Who can describe their horror and consternation on beholding me? Agatha fainted, and Safie unable to attend to her friend, rushed out of the cottage’ – This is the moment the monster tries to introduce himself to the family. However, Agatha faints and Safie runs out of the cottage providing a helpless image of women in general. The family cannot see past the monster’s appearance despite being lovely. This makes clear that the best of human nature is not enough to overcome primitive thoughts.
• P139 ‘Cursed, cursed creator! Why did I live?’ – This is an exact quote of what Adam says in Paradise Lost .
• ‘my feelings were those of rage and revenge’ – The monster is becoming vengeful after being rejected by humanity.
• ‘I, like the archfiend, bore a hell within me, and finding myself unsympathised with, wished to tear up the trees, spread havoc and destruction around me, and then to have sat down and enjoyed the ruin’ – He has turned to the devil from his experience. The monster is on a bildungsroman.
• P140 ‘a fierce wind arose from the woods’ – The use of pathetic fallacy.
• P141 ‘The wind fanned the fire, and the cottage was quickly enveloped by the flames, which clung to it and licked it with their forked and destroying tongues’ – The monster uses fire for bad things (just like Prometheus).
• ‘my father, my creator’ – The monster seeks to destroy his father, Victor, after everything he has done. This is what Sigmund Freud says happens in these situations.
• P143 ‘This was the reward of my benevolence! I had saved a human being from description  and as a recompense I now writhed under the miserable pain of a wound which shattered the flesh and bone’ – The monster was caring which makes clear the injustice of the situation. He is an allegorical character that is driven by morals.
• P144 ‘an idea seized me that this little creature was unprejudiced’ – This is the monster’s cure for his loneliness. A child is at their most absolute innocence. Therefore, he will be too young to adopt prejudice views.
• ‘Hideous monster!’ – Then the reader and the monster realises that he is not innocent.
• ‘I grasped his throat to silence him, and in a moment he lay dead at my feet’ – William’s death is not as graphical as it good have been. This is Shelley’s way of making us sympathise with the monster a bit.
• The monster cannot be loved due to his ugly appearance. This is Victor’s fault. Therefore the monster destroys the people that love Victor so that Victor feels the same feelings as the monster. In a way, is this justice or not?
• P146 ‘I am alone, and miserable; man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me. My companion must be of the same species, and have the same defects. This being you must create’ – Monster finishes his narration with the monster wanting Victor to create him a partner. The monster wants Frankenstein to create ‘Eve’.
• P147 ‘Shall I create another like yourself, whose joint wickedness might desolate the world? Begone! I have answered you; you may torture me, but I will never consent’ – Two monsters is much worst than one: especially if they can breed.
• P148 ‘I cannot inspire love, I will cause fear’ – The monster threatens Victor.
• ‘did I not as his maker, owe him all the portion of happiness that it was in my power to bestow?’ – Victor remembers he owes the monster some sense of happiness.
• ‘I will go to the vast wilds of South America’ – The monster will isolate himself from humanity with his partner.
• P149 ‘My evil passions will have fled, for I shall meet with sympathy! my life will flow quietly away, and in my dying moments I shall not curse my maker’ – Monster is trying to provide reasons for Victor to create another monster.
• P150 ‘After a long pause of reflection, I concluded that the justice due both to him and my fellow creatures demanded of me that I should comply with his request’ – Victor is going to make another monster.
• ‘by the sun, and by the blue sky of Heaven, and by the fire of love that burns my heart, that if you grant my prayer, while they exist you shall never behold me again’ – There is the imagery of light and fire which represents good things.
• The monster is influential. He is remarkably persuasive (from the De Lacey’s?) which is a reversal of power – Adam and Eve had no power to God.

Volume Three

• P168 ‘With resolution I traversed the northern highlands, and fixed on one of the remotest of the Orkneys as the scene of my labours. It was a place fitted for such a work, being hardly more than a rock, whose high sides were continually beaten upon the waves’ – This creates a Gothic setting. It could also make the point that Victor is ashamed by what he is doing. He is not doing it for the science: he’s creating the life for the monster.
• P169 ‘Thus situated, employed in the most detestable occupation, immersed in a solitude where nothing could for an instant call my attention from the actual scene in which I was engaged, my spirits became unequal; I grew restless and nervous’ – Victor is uncomfortable about what he is doing.
• P170 ‘I sat one evening in my laboratory; the sun had set, and the moon was rising from the sea’ – Parallel construction is made between making this monster and the previous one.
• ‘She might become ten thousand times more malignant than her mate’ – The new creation might be even more evil than the previous one. Victor is creating Eve and is still playing God.
• P171 ‘trembling with passion, tore to pieces the thing on which I was engaged. The wretch saw me destroy the creature on whose future existence he depended for happiness, and, with a howl of devilish despair and revenge withdrew’ – Victor did not create the Eve monster and destroyed it instead. This leaves the monster very vengeful.
• ‘P172 ‘You are my creator, but I am your master – obey!’ – There are a reversal of roles here.
• ‘bolt will fall’ – It was lightning that made the monster. Lightning can also kill.
• P173 ‘I may die, but first you, my tyrant and tormentor, shall curse the sun that gases on your misery. Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful. I will watch with the wiliness of a snake’. This quote has reference to religion with the snake from the Garden of Eden.
• ‘but remember, I shall be with you on your wedding-night’ – This is a threat from the monster for Victor’s wife, which Victor doesn’t realise but thinks it is about himself, ‘Before you sign my death-warrant’.
• P177 ‘As I was occupied in fixing the boat and arranging the sails, several people crowded towards the spot’ – Victor is getting a similar reception that the monster would have got.
• This Chapter is a re-run (echo) of a Justine-like trial. This time, it is with Frankenstein who is the accused. He isn’t hung as men have higher social statuses than women.
• P179 ‘old benevolent an, with calm and mild manners’ – The man was positive and kind to Victor.
• P181 ‘passed like a dream from my memory, when I saw the lifeless form of Henry Clerval stretched before me. I gasped for breath; and throwing myself on the body, I exclaimed, ‘Have my murderous machinations deprived you also, my dearest Henry, of life? To I have already destroyed; other victims await their destiny: but you, Clerval, my friend, my benefactor’ – Frankenstein faints which is Victor being feminised. Would should faint at this like Justine did. This means that Frankenstein is not very masculine. The monster is masculine and Victor is the opposite being feminist.
• P183 ‘Who could be interested in the fate of a murderer, but the hangman who would gain his fee?’ – This is parallel to Justine and the monster. Victor is feeling what it is like to be evil.
• P184-185 ‘ ‘I should have thought, young man, that the presence of your father would have welcome instead of inspiring such violent repugnance.’ ‘My father!’ cried I’ – Victor is acting childish to his father’s arrival.
• P189 ‘I abhorred the face of man’ – This is similar to what the monster says, ‘Shall I not then hate them who abhor me?’. He is experience emotions similar to the monster.
• P190 ‘A thousand times would I have shed my own blood, drop by drop, to have saved their lives’ – This is rubbish. He said something similar before,A thousand times rather would I have confessed myself guilty of the crime ascribed to Justine’. He could have saved their lives but chose to keep the monster’s identity hidden.
• P193 ‘the apples was already eaten, and the angel’s arm bared to drive me from all hope’ – This has reference to the apple Eve ate from the Garden of Eden.
• P195 ‘I had prepared only my own death’ – Victor does not realise that the monster will kill Victor’s family so that he experiences the same loneliness as the monster. The monster will not kill Victor as that is an easy way out.
• The end of the novel takes on a revenge tragedy theme.
• P198 ‘It was eight o’clock when we landed; we walked for a short time on the shore, enjoying the transitory light, and then retired to the inn, and contemplated the lovely scene of waters, woods and mountains, obscured in darkness, yet still displaying their black outlines’ – The Chapter starts off with a happy positive mood. 
• P199 ‘I heard a shrill and dreadful scream’ – The reader knows the monster is here…for Elizabeth.
• ‘Great God!’ – Parallel construction is created from Chapter V Volume One. The death of Elizabeth links in with the creation of the monster.
• ‘bridal bier’ – As well as having alliteration, it is an oxymoron. Bier is a movable frame which a coffin is placed on. This has the opposite mood to a bride who has just got married.
• P200 ‘A grin was on the face of the monster; he seemed to jer, as with his fiendish finger he pointed towards the corpse of my wife’ – The monster has raped and killed Elizabeth and by pointing at her, he is proud by what he has done.
• P202 ‘he was unable to rise from his bed, and in a few days he died in my arms’ – Victor’s father dies due to not coping with the shocks going on around him
• Frankenstein is moving further north and away from humanity which is sublime and alienating.
• P205 ‘My present situation was one in which all voluntary thought was swallowed up and lost. I was hurried away by fury; revenge alone endowed me with strength and composure it moulded my feelings, and allowed me to be calculating and calm, at periods when otherwise delirium or death would have been my portion’ – Victor is kept alive by vengeance for Elizabeth’s death.
• Here are some good quotes to know, P206 ‘hell surrounded me with mockery and laughter’  and P207 ‘Cold, want and fatigue, were the least pains which I was destined to endure’.
• P208 ‘ ‘My reign is not over’ – these words were legible in one of these inscriptions – ‘you live, and my power is complete. Follow me; I seek the everlasting ices of the north, where you will feel the misery of cold and frost, to which I am impassive’ – The monster is luring Frankenstein north. This quote also makes clear that the monster can write. Therefore, he has acquired the last language.
• P212 ‘His soul is as hellish as his form, full of treachery and fiendlike malice. Hear him not; call on the manes of William, Justine, Clerval, Elizabeth, and of the wretched Victor, and thrust your sword into his heart. I will hover near, and direct the steel aright’ – Frankenstein is calling for revenge. Walton conitnues the narration after this.
• P214 ‘ ‘When younger,’ said he, ‘I believed myself destined for some great enterprise’. Victor had high hopes for his life.
• P218 ‘The die is cast…It requires more than philosophy than I possess, to bear this injustice with patience’ – Walton is talking very depressively.
• ‘It is past; I am returning to England. I have lost my hopes of utility and glory; – I have lost my friend. But I will endeavour to detail these bitter circumstances to you, my dear sister’ – Walton is more positive here and is also filling in the events.
• P220 ‘Farewell, Walton! Seek happiness in tranquillity  and avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries. Yet why do I say this? I have myself been blasted in these hopes, yet another may succeed’ – Frankenstein is preparing to die.
• ‘His voice became faint as he spoke; and at length, exhausted by his effort, he sunk into silence. About  half an hour afterwards he attested again to speak, but was unable; he pressed my hand feebly, and his eyes closed forever, while the irradiation of a gentle smile passed away from his lips’ – Ultimately, Frankenstein’s punishment for transgressing and acquiring powers God should only have is death. The death is a pathetic one with feminine-like traits.
• P221 ‘Great God!’ Parallel construction between the birth of the monster, the death of Elizabeth and the appearance of the monster to Walton.
• ‘ ‘That is also my victim”‘ he exclaimed: ‘in his murder my crimes are consummated; the miserable series of my being is wound to its close! Oh, Frankenstein! generous and self-devoted being! what does it avail that I now ask thee to pardon me? I, who irretrievably destroyed thee by destroying all thou lovedst. Alas! he is cold, cannot answer me’ -The monster is now remorseful. ‘generous and self-devoted’ is ironic. Victor is generous to create the monster but selfish.
• P222 ‘it did not endure the violence of the change, without torture such as you cannot imagine’ – The monster is saying that he didn’t like committing the murders, ‘Think you that the groans of Clerval were music to my ears?’.
• ‘I abhorred myself’ – The monster hates himself. From everyone hating him, it has led to him hating himself.
• ‘Yet when she died! – nay, then I was not miserable. I had cast off all feeling, subdued all anguish, to riot in the excess of my despair. Evil thenceforth became my good’ – This is a moral reversal for the monster.
• P224 ‘Fear not that I shall be the instrument of future mischief’ – The monster is not going to be evil any more as he is not revengeful.
• ‘I shall quit your vessel on the ice-raft which brought me thither, and shall seek the most northern extremity of the globe; I shall collect my funeral pile, and consume to ashes this miserable frame’ – The monster is utterly negative here. He is going to destroy himself in as remote and northern place as possible through burning himself to death with fire (links with Prometheus). The monster’s first crime was by burning the cottage. His last sin is suicide through burning himself.

Frankenstien’s Reference To Paradise Lost

• Paradise Lost is an epic poem by John Milton.
• Eve is made from Adam’s rib whereas the monster is made from corpses.
• Adam and Eve sinned by eating the apple. God turns them away like Victor does to the monster.
• Monster ate a metaphorical apple and turned evil.
• Monster is born naked like Adam and Eve.
• Monster is rejected before he sins unlike Adam and Eve.
• Monster in shed watching the De Lacey family is like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. The monster gets thrown out of ‘heaven’.

Frankenstein  Reference To Jean-Jacques Rousseau

• Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote a novel called Emile .
• He is a philosopher writer and composer.
• He is also a romanticist.
• Frankenstein is an anti-romantic novel. Frankenstein has emotions but he is anti-romantic as he achieves something bad.
• Jean-Jacques believed in Noble Savage – when humans are first born, they are at their most raw and innocent state. It is the nurture and nature that shapes us into the people we are today. Everyone is born as a metaphorical blank page.
• This brings the point forward that if you educate a person, you will make them into a good being who will benefit society from good citizenship.
• The monster is disregarded when he is first born. Therefore, the reader can understand why he kills. He is grown up well with the De Lacey’s but the experiences of rejection causes him to become evil, ‘I was benevolent; my soul glowed with love and humanity’.
• If Frankenstein didn’t abandon the monster at birth, the monster may not have killed at all.

My Review Of Frankenstein

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Fear — The Fears In My Life

What I Think About Fear in Life

• Categories: Fear

About this sample

Words: 600 |

Published: Jun 17, 2020

Words: 600 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Works Cited

• Berntsen, D., & Rubin, D. C. (2006). Emotionally charged autobiographical memories across the life span: The recall of happy, sad, traumatic, and involuntary memories. Psychology and Aging, 21(4), 786-801.
• Carleton, R. N. (2016). Fear of the unknown: One fear to rule them all? Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 41, 5-21.
• Craske, M. G., & Stein, M. B. (2016). Anxiety. The Lancet, 388(10063), 3048-3059.
• Diemer, M. A., Mistry, R. S., Wadsworth, M. E., López, I., & Reimers, F. (2013). Best practices in conceptualizing and measuring social class in psychological research. Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy, 13(1), 77-113.
• Gabbard, G. O., & Wilkinson, S. M. (2016). Management of chronic fear and anxiety in medical disorders. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 80, 32-38.
• Hallion, L. S., & Ruscio, A. M. (2011). A meta-analysis of the effect of cognitive bias modification on anxiety and depression. Psychological Bulletin, 137(6), 940-958.
• Hofmann, S. G., Sawyer, A. T., Fang, A., & Asnaani, A. (2012). Emotion dysregulation model of mood and anxiety disorders. Depression and Anxiety, 29(5), 409-416.
• Ost, L. G., & Ollendick, T. H. (2017). Brief, intensive and concentrated cognitive behavioral treatments for anxiety disorders in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Behavior Research and Therapy, 97, 134-145.
• Plutchik, R., & Kellerman, H. (2013). Emotion: Theory, research, and experience: Vol. 1. Theories of emotion. Academic Press.
• Roosevelt, F. D. (1933, March 4). Franklin D. Roosevelt's First Inaugural Address. Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov/articles/franklin-d-roosevelt-first-inaugural-address.htm

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The 7 Skills Necessary to Overcome Fear

Fear is the ultimate form of emotional baggage..

Posted January 10, 2021 | Reviewed by Kaja Perina

• What Is Fear?
• Find counselling to combat fear and anxiety

Emotional baggage comes in many forms and can affect many areas of your life. It can creep into relationships, career , parenting , achievement and even the way that you manage your health.

The ultimate whammy that emotional baggage brings to the table is fear . Huge, in your way of getting anything done kind of fear. Because what baggage does is tell you that you are not capable. You are no good. You are too fat. You are unlovable. You are damaged somehow. You are not smart enough, others are better than you.

These messages all bring about the bottom line of keeping you afraid of trying things or putting yourself out there. This is because you believe the messages are correct and that you will fall flat on your face in some way. That failure will make you a laughingstock and people will say “I told you so”.

Sometimes fear can be healthy and keeps you safe. Staying in safe city zones or in lighted areas is a form of a healthy preventative fear. Remaining stuck in a bad relationship, bad job or some other unhealthy situation is an example of bad fear.

Maybe you aren’t in a bad situation but you would like to change your situation and something is holding you back. That something is usually fear. That fear comes from someplace inside you that is screaming don’t be stupid, you can’t do that!!

But you have no proof that you can’t do it. You are only hearing your fear talking and that fear is coming from some old, outdated and incorrect message stored in the archives of your brain.

Let this be the year you clean out all those old messages. Test them out to see which ones hold water. I bet not many. The fear can be so great you are afraid to eliminate it, believing that it serves you in some way. Just like any other kind of clutter, we think we may need it someday. Maybe you think it is keeping you safe. But what it is really doing is keeping you limited.

So, what to do with these old fears and messages?

Bring them out in the open. Invite them in for a little chat. What is your biggest challenge right now in life? Associate whatever fear and negative messaging comes with it. You don’t need to look at them all at once, when you start breaking them down you will see that some will go away naturally. The worst thing you can do is ignore them. If it feels like too much just sit with the thoughts for a bit without demanding change. Get comfortable with them so you can spend some time.

Everyone has fear. It is how you deal with it that matters. Allowing it to limit you is a life suck. Seeing it as a challenge that needs to be overcome and making a plan for it empowers you and puts you in control of your life.

It is not enough to say, "I am afraid of that". You have to look at why you are afraid and what it would take to not be afraid. You can break it into baby steps that match your comfort level of change.

The biggest step is to see fear as baggage and not as a rightful appendage. Those negative and fearful ideas came from somewhere, it is your job to determine where so that you can go about eliminating them.

Eliminating Fear Involves Learning These 7 Skills:

• Learn to trust yourself- trust that you will make good decisions, research and learn what you need and if you make a mistake you can correct it.
• Take ownership of your life -Taking purposeful action rather than reacting to events.
• Identify the components of your fear. (Rejection, failure, so on).
• Neutralize the above components. Know and trust that If one of those things happen you can deal with it or you can find help with it. Don't suffer it before it has happened.
• Build your self-esteem . Learn to like yourself. You forgive mistakes by others, why not yourself?
• Know that you can learn whatever you need to succeed at what you are afraid of- whether they are practical skills or emotional skills, you can master them if necessary.
• Believe at your very core that this can be done. This is not just for other people. This is for you. You are just as good as the next person.

Anything that you want or are thinking of doing can be done with some thought and planning.

You can still write your life blueprint knowing that you have some baggage to overcome and skills to learn. Some baggage will be in the form of fear and you can recognize it in order to work with it. Your blueprint will be a lot more fun and hopeful when you dare to dream big.

Dr. Audrey Sherman is a psychologist, author, and coach whose expertise is in helping people overcome dysfunctional patterns and emotional baggage in order to create a life of their own design.

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At any moment, someone’s aggravating behavior or our own bad luck can set us off on an emotional spiral that threatens to derail our entire day. Here’s how we can face our triggers with less reactivity so that we can get on with our lives.

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Fearless Leadership: What it Means to Me and How I Apply It in Business

Being a leader in today’s fast-paced business world requires a certain level of courage. The ability to make bold decisions and take calculated risks can be the difference between success and failure.

Yet, many leaders struggle with fear and uncertainty. This holds them back from taking their business to the next level. In this article, I will share with you what being fearless in business means to me. I will share specific examples of how I act in accordance with this.

Being fearless in business doesn’t mean the same thing to everyone. Entrepreneurs and leaders are known to be courageous by nature. They take things into their own hands. They do not rely on others to make decisions for them or  to pay them. Moreover, they are responsible for employees and collaborators.

As an entrepreneur and leader, I have made it a personal mission to embody the concept of fearlessness in my business practices. You might have noticed this is my statement – I am the fearless integrator of people, process, and tools . I also end all my emails with a reminder for my readers to be fearless. I encourage them to push past their comfort zone and strive for greatness.

Of course, the people I work with are fearless leaders, partners, and team members. They have the ability to push beyond boundaries, think outside the box, and inspire others to do the same. They challenge me to be my best self, on a personal and a professional level.

Entrepreneurs often talk about the importance of being fearless. How fear can hold you back and keep you trapped. I wonder though… does everyone get the real meaning of what fearless in business looks like?

For some, it may seem like taking risks without considering the potential consequences. Others may view fearless leaders as those who throw themselves into the unknown without even blinking. In my experience, the reality is quite different.

Being fearless in business is not about throwing yourself headfirst into dangerous situations.

Here is what I believe it’s about:

Taking calculated risks

• Focusing on goals when surrounded by chaos

Speaking your mind even when your opinion is not popular

Acting in alignment with your values.

Entrepreneurship is risky. Those who take the leap and start their own business are often willing to take risks to achieve their goals. However, not all risks are created equal. Some entrepreneurs take risks without understanding the possible outcomes.

But fearless leadership is not about throwing caution to the wind and taking risks without thinking. It’s about making calculated decisions based on data and analysis.

I’m a data-driven leader. And so, I believe that calculating the risks / reward ratio of a decision is crucial to making the right choice. I make sure to do my homework and gather all the information I need before making a decision. This way, I can understand the probability of success and make an informed decision about whether to proceed with a risky move.

I used to compare my decision-making process to other entrepreneurs. The ones who take risks without understanding the consequences. I realized my approach was different in the sense that it was better for my leadership style. I sometimes lean towards risky decisions. But never before have I looked at the data and analyzed all available information.

Being a fearless leader in business is not about recklessness. It’s about making smart, calculated decisions especially when the stakes are high. It is about confidently running a business to support your mission. All this after doing your homework and understanding the risks involved.

Focusing on goals even when surrounded by chaos

As leaders, we all face external factors and events that can cause anxiety and fear. It can be easy to give in to these feelings and let them dictate our actions. However, fearlessness in business means pushing through and staying true to your goals and plans, even in the face of chaos.

This starts with the mindset and acknowledging that we cannot control everything. Instead of trying to fix every issue and make everything right, true leaders focus on their values and mission. This way they positively impact a lot of people.

It took me a while to fully internalize this principle. I used to think that every problem in the world was mine to solve, which only served to distract me from my true mission. But over time, I realized that this was the easy way out. What was the courageous thing to do was to keep my plans and mission in focus, no matter what external factors were at play.

Today, I remind myself regularly of why I do what I do, and I do not let external elements derail me from my path. I know that by doing this I contribute to the positive transformation for others. This is what being fearless is all about.

If you want to learn more about my goal setting process, here is an article that goes in depth on the topic .

Being fearless means you are not afraid to share your honest and direct opinions. Even if they are unpopular. This is how you generate constructive debates and foster a culture of strong opinions  loosely held.

However, a fearless leader is also perfectly capable to mediate the discussion and bring about a resolution. It’s important to remember that open and honest debates will only push the business forward.

Sometimes it is easier to make decisions without debating them first with the team. After all, as the leader, you are in charge. But you can almost always generate a better outcome by getting valuable insights from your capable teams.

I have always had different views than most people. Once I started sharing them fearlessly, I realized that they were valued by others and a source of inspiration.

As a leader, it’s important to remember that your values are at the core of who you are and who your team is as individuals. These values should guide all of your decisions and actions. Yes, even when faced with opportunities that may require compromising on one or more of them.

It can be tempting to give in to these opportunities. Especially when they seem like once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. However, fearless leaders stick to their values and live in alignment with them. Even if it means missing out on certain opportunities.

One of the key things to remember is that there are always multiple ways to achieve success in business. Being fearless means exploring different solutions. It also means finding one that aligns with your values.

I’ve made the mistake of compromising on my values in the past. While the outcome may have been successful, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a better way to achieve it without sacrificing my values.

Over the past five years, I’ve learned that living in alignment with my values accelerates my growth. It also makes meeting goals easier.  So, if there’s one thing to take away from this article, it’s that being fearless means staying true to your values. No matter what opportunities may come your way.

Conclusions for fearless leaders

Fear can freeze your mind and push you toward irrational decisions. You might think you make a risk free move, but in fact you act from a place of panic. And this never leads to growth and development.

Try instead to take a step back and approach risk methodically. Look at the risk / reward ratio and use data to determine the right decision. Understand the opportunity cost of not speaking your mind. Think about the consequence of diluting your focus, isn’t that a bigger risk?

Last but not least, be fearless by always acting in alignment to your values. That is the purest expression of taking worthy risks.

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• Conjunctions
• Prepositions

FEARLESS in a Sentence Examples: 21 Ways to Use Fearless

Have you ever wondered how to construct a sentence using the word “fearless”? Being fearless means exhibiting bravery and daring, without being afraid or hesitant.

When crafting an example sentence with “fearless,” it’s important to convey a sense of courage and boldness. The word can be used to describe someone who faces challenges head-on or takes risks without hesitation. Whether highlighting a character’s fearless attitude in a story or showcasing a person’s fearless actions in real life, incorporating this word can add depth and intensity to your writing.

Table of Contents

7 Examples Of Fearless Used In a Sentence For Kids

• Fearless lions roar loudly in the jungle.
• The brave superhero is always fearless in the face of danger.
• I feel fearless when I have my friends by my side.
• The little bird flew fearlessly across the sky.
• The princess was fearless and stood up to the dragon.
• We should be fearless when trying new things.
• The firefighter is fearless when saving lives.

14 Sentences with Fearless Examples

• Fearless students speak up in class discussions and ask thought-provoking questions.
• College is the perfect time to try new things and be fearless in pursuing your passions.
• Fearless students take on leadership roles in student organizations and make a positive impact on campus.
• It’s important to be fearless when exploring different career paths and not be afraid to take risks.
• College is a time to be fearless in making new friends and expanding your social circle.
• Fearless students are not afraid to voice their opinions and stand up for what they believe in.
• It takes a fearless attitude to step out of your comfort zone and try studying abroad for a semester.
• Being fearless means not letting the fear of failure hold you back from trying new things.
• College is a time to be fearless in pursuing your academic goals and working towards your dreams.
• Fearless students take on internships and gain valuable real-world experience to prepare for their future careers.
• It’s important to be fearless when facing difficult challenges and persevering through tough times.
• Fearless students participate in competitions and showcase their talents without hesitations.
• Embracing a fearless attitude can help students overcome obstacles and achieve success in their academic endeavors.
• College is a time to be fearless in pursuing opportunities for personal growth and self-discovery.

How To Use Fearless in Sentences?

When using Fearless in a sentence, remember that it is an adjective that describes someone who is brave or not afraid. Here are some tips for beginners to correctly use Fearless in a sentence:

Identify the context: Think about a situation where someone is showing courage or lack of fear.

Choose the subject: Decide on the person or thing that you want to describe as Fearless in your sentence.

Construct the sentence: Place Fearless before the noun it’s describing to make it clear that the subject is brave or daring.

Be specific: Provide details or examples in your sentence to emphasize why the subject is considered Fearless .

Example sentences:

• She was fearless in the face of danger, confronting the intruder without hesitation.
• The firefighter’s fearless rescue mission saved the family from the burning building.
• Despite her fears, the young girl remained fearless as she stood up to the school bully.

By following these guidelines, you can effectively incorporate Fearless into your sentences to accurately convey bravery or boldness. Practice using Fearless in different contexts to become more comfortable with incorporating it into your language.

In summary, the examples of sentences with the keyword “fearless” illustrate a sense of bravery, courage, and confidence. Individuals described as “fearless” exhibit an unwavering determination to face challenges head-on, without being deterred by fear or uncertainty. Their fearless attitude allows them to tackle obstacles with conviction and boldness, inspiring others to do the same.

Embracing a fearless mindset empowers individuals to pursue their goals with resilience and tenacity. By confronting fears and doubts with courage, one can break through limitations and achieve personal growth and success. Ultimately, embodying fearlessness is a powerful quality that enables individuals to navigate life’s challenges with a sense of fearlessness and determination.

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GCSE English Revision Guide: Frankenstein

• Joshua Sandeman
• April 26, 2023

This GCSE English revision guide is on Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’. The book is a gothic novel first published in 1818. The story follows Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a grotesque and intelligent creature in his laboratory.

The novel explores various themes, including the dangers of scientific ambition, the nature of humanity, and the consequences of isolation.

The novel was written during a period of great scientific and social change, known as the Romantic era. Shelley’s work reflects the concerns and anxieties of the time, particularly around the impact of industrialization and scientific advancement on society.

Additionally, the novel is heavily influenced by the events of Shelley’s own life, including the death of her mother, the suicide of her half-sister, and her troubled relationship with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.

This Frankenstein GCSE English revision guide will explain the key themes, key quotes and help you to prepare to write a grade nine essay response.

Read on to find out more.

Key Themes of Frankenstein

Ambition and its Consequences

One of the main themes of the novel is the danger of unchecked ambition. Victor Frankenstein’s relentless pursuit of scientific knowledge leads him to create a creature that ultimately causes him great harm. The novel serves as a warning against the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, without regard for the potential consequences.

The Nature of Humanity

Another central theme of the novel is the question of what it means to be human. The creature is initially viewed as a monster due to its grotesque appearance, but as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that the creature possesses many of the same desires and emotions as humans. This theme raises questions about the nature of humanity and the criteria by which we judge what is “normal” or “monstrous.”

Isolation and Loneliness

The novel explores the devastating effects of isolation and loneliness. Both Victor and the creature experience profound loneliness and isolation, which leads to their eventual downfall. The theme also raises questions about the role of social connections in shaping our identities and how a lack of connection can lead to psychological and emotional distress.

Knowledge and Discovery

Frankenstein highlights the potential benefits and dangers of scientific discovery. The novel questions the limits of scientific knowledge and the ethics of experimentation, particularly when it comes to creating life. The theme also raises concerns about the misuse of scientific advancements and the potential for technology to get out of control.

The theme of revenge is present throughout the novel, with the creature seeking revenge against Victor for abandoning him and denying him companionship. The theme raises questions about the nature of revenge and whether it can ever truly provide satisfaction or closure.

Key Quotes of Frankstein

“I have created a monster”

This quote, spoken by Victor Frankenstein, reflects the novel’s central theme of ambition and its consequences. Victor’s relentless pursuit of knowledge and ambition leads him to create a creature that he cannot control, ultimately causing him great harm.

“I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel”

The creature’s comparison of himself to Adam from the Bible highlights the novel’s exploration of the nature of humanity. The creature recognizes his own intelligence and capabilities but is unable to find acceptance in society due to his appearance. His reference to the fallen angel also highlights the theme of isolation and loneliness.

“I am malicious because I am miserable”

This quote spoken by the creature highlights the novel’s exploration of the consequences of isolation and loneliness. The creature’s inability to find companionship or acceptance leads to his feelings of misery, which ultimately fuel his desire for revenge against Victor.

“Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge”

This quote, spoken by the creature, serves as a warning about the dangers of unchecked ambition and scientific discovery. The creature has learned this lesson through his own experiences and is warning Victor and the reader not to make the same mistake.

“All men hate the wretched; how, then, must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things!”

This quote spoken by the creature highlights the novel’s exploration of the nature of humanity and the criteria by which we judge what is “normal” or “monstrous.” The creature recognizes that his appearance is the primary reason for his rejection by society and despairs at the unfairness of this judgement.

“Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful”

This quote, spoken by the creature, reflects the novel’s exploration of the power dynamic between Victor and the creature. Although the creature is physically weaker than Victor, he possesses a certain power due to his fearlessness and his ability to inspire fear in others.

“I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other.”

This quote, spoken by the creature, highlights the novel’s exploration of the theme of revenge. The creature’s desire for revenge is fueled by his feelings of loneliness and rejection, as well as his desire for justice and fairness.

Possible GCSE English Essay Questions and How to Answer Them

How does Mary Shelley use the theme of nature in Frankenstein?

To answer this question, you should begin by defining what is meant by “nature” and providing examples of how it is present throughout the novel.

You should then analyze how Shelley uses the natural world to reflect the emotional and psychological states of the characters, particularly Victor and the creature. You should also consider the historical context of the Romantic period and its emphasis on nature as a source of inspiration and spiritual renewal.

How does Mary Shelley use the character of the creature to explore the dangers of prejudice and discrimination?

To answer this question, you should begin by defining what is meant by “prejudice” and “discrimination” and providing examples of how the creature is subjected to these attitudes throughout the novel.

You should then analyze how Shelley uses the creature’s experiences to highlight the destructive effects of these biases, particularly in terms of his inability to find acceptance and belonging in human society. You should also consider the sociological context of the time period, particularly the issues of race and class that were prevalent in the 19th century.

How does Mary Shelley use the setting of the novel to contribute to its gothic atmosphere?

To answer this question, you should begin by defining what is meant by “gothic atmosphere” and providing examples of how it is present in the novel.

You should then analyze how Shelley uses the setting, particularly the isolated and desolate landscapes of the Swiss Alps and the Arctic, to create a sense of foreboding and unease. You should also consider the historical context of the gothic genre and its emphasis on the supernatural and the macabre.

How does Mary Shelley use the theme of knowledge and discovery in Frankenstein?

To answer this question, you should begin by defining what is meant by “knowledge” and “discovery” and providing examples of how they are present throughout the novel.

You should then analyze how Shelley uses these themes to explore the ethical and moral implications of scientific advancement, particularly in Victor’s pursuit of creating life. You should also consider the historical context of the Enlightenment period and its emphasis on reason and rationality.

How does Mary Shelley use the motif of fire in Frankenstein?

To answer this question, you should begin by defining what is meant by “motif” and “fire” and providing examples of how the motif is present throughout the novel.

You should then analyze how Shelley uses the image of fire to symbolize both creation and destruction, particularly in Victor’s experiments with electricity and the creature’s destructive actions. You should also consider the historical context of the Romantic period and its emphasis on the elemental forces of nature.

Example Frankenstein GCSE English Revision Essay Question

How does Mary Shelley use the character of Victor Frankenstein to explore the dangers of unchecked ambition?

Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’ is a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked ambition, particularly in the realm of scientific discovery. Through the character of Victor Frankenstein, Shelley illustrates the potential consequences of pursuing knowledge without regard for the ethical and moral implications of such pursuits.

Victor’s ambition is evident from the very beginning of the novel, as he becomes increasingly obsessed with the idea of creating life through his experiments. He becomes so consumed by this ambition that he becomes reckless and ignores the warnings of his family and friends, ultimately leading to the creation of the creature.

The consequences of Victor’s unchecked ambition are dire. He creates a being that is not only physically monstrous but also emotionally and psychologically tormented. The creature’s existence is filled with loneliness, rejection, and a desire for revenge against his creator.

Shelley uses Victor’s character to highlight the dangers of scientific progress without ethical considerations. At the time of the novel’s publication in 1818, the field of science was undergoing a rapid expansion, with new discoveries being made in fields such as chemistry and electricity. This expansion led to fears about the consequences of unchecked scientific progress, particularly in terms of the potential for new and dangerous technologies.

Shelley’s novel can therefore be seen as a commentary on the anxieties of her time, as well as a warning about the potential dangers of pursuing scientific knowledge without considering the ethical implications of such pursuits.

Key quotes from the novel support this analysis. Victor’s description of his ambition as a “fervent longing to penetrate the secrets of nature” highlights the dangerous combination of ambition and curiosity that drives his scientific pursuits. Similarly, the creature’s warning to Victor about the “acquirement of knowledge” serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of pursuing knowledge without regard for the potential consequences.

In conclusion, Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’ uses the character of Victor Frankenstein to explore the dangers of unchecked ambition, particularly in the realm of scientific discovery.

Through Victor’s experiences, Shelley illustrates the potential consequences of pursuing knowledge without considering the ethical and moral implications of such pursuits.

The novel serves as a warning about the potential dangers of scientific progress and the need to consider the ethical implications of new discoveries.

Points for improvement to reach grade nine with your GCSE English Revision:

• More direct quotes and references from the text
• Deeper analysis of the quotes

Summary of Frankenstein

Frankenstein is a gothic novel written by Mary Shelley that explores the dangers of scientific advancement.

The story follows Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant scientist who becomes obsessed with creating life. He succeeds in creating a monster, but when he realizes the monstrous nature of his creation, he rejects it, leaving it to fend for itself.

The creature is tormented by society and its own existence and seeks revenge against its creator.

The novel highlights the dangers of unchecked ambition and the consequences of playing God, while also incorporating elements of the gothic genre, including dark themes, supernatural events, and mysterious settings.

Through its exploration of scientific advancement and the macabre, Frankenstein remains a classic work of literature with enduring relevance.

GCSE English Revision with Sandeman Tutoring

We hope this handy guide on Frankstein will help you with your GCSE English revision and allow you to hit those top grades.

If you need any further support with your english revision for the upcoming exams, please reach out to our team today and we can connect you with one of our excellent tutors in our network.

Contact us via our contact form and someone will get right back to you with our tutoring packages.

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I was accepted to Yale. Here's everything I included in my successful Ivy League application.

• I got into Yale University after submitting a successful college application.
• I included my SAT score and high GPA in the application, along with an essay about my culture.
• Ultimately, I tried to highlight all the ways I would be a benefit to the Yale community.

I recently reviewed my Yale admissions file after being a student there for three years. It was strange but enlightening to read what the admissions officers really thought of my application.

Since then, many people have respectfully requested to hear about my stats, extracurriculars , and essays.

I believe that everyone's college application journey is unique and that mine is just one sample, but I equally understand the urge to hear about other people's experiences. I devoured hundreds of college decision reactions on YouTube just three years ago, hoping to find that secret formula.

So, I'm now sharing a deeper look into my college application. But I want to first emphasize that as complicated and stressful as the process of applying to college may be, the best application you can ever show others will be the one you enjoy writing the most. I know I enjoyed every second of writing mine.

My GPA and standardized test scores were important factors in my application

With colleges such as Yale and Dartmouth reinstating standardized testing requirements , the reality is that academics will always be the first line of assessment for admission.

The GPA I submitted to Yale was 98.23/100. An admissions officer commended my GPA in the context of my financially underprivileged upbringing.

I also tried to take the most rigorous workload possible while also prioritizing my mental health , ultimately sending in six AP test scores. My SAT score was 1590.

I credit a lot of my academic achievements to the fact that I surrounded myself with peers who were very serious about their education.

My pre-calculus teacher's recommendation — the one that the admissions team rated higher — emphasized that I held the second highest grade in her class over her 20-year teaching career.

I tried to highlight my passions in my extracurriculars

My activities were a confusing mosaic of interests and impulses, but one that perfectly captured this 17-year-old boy who was still very unsure about who he was and what he wanted.

I researched human visual perception at a local community college , I performed spoken word poetry, and I hit about 80% of the notes in the choir (on a good day).

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My primary extracurricular, however, was the one I connected with most. At the start of the pandemic, I founded a language-learning program for children called "Spanish Meets You." I used the proceeds I made from the program, which featured tutoring and pen-palling services, to host community giveaways of essential health supplies — such as masks, face shields, and hand sanitizer.

"Spanish Meets You" evolved from my experience growing up in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, which was predominantly Hispanic and Asian. I loved going to cookouts and finding a diligent spread of both spicy tamales and fried rice. Despite our cultural differences , the two groups were united in our challenges and our respect for each other.

When I submitted my application, I worried that I didn't have a coherent theme for my extracurriculars, nor enough leadership — but based on the admissions team's comments, my genuine passion for one or two activities mattered in the end.

I wanted to capture who I truly am in my college essay

When I started drafting my essay, I knew I wanted to capture what was unextractable from my résumé: my curiosity, thick skin, and mistakes.

I decided to make the topic of my college essay about Chinese New Year, a holiday I celebrated with my 14 floormates in this tiny Brooklyn apartment building that we all called home for two decades. Every year, I would wait for my father by the door with mandarins, only to be disappointed by his absence.

Ultimately, however, I learned to enjoy this holiday — even if my celebration was unorthodox. My 14 floormates and I are unrelated by blood, but I remember we would gather over food every holiday, tell stories, and play a game of JENGA. Their laughter still ricochets in my ears hundreds of miles away as I now sit in my college dorm room , wrapping up my junior year.

I tried not to overthink the other essay questions

I would jot down whatever came to mind in the first 30 seconds, asking myself: "How would 7-year-old Brian answer this?"

Whenever I took too long to craft a response, it was a sign that I was probably sacrificing genuineness to make a false good impression.

One of the essays asked about my favorite intellectual concept. Instead of showing off by detailing some obscure scientific theory, I moved forward with writing about the diversity of motherhood in the animal kingdom, tying it back to my close relationship with my own mother.

My application was focused on proving how I would fit into the Yale community

Colleges are searching for those who will enrich the lives of their peers in different ways.

Therefore, in my application, I tried to highlight all the parts of me that would prove to Yale I would benefit their campus and their students. In doing so, I was accepted and met students doing just that.

One of my friends, for instance, is studying law. She also loves to rap and surprise her friends with midnight ice cream. Another is a science journalist who gives the best dating advice .

I would say Yale wouldn't be home even if one of them were missing. Everyone is here; everyone ends up where they are.

For students applying to Ivy League schools , I implore you to tell your dynamic, unique story — to think about how your rhythm will fold into a community's song.

Watch: How the Latin Kings gang actually works, according to a former member

• Main content

To the moms all alone on Mother's Day, I see you and you are enough.

Most of my 14 years of motherhood felt like Mother’s Day was spent alone, including some of the years I was married.

Every May, when the second Sunday in May comes around, I think of the women who are where I was in multiple places of my mother journey: scared, alone and envious of the moms with a supportive partner at home.

This year, I've written a letter to every single mother struggling to celebrate herself today, who feels inferior to the other families she sees.

When the flowers don't come, when there are no "thank yous," when there is no one posting our picture, I want us to remember where our gift truly lies.

To our kids, this is the life and this love is enough. So, we can raise our glass.

Dear, single mom on Mother's Day

Maybe you woke up a little early today to give yourself the gift of solitude. There is no one to tag in at the end of the day. It’s exhausting.

You might get a few minutes before feelings of inadequacy come flooding in. You are reminded of all the things you can't do, never seeing all that you have. You wonder how a single-parent home is affecting your kids, who will be down in a matter of moments.

Then, the day will begin just like any other day.

Maybe there were once flowers waiting for you. Maybe there were never flowers at all. You may find crumpled up Mother's Day art in your kids' backpack today, but they may not recognize that there should be anything to celebrate.

You will prepare every meal, answer every request, create every moment, wipe every tear and calm every fear. But your requests will be left unmet, your moments 60 seconds at a time, your tears wiped by your own hand and your fears, ever ponding.

Yet every day you show up and you do it, maybe with a little envy for the two-parent home down the street, because it's hard to be a full-time parent and a full-time provider. You can't possibly do either perfectly well.

If you're feeling discouraged today, seeing only your lack, look inside.

You are the creator of all the good that you see.

Tonight, when you tuck in your kids, witness your gifts.

There may have not been anything on the table this morning, you may have cleaned up the house and cooked every meal, but there is peace in the room. There is joy on their faces. There is a tangible love providing security like the blanket wrapped around their feet.

Your family is not inferior.

You are enough. Your kids know it, and some day someone else will too.

But it has to start with you.

My son was feeling left behind: What kids with autistic siblings want you to know.

Your married friend may be struggling, too

Single mothers should know that married mothers aren't necessarily better supported. Sure, they may have flowers, but just like you, they have learned how to water themselves.

There were Mother's Days when all I felt was hollow. There were flowers, photos, dinners and lots of hugs, but it obscured a darker reality. Presence doesn't equal support. Lonely doesn't equal alone.

Knowing my "enoughness" led me back into singleness and back to the mother I've always been. So, cherish where you are and never trade your peace for support. Recognize yourself and celebrate this day.

Last year, I bought myself a bouquet of wildflowers, and this year, I bought myself a few.

My gift is this home I've created and the peace I feel at night. Sure, it may be a little messy, but it is far from inferior.

When I release my kids into the world, they will take this love that they've been given and begin planting it in places of their own, definitely better than if they had grown up in our broken two-parent home.

Yet I know that you, like me, may have a desire to share your life with someone. Just make sure that they are a seer too, a seer of your worth and your "enoughness," on more than just this special day.

The families risking everything to keep Ukraine’s trains running – photo essay

Dutch photographer Jelle Krings has been documenting the workers of the Ukrainian railway since the war began. Here, he revisits the families that have kept a war-torn country moving, often to great personal sacrifice

• Words and pictures by Jelle Krings

I n the early hours of 24 February 2022, when Russian bombs and rockets struck Ukrainian cities and infrastructure throughout the country, railway workers boarded trains heading east. Determined to get as many people as possible to safety , they would end up evacuating millions to Ukraine’s borders in the west.

Ukraine’s new railway chief Yevhen Liashchenko was in the team that guided the network through the first stages of the war. He says his people acted not because they were instructed to but because “they didn’t know any other way”. There was no time for bureaucracy, “decisions were made by the people on the ground, and they love the railway, not as a business but as a family”.

It takes more than 230,000 people to keep the trains running in Ukraine.

The railway station in Lyman, Donbas, destroyed by shelling

Yevhen Liashchenko, chief executive of Ukrainian railways, has been leading Ukraine’s 230,000 railway workers through the war

Together they run a vast railway network of more than 15,000 miles (24,000km) of track, one that has been invaluable for Ukraine’s ability to withstand the invasion. Despite continual bombing, the network has largely remained operational. Damage to the tracks is swiftly repaired, and shell-hit critical infrastructure is promptly restored.

Over two years, we followed families and workers living by the tracks near the frontlines to find out how the war and the struggle to keep the trains running is shaping their lives.

The Neschcheryakovas

Nadiya Neschcheryakova works as an attendant at a railway crossing in Bucha, about 10 miles from Kyiv. She works in shifts, sharing her post with her mother and two other women. On the morning of the invasion, the sound of explosions pierced the sky above the thick pine forests surrounding her home. She went to work anyway. A few days later, her post at the railway crossing was occupied by Russian troops. Her home in the next village along the track was now at the frontline of the war.

Nadiya Neschcheryakova operates her railway crossing in Bucha, near Kyiv . A freight train passes transporting materials such as wood for possible use in Ukraine’s defensive efforts along the frontline

Remnants of the Neschcheryakovas’ family house, destroyed by shelling, lie in the yard at Spartak, Kyiv oblast

Nadiya Neschcheryakova with her husband, Yuriy, their daughter Kateryna and grandson Andriy. Yuriy built a new house after their home was destroyed by shelling early in the war

With her husband, daughter and grandson, Nadiya managed to flee to the west where they stayed for a month waiting for the Russian withdrawal from Kyiv. When they returned home, they found their home had been reduced to rubble.

The Petrovs

When the city of Kherson was liberated after nine months of Russian occupation in November 2022, Oleksandr Petrov was sent on a mission to repair the tracks leading to the city. When he set out in a van with a team of repairmen in the morning, he knew the risks: the fields along the tracks were heavily mined in an attempt to slow the Ukrainian advance.

Railway workers wash their wounds after driving over a mine in the Kherson region, 13 November 2022. They were carrying out repair works just days after Kherson was liberated. Oleksandr Petrov lost a leg in the incident

Oleksandr shows his prosthetic leg to workers in a railway repair team in Voznesensk, Mykolaiv oblast. Since his injury, Oleksandr has been given a desk job

Oleksandr Petrov at his parents’ house in Voznesensk. Family members spend a day at the cemetery to maintain their relatives’ graves and pay their respects

Russian troops were expected to start shelling the city once they’d had a chance to regroup on the other side of the Dnipro River. The civilians left in the city would have to be evacuated by train, so Oleksandr went anyway. Later that day, Oleksandr lost his leg after they drove over a Russian anti-vehicle mine.

The Lyman community

When Ukrainian troops recaptured the railway hub of Lyman from Russian troops in November 2022, it had been under Russian occupation for six months. Since then, it has been on the frontline of the war in Ukraine’s Donbas region. Yet, a small community of railway families continues to live in the basements of their battered apartment buildings on the outskirts of the city.

The Rosokha family mourn the death of Nina Rosokha, who was killed by a Russian artillery strike on Lyman. Nina had worked in a railway service department, her husband was a train driver for 36 years. During the funeral, sounds of fighting could be heard in the nearby Kreminna forest

A forest on the outskirts of Lyman smoulders after shelling. Firefighters do not go into the forests for fear of mines

Fedya, 13, plays his accordion outside the apartment building where he lives with his mother and grandmother, both of whom work for the railway. Evelyna, 12, with one of her cats

The families in the community stay underground most of the time. The frontline is too close for the air raid alert system to be effective, and artillery and missiles can strike at any moment. The community have paid a heavy price in the war . Railway worker Nina Rosokha was killed on her way to the post office in a Russian artillery strike on a market. During another attack, Lyubov Surzhan’s top-floor apartment was obliterated. A piece of shrapnel skimmed Fedya’s head during a strike on a nearby railway depot. Yet the railway is their home and, despite the danger, they don’t want to leave.

The Mykolaychuks

The Mykolaychuk brothers live in an apartment building in the centre of Podilsk. Both are fifth generation locomotive drivers. Before the invasion, their jobs were mostly local, transporting grain from the region to the port of Odesa. Now, they go farther east towards the frontlines of the war, driving evacuation trains and weapons transports.

Alla Valeriyivna Mykolaychuk in Podilsk with her daughter and niece, both aged one

They don’t get paid if they don’t work, and jobs have become less frequent since the war. With money hard to come by, they have had to sell their family car to make ends meet.

The Tereshchenkos

Olha Tereshchenko survived a Russian attack on a convoy of civilians fleeing the then occupied city of Kupiansk. Her husband and five-year-old son were killed. Consumed with grief, she now works at a railway office in Kharkiv and gets support from her fellow workers there. Urns containing the ashes of her husband and son still sit on a shelf in a nearby crematorium. She hopes to bury them near their home in Kupiansk one day, when the frontline is further away.

Olha Tereshchenko in Saltivka, the area of Kharkiv where she now lives

Olha’s husband and son, photographed as a baby, were killed in a Russian attack on a civilian convoy. Olha is overcome when she visits their remains in a nearby crematorium: she hopes one day to bury her husband and son near their home in Kupiansk

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Guest Essay

What I Am Listening For in Michael Cohen’s Testimony

By Andrew Weissmann

Mr. Weissmann teaches at the N.Y.U. School of Law and is a co-author of “The Trump Indictments: The Historic Charging Documents With Commentary.”

For the final stage of the prosecutors’ case in the People of the State of New York v. Donald Trump, the prosecution is expected to call the witness who has received the lion’s share of attention since the indictment was brought a year ago: Michael Cohen.

Before the trial started, some observers thought Mr. Cohen would be an indispensable star witness. They said that without Mr. Cohen, the district attorney could not establish the elements of the charged criminal offenses. But having seen the proof laid out meticulously and methodically by the prosecution these past three weeks, I find myself wondering: Do prosecutors even need Michael Cohen as a witness? Does the jury need to hear from him?

To be sure, the case would not exist but for Mr. Cohen. It is he who first revealed to prosecutors in the special counsel Robert Mueller’s office (I was one of the special counsel prosecutors) and in New York the hush-money scheme to buy Stormy Daniels’s silence in the aftermath of the “Access Hollywood” tape’s disclosure.

But since then, Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan district attorney, has amassed evidence that appears to independently both prove the crime and corroborate Mr. Cohen’s account.

To call Mr. Cohen as a witness carries with it not only the reward of adding further critical evidence to the prosecution’s case but also the risk of undermining the case with issues related to Mr. Cohen’s personal baggage. He is, like Ms. Daniels, a colorful character, catnip to the press, and his broken bond with his former boss, Mr. Trump, is inherently dramatic.

He joins a line of famous underlings who turned state’s evidence against their boss. The prosecution will be relying on the testimony of an insider testifying up, against his boss. And what those insiders also have in common is that they can speak to the inner workings of an alleged conspiracy.

I have personally observed this in organized crime cases (Salvatore Gravano, the former underboss of the Gambino crime family, testifying against the former Gambino boss John Gotti), economic crime prosecutions (the former Enron chief financial officer Andrew Fastow testifying against the former chief executives Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling) and political corruption matters (Mr. Trump’s former deputy campaign manager Rick Gates testifying against the former campaign manager Paul Manafort).

Mr. Cohen can provide a detailed insider account of the charged scheme and Mr. Trump’s alleged role in it. And because the trial has already established that there is simply no alternative narrative that is consistent with all the trial proof, Mr. Cohen is far less important to its outcome than initially thought.

Testimony from witnesses like David Pecker, Jeffrey McConney and Hope Hicks has laid out a clear narrative of a scheme to kill derogatory stories about candidate Trump and disseminate damaging accounts about his political adversaries — including direct conversations with Mr. Trump. And smoking-gun handwritten notes of Trump Organization financial personnel provide evidence for the alleged cover-up of that scheme through documentation that disguises the reimbursement of the hush money as legal fees.

It is a sign of the unusual political dimension of this trial that Ms. Daniels, not the far more legally damaging witnesses Mr. Pecker and Ms. Hicks, was subject to the far more intense cross-examination.

A key remaining issue — and one that Mr. Cohen can address — is whether Mr. Trump was aware of the alleged cover-up scheme involving reimbursement checks to Mr. Cohen disguised as legal payments. Mr. Cohen laid out the hush-money payments to Ms. Daniels by taking out a home-equity credit line for $130,000, a fact that was well established by direct and circumstantial evidence.

Take the handwritten notes from Allen Weisselberg, a former Trump Organization chief financial officer. They reveal that he must have been aware of the hush-money scheme and its alleged cover-up. His notes (and the notes of the former Trump Organization controller who prosecutors say helped to carry out the scheme) detail how, in order to reimburse Mr. Cohen the $130,000, the amount would need to be doubled, or grossed up, to account for taxes on the amount of this disguised income. The idea that Mr. Weisselberg, a Trump Organization veteran who has apparently been willing to serve time in jail rather than turn against Mr. Trump and remained on the Trump payroll even after his guilty pleas, would have approved these payments on his own is far-fetched. Trial evidence establishes that he could not approve expenses over $10,000, and here he would be approving not just the payment of $130,000 to Mr. Cohen but also doubling it to make him whole.

Witness after witness — as well as Mr. Trump’s own words read to the jury — attested to his being both a micromanager and a penny pincher. And Mr. Trump signed check after check reimbursing Mr. Cohen for what he paid Ms. Daniels plus much more. In short, it seems implausible that either Mr. Cohen or Mr. Weisselberg would dare such a move without Mr. Trump’s permission.

Against all this evidence and more, we are now expected to hear from Mr. Cohen. Successful prosecutions can often not be made without such witnesses. This is particularly true when the bosses consciously do not leave a paper trail. Mr. Trump famously groused about his White House counsel taking notes, observing that one of his favorite lawyers, Roy Cohn, never did.

So no doubt Mr. Bragg and his prosecutors believe they must call Mr. Cohen to testify. Still, calling Mr. Cohen as a witness does carry significant risk for Mr. Bragg. He brings baggage: He recently claimed under oath in a New York civil fraud trial against Mr. Trump (where the court found him credible and ruled against Mr. Trump) that he lied to a federal judge when he pleaded guilty to one of several crimes. By way of explanation, he seemed to contend he was pressured to plead guilty by the federal prosecutors.

Even if one accepts Mr. Cohen’s story, that means he lied to a federal judge after taking an oath to tell the truth — the same oath he will take at the criminal trial of Mr. Trump. And his story would support an anticipated defense claim that the federal prosecutors were so intent on making a case against Mr. Trump that they were willing to trample on Mr. Cohen’s rights, and that ugly federal muck will splatter on the state prosecutors.

The other option is that Mr. Cohen is lying about not being guilty of the charge — which may be a very distinct possibility given the proof against him. If that is the case, it would mean he lied in the recent state court fraud case. As a federal judge in New York recently concluded in denying Mr. Cohen’s motion for early termination of his criminal sentence, he lied in one forum or the other.

Still, that does not mean Mr. Cohen should not be called. I have repeatedly observed an interesting phenomenon in cases in which the prosecution has a mountain of independent evidence of guilt but still calls a flawed insider to provide unique detailed and direct evidence to the jury of the defendant’s guilt.

Jurors often want to hear someone recount what they already know occurred, but that has not been said directly. The jurors will then often reach a verdict of guilty, and despite having found the conspiracy existed as recounted by a key criminal accomplice — someone like Mr. Cohen — they will later say they did not believe or need that witness’s testimony.

We will soon learn whether that will happen again in the People v. Trump.

Andrew Weissmann teaches at the N.Y.U. School of Law and is a co-author of “The Trump Indictments: The Historic Charging Documents With Commentary.” He was a senior prosecutor in Robert Mueller’s special counsel investigation and is a co-host of the podcast “ Prosecuting Donald Trump .”

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