Episode 76: In Spite of the Danger

in spite of/despite — 9/11 First Responders, 2001 (B1-B2)

Grammar Box

Meaning: “Despite” and “in spite of” both mean “although” or “even though,” but they’re prepositions (not conjunctions), so they’re followed by nouns/gerunds, not clauses.

Form: Despite/in spite of + noun/gerund. “Despite the danger, they entered” OR “In spite of knowing the risks, they entered.” NOT followed by subject + verb (use “although” for that).

Example 1: “Despite the collapsing towers, firefighters continued climbing stairs to rescue people.” (Followed by noun phrase.)

Example 2: “They kept going in spite of being told the building might fall at any moment.” (Followed by gerund.)

Common mistake: Wrong: “Despite the building was collapsing, they entered.” Better: “Despite the building collapsing, they entered” or “Although the building was collapsing, they entered.” (Despite + noun/gerund, not clause.)

The Challenge

Luna compared sentences in her notebook. “Professor, ‘despite the danger’ and ‘in spite of the danger’ — they mean the same thing. And why can’t I say ‘despite the building was dangerous’? What’s the difference from ‘although’?”

The watch glowed with solemn reverence. Professor Wisdom appeared, his expression grave. “These prepositions help us honor courage by acknowledging what was overcome. Let me show you a moment when ordinary people did extraordinary things despite knowing the cost, in spite of every instinct telling them to flee.”

The Journey

New York City, September 11, 2001, 9:03 AM. The South Tower of the World Trade Center had just been struck by a second plane. Despite the chaos erupting around them, 343 firefighters from the FDNY were entering both towers, climbing stairs in full gear in spite of warnings that the buildings might collapse. They moved upward despite the crowds fleeing downward, in spite of knowing that every floor they climbed made escape more difficult.

These were ordinary men and women whose training had prepared them for fires, not for collapsing skyscrapers. Despite their fear — and they were afraid, their radio transmissions would later reveal — they continued climbing. In spite of the unprecedented nature of the attack, they followed procedures meant for normal emergencies. Despite understanding that this was different, that the towers might not hold, they kept moving toward the danger.

They faced a situation that defied all previous experience. Despite the oppressive heat radiating down the stairwells, they carried 60 pounds of equipment upward. In spite of the smoke that made breathing difficult even with masks, they pushed forward. Despite radio communications breaking down, making coordination nearly impossible, individual companies kept climbing. In spite of their commanders ordering some units to evacuate, many firefighters chose to continue rescue efforts.

Captain Patrick Brown of Ladder 3 was last heard on the 35th floor of the North Tower. Despite knowing the building’s structural integrity was failing, he reported finding victims who needed help. In spite of having opportunities to descend, he stayed. Chief Peter Ganci, the department’s highest-ranking uniformed officer, refused to leave the command post despite multiple warnings. In spite of being ordered to safety by others, he remained coordinating rescue efforts.

At 9:59 AM, the South Tower collapsed. Despite only 56 minutes having passed since impact, the tower fell in seconds. In spite of all their courage and sacrifice, 343 firefighters died that day. Despite their deaths, they saved thousands of lives. In spite of the tragedy, their actions defined heroism for a generation.

The air smelled of jet fuel and burning debris, of courage that persists despite overwhelming fear. You could hear the metallic clang of equipment as firefighters climbed despite exhaustion, the crackle of failing radios despite attempts to maintain communication, the quiet determination in voices speaking calmly despite chaos. These men and women acted in spite of every reason to flee, despite knowing many might not survive.

The Deep Dive

Despite and in spite of are interchangeable and mean exactly the same thing. “Despite” is slightly more formal and more common in writing; “in spite of” is more emphatic in speech. Both are prepositions, not conjunctions, which means they must be followed by nouns or gerunds (-ing forms functioning as nouns), never by subject + verb clauses.

The structure is: despite/in spite of + noun: “despite the danger,” “in spite of the warnings.” OR despite/in spite of + gerund: “despite knowing the risks,” “in spite of being afraid.” If you want to use a full clause (subject + verb), you must use although/though/even though instead: “although they were afraid” (not “despite they were afraid”).

A common variation is “despite the fact that + clause”: “Despite the fact that the building was collapsing, they entered.” This works because “the fact” is the noun object of “despite,” and “that the building was collapsing” is a noun clause modifying “fact.” However, it’s wordier than simply using “although the building was collapsing.”

More Examples

History: “Despite being outnumbered, Washington’s army crossed the Delaware; in spite of the winter storm, they attacked at dawn and won.”

Science: “Despite lacking modern equipment, Curie discovered radium; in spite of radiation exposure that would eventually kill her, she continued research.”

Everyday: “Despite the rain, the game continued; in spite of being soaked, the players gave their best performance of the season.”

Formal: “Despite significant methodological limitations, the study provides valuable insights; in spite of requiring replication, the findings warrant serious consideration.”

Informal: “Despite being exhausted, I went to the party; in spite of not knowing anyone there, I actually had fun.”

Contrast: “Despite the danger, they entered” (preposition + noun) vs. “Although it was dangerous, they entered” (conjunction + clause) — same meaning, different grammar.

Practice & Reflection

Exercises:

1. Fill in the blank: “_ the danger, first responders entered the towers. ___ knowing the risks, they climbed higher to save lives.”

2. Correct the mistake: “Despite the towers were collapsing, firefighters continued their rescue efforts without hesitation.”

3. Choose and explain: Which is grammatically correct?
   a) “In spite of he was afraid, he continued.”
   b) “In spite of being afraid, he continued.”

4. Rewrite: Change this to use “despite”: “Although they received evacuation orders, many firefighters stayed to help.”

5. Compare: What’s the difference? “Despite the danger” vs. “Although it was dangerous.”

6. Your reflection: Describe an act of courage you witnessed or performed, using “despite” or “in spite of” to show what was overcome.

Answer Key:
1. Despite or In spite of… Despite or In spite of (both are prepositions taking nouns/gerunds)
2. Change to “Despite the towers collapsing” or “Although the towers were collapsing” (despite + gerund, not clause)
3. (b) is correct — in spite of + gerund; (a) needs “although” not “in spite of”
4. “Despite receiving evacuation orders, many firefighters stayed” or “Despite evacuation orders, many stayed”
5. Same meaning; first uses preposition + noun; second uses conjunction + clause
6. Check: Did you use despite/in spite of + noun or gerund (not subject + verb clause)?

The Lesson

Back in the present, Luna sat quietly for a moment. “Despite the tragedy, their courage inspires us. In spite of knowing the danger, they chose to help others. That’s what makes them heroes.”

“Yes,” Professor Wisdom said softly. “These firefighters understood something profound. Despite our natural instinct for self-preservation, humans can choose courage. In spite of fear — real, justified fear — we can act for others. That’s what ‘despite’ and ‘in spite of’ capture in grammar: the acknowledgment of obstacles alongside the choice to overcome them.”

“The grammar shows that they knew the danger but went anyway?” Luna asked.

“Exactly. ‘Despite the danger’ doesn’t minimize the danger — it acknowledges it fully. Then it shows that action happened anyway. In spite of everything that should have stopped them, they moved forward. That’s why these prepositions are so powerful for describing courage. They create a structure that honors both the obstacle and the overcoming of it.”

Luna wrote carefully in her journal. “Despite being ordinary people, they did extraordinary things. In spite of the cost, they saved thousands. Grammar can honor sacrifice.”

“Grammar,” the Professor replied, “can honor anything we choose to express with precision and care.”