The Nature of Leadership in Billy Budd The Scarlet Letter comparison compare contrast essays

The Nature of Leadership in Billy Budd The Scarlet Letter

While it would be logical for good character to be in accordance with good leadership ability, this is rarely true in application. History has proven that many effective leaders were cruel and corrupt, and even American literature has reflected the commonplace nature of corrupted politicians. Upright politicians have existed but do not stay in the brief spotlight of American attention as the ones consumed by scandal. Therefore, Americans labor under the misconception that it is acceptable for a politician to be dishonest. Politicians will ignore moral guidelines to suit the lackadaisical characters of the voters as well as for their own personal gain. Only when Americans decide that personal character is more important than charisma will quality of leadership be supplemented by the moral awareness that the job demands, but which ironically the voters often complain that American leaders do not have.

A primary implication in American literature is that behind every good leader lurks a few dark secrets. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, the Reverend Dimmesdale is a devoted leader of the church who causes great inspiration to his congregation over the years. In fact, it seems that the greater his personal suffering grows, the more the public view of him appreciates. Arthur Dimmesdale is an adulterer and a hypocrite. While his lover Hester Prynne suffers publically for their combined sin, he is exalted as a moral icon. Through his own casuistry, he has convinced himself that he is serving the interests of the people this way. He is a very good minister, but a weak man. His dabbling in sin caused him to understand the people to which he ministered, but he caused them a greater disservice by lying for so long.

Another example of this idea in American literature occurs in Herman Melville's Billy Budd. The situation for Captain Vere, however, is of a slightly different nature. Vere knows that Billy is an innocent person who does understand the nature of betrayal. Still, Vere knows that "the angel must hang" so that he can be a good leader to the other men on the ship. At sea, he has no choice but to enforce the rules strictly. Any other reaction to Billy's transgression could result in a mutiny. In this case, he had to sacrifice has personal values in order to be an effective captain, but the situation cannot make dishonesty right. Often politicians sacrifice their personal values to please the populace and to become reelected. The voters should keep in mind that a leader who cannot be trusted in one respect cannot be trusted in any other.

Americans have always been eager to make speeches and resolutions to uphold the morality of the nation, but they are just as eager to forget those promises for personal or technological gain. Andrew Jackson is remembered as one of America's best presidents. He is also known as a duelist and as the man who sentenced forty thousand Cherokees to die on the Trail of Tears. Andrew Jackson indulged in his own prejudices, but the citizens of the time seemed more interested in the "noble" enterprise of Manifest Destiny than the character of America's political leaders. Jackson was chosen as president despite his questionable past. For the majority of the history of civilization, the populace has had leaders enforced upon it, many of whom were corrupt in one way or another, but now, everything has changed. People should not allow the goals of a leader to justify the cruel means to that goal. Americans have the right to choose their leaders and can pick a person with those qualities which represent the best of humankind rather than the dregs that sometimes make their way to the top through obfuscation.

John F. Kennedy is another example of an American leader with questionable character. In many respects, Kennedy was an honest man. He had no qualms about admitting responsibility for the Bay of Pigs. His honesty in this situation surprised many people because many Americans had believed that denial was the government's prime policy. Kennedy was also known for his steadfast nature during a crisis. He demonstrated that during the Cuban Missile Crisis. In retrospect, most Americans miss the superb leadership he provided because America has been without it for too long. Still, along with his positive qualities came a very tangible fault: he was a chronic adulterer. If the citizens of the time had known about his inability to be monogamous, the fact that he was an otherwise honest and able Commander in Chief would not have stifled the public's outrage. Fortunately for Kennedy, his infidelity was not broadcast by the media because the American public would not have tolerated it during that period of American history.

While this is not necessarily true, all evidence seems to indicate that a good leader must have character flaws . Unfortunately, it is common for Americans to believe this. Some good politicians have come and gone without notice because they have not been involved with a scandal. The fact that the job can be adequately performed without a moral conscience doesn't mean that immorality is a prerequisite. In fact, citizens should reconsider the motives of their leaders if they know that the person feels no moral obligation to do what is right . When Americans look at their government officials, they should be proud rather than ashamed. By examining the literary and historical past of America, it should be apparent that serious thought should be involved in the selection of leaders as well as scrutiny of those already in power. With the system of government that America has today, it is imperative that the intentions of the founding fathers be remembered: "to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice."1

1 The Constitution of the United States, 1787