More Than Brave

Question

It was a wonderfully mild day in Tel Aviv, so all of the windows in our house were open. A crisp breeze made the curtains dance all afternoon, swelling into huge waves of linen that seemed to be filled with as much excitement as my young self. I remember the sound of my grandmother, our bubbe, chastising my brother as she went from room to room closing the windows—a chore she had tasked him with—for the sun had set, and the air was edging from crisp to chilly.

My father called for us to come into the living room. We piled onto the largest sofa and giggled with delight as we squirmed and nudged our little selves into the warm spaces between the cushions. It was unusual for our family to watch television together after the evening meal, as my grandmother often went to bed, and my father preferred to read. But this was a special thing—this was history in the making!

The space shuttle Challenger was preparing to launch seven astronauts into space, and while most people were abuzz about the American school teacher who was onboard the craft, it was Judith Resnik that excited us the most. She was a brilliant scientist, engineer, astronaut, and the first Jewish woman to go into space! This would be her second trip, having flown on the Discovery mission two years prior. Everyone at our synagogue took a certain amount of pride in her progress since Judith’s father had lived in Israel before going to the United States.

My mother brought in a bowl of Babba, our favorite snack, and sadly, I can still taste the sweetness of the peanut flavored puffs in my mouth as I recall how our excitement quickly turned to confusion. It was my brother who tried to reassure me. He said the explosion was just the boosters dropping off of the ship, and that this was supposed to happen. But the television cameras were pointed at the sky and the announcer said they were searching for parachutes, and with this, my father rose from his family and slowly walked to the television to turn it off.

I laid in bed that night and stared out the window at the millions of stars scattered across the sky. The gravity of the situation didn’t quite resonate with me for many years, for I was simply too young to fully process the tragedy. But even in my young mind, I knew that I still felt very connected to Judith, and that I was inspired by her success, and most profoundly, her bravery.

As I grew and began to pursue studying the sciences in my own academic career, I became aware of the significance of each of those seven astronauts’ achievements. But more than this, I began to understand the connection that millions of people felt to the Challenger’s crew. Aside from eliciting my interest in science and reaffirming the belief that a little girl could become anything that she dreamed, it was the concept of bravery that often caused me a great deal of introspection. For, as an adult, it became quite clear to me that bravery alone was not enough to face the daunting risks of space travel, and that it was something much more profound. The men and women who boarded the Challenger on January 28, 1986 were certainly brave, but what made them fearless was their deep sense of purpose. Each astronaut was more than prepared to risk all in the hopes of making a discovery that might better mankind.

Now, as a professor of molecular biology, I work with a team of biodiversity scientists that study the vast and varied forms of life in the Amazon rainforest. Like Judith, I am also a pioneer. One that ventures into a wild unknown, full of dangers, all for the purpose of discovering things that might lead to new medicines that will improve peoples’ lives.

When I find myself on a harrowing flight through an unexpected storm over a remote part of the jungle, or setting up camp in an area known for dangerous insect infestations, it is not bravery that inspires me to persevere. It is my sense of purpose.



As I grew and began to pursue studying the sciences in my own academic career, I became aware of the significance of each of those seven astronauts' achievements.
14. What life lesson does the narrator of the passage, "More Than Brave," learn from witnessing the Challenger explosion as a young girl?

Use details from the passage to support your answer.

Answer 1

In the passage "More Than Brave," the narrator learns that true courage is not simply about being brave in the face of danger, but rather about having a profound sense of purpose that motivates individuals to take risks for the greater good. This lesson is underscored by the events surrounding the Challenger explosion, which initially filled the young narrator with excitement and pride for Judith Resnik, the first Jewish woman in space.

The narrator reflects on the aftermath of the tragedy, noting how her initial confusion about the explosion was soon transformed into a deeper understanding of bravery. She states that “bravery alone was not enough to face the daunting risks of space travel,” emphasizing that the astronauts' willingness to embark on such perilous journeys stemmed from their “deep sense of purpose.” This insight reveals that the astronauts, including Resnik, were prepared to risk everything not merely for the thrill of exploration but in hopes of making discoveries that could benefit mankind.

As an adult and now a professor of molecular biology, the narrator applies this lesson to her own work, stating that it is not bravery that drives her during challenging and dangerous situations in the Amazon rainforest, but her sense of purpose in seeking new medicines to improve people's lives. This full-circle realization illustrates how her childhood experience with the Challenger explosion shaped her understanding of courage and the importance of striving toward meaningful goals, thereby reinforcing the idea that true strength lies in one's commitment to a cause greater than oneself.