A Speech on Betrayal
Madelyn Gilmore
Witt P. 5
Betrayal Speech
Betrayal is a tricky thing. For instance, you do something that goes against another person's beliefs/actions, but you’re doing what you think is right. In a recent poll of 175 high school students over half of them had said that they were betrayed by a friend or a loved one, but then later on realized that the betrayal was for a good reason. One student (who wished to remain anonymous) that we talked to was nice enough to share her story.
“At first I was steaming, I had to be alone for hours to calm down. All I could think about was how she could do this to me, my own sister, who I trusted with everything. I couldn’t believe that she told my mom about me sneaking out on school nights. I was grounded for three weeks and wouldn’t talk to her in that time. When my grounding was over I noticed my grades were higher than they’ve ever been and that she’s been in a better mood and more energetic lately. At that exact moment I realized that what my sister did wasn’t in spite, but because she saw me heading down hill and wanted me to improve and be the best I can be. I’m still grateful for that to this day.” This story just shows how betrayal can be for the better good of someone, not always just to hurt another person or put them down.
Betrayal doesn’t have to be for someone you love either, it could be something. For example, in Julius
Caesar Brutus betrayed Caesar by literally stabbing him in the back. I believe that what Brutus did was for his love of Rome, not for his hate of Caesar, because there was none. Brutus said, “not that I lov’d Caesar less, but that I lov’d Rome more.” This just shows how Brutus was more devoted to Rome than he was to his friend, and that he did what he did because he truly believed that Caesar would only hurt Rome, not improve it.
So can Betrayal really be justified? I believe so, because more than half of the time your actions are caused by a sense to help someone. And sometimes that means
Witt P. 5
Betrayal Speech
Betrayal is a tricky thing. For instance, you do something that goes against another person's beliefs/actions, but you’re doing what you think is right. In a recent poll of 175 high school students over half of them had said that they were betrayed by a friend or a loved one, but then later on realized that the betrayal was for a good reason. One student (who wished to remain anonymous) that we talked to was nice enough to share her story.
“At first I was steaming, I had to be alone for hours to calm down. All I could think about was how she could do this to me, my own sister, who I trusted with everything. I couldn’t believe that she told my mom about me sneaking out on school nights. I was grounded for three weeks and wouldn’t talk to her in that time. When my grounding was over I noticed my grades were higher than they’ve ever been and that she’s been in a better mood and more energetic lately. At that exact moment I realized that what my sister did wasn’t in spite, but because she saw me heading down hill and wanted me to improve and be the best I can be. I’m still grateful for that to this day.” This story just shows how betrayal can be for the better good of someone, not always just to hurt another person or put them down.
Betrayal doesn’t have to be for someone you love either, it could be something. For example, in Julius
Caesar Brutus betrayed Caesar by literally stabbing him in the back. I believe that what Brutus did was for his love of Rome, not for his hate of Caesar, because there was none. Brutus said, “not that I lov’d Caesar less, but that I lov’d Rome more.” This just shows how Brutus was more devoted to Rome than he was to his friend, and that he did what he did because he truly believed that Caesar would only hurt Rome, not improve it.
So can Betrayal really be justified? I believe so, because more than half of the time your actions are caused by a sense to help someone. And sometimes that means