Stanhope as a Leader Jennifer Davies 12th Grade

Arguably, Stanhope often proves himself an effective leader throughout Journey’s End through his prioritizing of others’ needs above his own. Gerald Brooks said that “when you become a leader you give up the right to think about yourself”, which is definitely the case for Stanhope’s character, as he sacrifices sleep to stay up doing paperwork and to keep the men on the front line company as they suffer through the night shift, creating a strong sense of unity and camaraderie throughout the battalion, giving them the motivation to keep fighting in the war. It is mentioned in Act 1 that Stanhope was the captain of the rugby team whilst at school, implying his natural instinct to lead others, and the fact that he is so young yet made commander of C Company suggest he has proven himself an effective leader to secure this important role in the army. However, he is often hostile and resentful towards other characters, predominantly Raleigh, stemming from his experience of loss during the war and his fear of losing someone he cares for so deeply, presenting his introverted love for the men most important to him, Raleigh and Osborne. There are moments throughout the play wherein the audience question Stanhope’s mental stability, yet...