I have been a coward in O'Brien's sense before. There have been several times where I made a decision that was correct decision in terms of how it would affect me however it negatively affected my friends this may not seem to be brave in terms of O'Brien's definition who declared himself a coward because he put others opinions above his own. However I subscribe to a somewhat old school mentality. Where you help your friends out even if you put your self in a bad position. So I was a coward in O'Brien's sense after all.

According to O'Brien's definition of a coward i have been a coward at times in my life. There are plenty of times that I have believed in something and decided to hold my tongue in order not to feel embarrassed or ashamed or merely to keep the peace in a situation. There are times that I feel like I should have expressed myself spoke my mind to get my true point across but couldn't bare with the consequences that could have gone along with it. I couldn't take the embarrassment if my point was wrong or if other parties disagreed with me.

Yes, there have been many times throughout my life that I have, by O'Brien's definition, been a coward. As much as I'd like to pride myself in being a "strong" person, I have definitely faltered and made mistakes because I didn't listen to myself or my intuition. Looking back, this was particularly evident when I was in 8th grade. Of course, finding identity at that age is hard for everyone, but I completely lost myself. I wanted so badly to fit in, whatever that meant I don't know, so I befriended a group of girls that I probably shouldn't have. Although I went to a small Hippie school, they were the mean girls, the queen bees, the popular ones. I liked having the recognition, but what I began to realize that I was being recognized for the wrong things. I was downright nasty to people, breaking them apart just so I could feel better about myself. I started to hate myself for being so cruel, but it got to a point that being mean is what made me feel better about myself, at least temporarily, because I felt like I was in control. And the girls that I was friends with encouraged this behavior, so although I hated it, it was what made me popular. 

That was the most cowardly thing I have ever done and I wish that I could take that back because that's not me, that's never been me, and let's hope I never lose myself enough to sink back to that level ever again.

I have been a coward my whole life, by O'Brien's definition. I have always felt anger towards particular people and have, at many points in my life, wished physical harm towards them. More times than less, I have wanted to do the hurting myself. However, I was raised by a relatively peaceful family in a generally peaceful comminity. I have had kind friends my hole life, and have established a certain way that people view me. Hitting or kicking or lashing out in any way toward the people I hate would only degrade me and bring shame to my family. My community would shift their view of me, and my reputation would be scarred. Therefore I have never lashed out in a way I couldn't recover from. I have never physically attacked anybody, however much I may want to. I consider this to be cowardice and brave. I run away from my true emotions, but controlling them makes me proud.

Question: Have you ever been a coward?

Have you ever fit into O'Brien's definition of cowardice? Recently? A long long time ago in a galaxy far away? Tell me about it. Be sure to include the aspects of narrative that make stories interesting (development, suspense, back-story, characterization, a moral?)

it does not matter is the story is true. what matters is that one comes away with some thing one did not have before. if the text was a text book designed for the sole purpose of learning then it would be a different story. The story does not have to be true it has to mean some thing. when one has an opinion and an emotion to go with it that is what matters, and if the feeling and emotions and the manner in which one relates to the story that has to be true. 

I think it dosen't matter if the story is true or not. Some storys are only written to make some people happy or some authors write their opinions into a story. The important thing it that you form your opinion.

I'm not exactly sure if truth is important or not. I think it depends on the intention of the author for the reader. If the author wants an important feeling they would want the book to be based on truth because our society holds truth in its' highest authority. Now, if the author wants the reader to get more of a less serious feeling maybe the book would not be based on truth. I think its all the authors' intention for their viewing audience.

Truth in a story does not matter in specific stories. In a story that is declared as a fictious story the truth does not matter because it is used for only entertainment. But when a story is declared as a true story but is actually fictional. It is not right especially if it has actual deep meaning for a specific person.
You can't really tell if a story that claims to be true actually is. The author can say that the book is based on actual facts on real people but you can never truley tell if it is a lie or not. The only way to truley tell if a story is false is if the author publishes it as fiction or if the events of the story extend out of the relm of reality.

If you do not have firsthand experience to the story being told, then the speaker has complete control of the facts he/she whishes to give you. Therefore, it does not have to be true, since the audience would be oblivious if the story was a lie. So, no, it does not matter if the speaker tells the truth or not, because the opinions and facts that the audience recieves is completely determined by the speaker, but only if the audience has no knowledge of any key aspects of the story.