As the Covid-19 “shelter in place” policies stretch into weeks and months of quarantine, the schools have tried their best in the city where I live but have not produced much quality instruction.
The reasons for this are many and complicated. The public schools have tried, but despite much effort the results have been poor. As John Wooden used to say, “Do not mistake effort for achievement.” As I see it, the schools have done much energetic scrambling but little real teaching. In watching the public school bureaucrats change course almost by the week, I find myself shaking my head and thinking, “These people don’t know what they are doing. They really don’t. They are making this up as they go.” This seems to have been the case at many levels of government over the past five weeks in this Coronavirus pandemic crisis.
So it is up to parents to step into the breach and get it done, educationally. Tonight will be the 33rd meeting of my middle school book club. Basically, I got my older daughter and a bunch of her friends and created an English class in the evenings at seven pm. It has cost me much effort, but it has given me much reward. Books it takes months for my regular high school classes to read we have read in a little over a week. There have been no complaints or excuses about the reading load; we just read the assigned pages and discuss them the next day. It did not take weeks to get it this online book club and going; we went online almost immediately after the schools closed. Everyone has the time to read. We have used our time.
We have read “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, “The Outsiders” by SE Hinton, “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card, and “Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind” by Suzanne Fisher Staples. We are currently reading “Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger. Next is “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens. My wife scoffs that these seventh graders can wade through a whole Dickens novel. Just watch us!
This experiment has reminded me that where there is a will, there is a way. Adversity and hardship can have its silver linings; one can emerge from unavoidable suffering in many ways a better person. We might not be able to control being quarantined, but we can control how we use our time. As Thomas Jefferson purportedly claimed, “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” Years or decades from now I suspect the members of our book club might look back at this course of study and conclude that they learned much more than they did in their normal English classes. An example of how an industrious person can take a negative (ie. emergency school closure) and turn it into a positive (opportunity for extended independent study).
For example, look at the essays written below by members of our “Making Lemons into Lemonade Book Club” — this is a college freshman composition prompt handled nicely by members of our online group — How rich! How wonderful! How lucky I am to lead this group —
“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.” — Horace
True? Untrue? Both? Neither? Explain!
Teacher Essay
Almost everyone has occasion to encounter hard times in their lives. Sometimes life can be so cruel as to be hard to imagine. But is there a silver-lining to suffering? Do you sometimes find talents and skills — resourcefulness and resilience — that you did not know you had? The Roman poet Horace claimed that “adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.” Sometimes this is true but not always, as it depends on the person and the circumstances.
Take, for example, the case of Louis Zamperini from the book Unbroken by author Laura Hillenbrand. Zaperini grew from being a borderline juvenile delinquent in his youth in Southern California to become a track champion at USC who made it to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany. However, when WWII broke out he joined the US Army Air Corps and his B-24 bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean in May 1943. He floated on the ocean for over 47 days, becoming horribly sunburnt and coming close to starving and dying for lack of water. Close to death, he was captured by the Japanese. Zamperini was moved to a prisoner of war camp in Japan where he was mercilessly tortured by a sadistic prison guard to the point of death. When he was finally liberated at the end of WWII — half-starved and brutalized — he was a hollow shell of the man he had been before. The psychic and physical scars of the war were deep and damaging. Upon his return to the United States, Zamparini drank to escape his nightmares from the war and was in danger of becoming an alcoholic who would not make a healthy life for himself. But he found religion and became a born-again Christian, and he went on to have a wonderful post-war life. A re-awakened spirit of religiosity helped him to forgive his prison-camp tormentors and find inner peace. The hardships of the war could have broken or killed him, but they did not; Zamperini remained “unbroken.” He found the fortitude and resilience to bounce back from his incredibly difficult wartime experiences to become a better, more mature man than he was before the war. He proves the truth of Horace’s assertion about difficult times and newly discovered talents which had previously lain sleeping.
Chirs Gardner also showed an ability to rise to the occasion and persevere in the 2006 movie “The Pursuit of Happyness.” Gardner was born highly intelligent, and he graduated at the top of his high school class, as well as first in his radio training class when he was an enlisted man in the United States Navy. But he came upon hard times in San Francisco in the 1980s. He had difficulty making money, and his wife left him and his young son. As a single father, he struggled to make ends meet. Gardner and his son eventually became homeless. But Gardner did not give up. He found a spot in a Dean Whitter internship program for finance workers, and he impressed his superiors almost immediately. He scored highly on the end of course exam and brought in news business to the firm. Gardner claimed he had always felt good about himself in high school when he scored an “A” on one exam or another, and he felt like there was nothing he could not do, if he put his mind to it. But Gardner recognized that so far in his life he had made bad decisions and failed to live up to his talent. Nevertheless, he never gave up hope or stopped trying to find success and happiness — not even when he and his young son had to sleep in subway bathrooms overnight when they had nowhere else to go. Gardner eventually did enjoy success in the financial services industry, leveraging his charismatic personality and innate intelligence to enjoy professional success. He built up financial prosperity and a secure position in the world both for himself and his son. Gardner finally exploited those “talents” Horace speaks of because he had to. He was desperate; Chris was suffering; he found a way out. Gardner developed himself finally because that was the only way he could get himself out of the highly precarious position he found himself in.
I have also found some “hidden talents that had lain dormant” come alive during this recent Coronavirus crisis. For a decade I taught graduate school courses for Azusa Pacific University, and many of those were fully online. Now that I am teaching online again — suddenly and unexpectedly — I am enjoying using those muscles again. I have a book club with middle school students each night online at seven pm and I look forward to and enjoy the experience. This was unexpected; but it is a silver-lining in this dumpster fire of a situation. It does not matter much if we cannot meet in person, as I have used my “dormant” online teaching skills to be able to keep the learning going by using educational technology: Google Classroom and Google Docs, online videoconferencing and quality literature — and most importantly, willing and able students and an instructor, the interaction between learners and teacher. Henry Ford claimed that “whether you think you can, or you think you can’t–you’re right.” Online learning in the past month has often proved the truth of this assertion. With the schools not getting it done, either parents will step into the breach or no one will. So I have also been given the opportunity to spend many hours learning and talking about writing with my eldest daughter, Julia. When she was in sixth-grade, it seemed to me Julia would come home from school, go up into her room, and get on her smartphone all the time. She was busy with the challenges of middle school; I was busy with my high school classes. But we have had the opportunity to get back in touch through our learning sessions each day now that school has been cancelled. What good is it if I can teach the children of other parents but lack the time and connection to teach my own two daughters? Thrown upon ourselves in the recent school closures, I have re-awakened my passion for teaching by engaging in it in my own house. I am pretty sure my daughters are learning more now than they did in traditional public school, and I might not have had this chance were it not for the “adversity” which arrived in the form of a worldwide Coronavirus outbreak.
I have always preached to my daughters the importance of courage, intoning again and again this quote by Aristotle: “Courage is the most important of all human traits because it makes the rest possible.” Making the most of this dumpster-fire quarantine situation of “shelter in place” is yet one more opportunity to “adapt, innovate, and overcome.” We find inspiration from others and help from whoever might give it, but we gather strength and resolve from within. We learn by doing. But it is courage which gives us the impetus to act. We can experience post-traumatic growth.
So it is true that adversity can awaken talents which hitherto had “lain dormant,” as Horace asserted. But it depends on the person and the choice they make to rise to the occasion, not sink beneath it. If many discover talents during hard times, many also flail and fail. They sink to the bottom of the ocean under the weight of their “adversity.” Some may learn to swim and stay above water, while others sink down and drown. It depends on the person and the circumstances — and above all, it depends how hard that person works to overcome the challenges which confront them.
Student Essay #1
Does adversity elicit talents that would have otherwise been kept dormant? The Roman poet Horace thought so. Horace believed that adversity would reveal gifts or character, that may have never been shown. I believe Horace was right, but only about some people. In my opinion, adversity is only beneficial to those who are able to overcome their fear of failure.
Overcoming adversity can be challenging. It can break people. But sometimes, when faced with adversity, you begin to become stronger. In Franklin Roosevelt’s case, he was faced with polio, and paralysis of the lower half of his body. He was forced to remove himself from his political life, just as he was rising in the political world, for his rehabilitation, and he returned to his home in New York in 1921. This was supposed to be the end of his political life, but his rehab paid off. In 1922 he found, that he could barely stand (with help of steel braces), and in 1933 he ran for president. Although polio wreaked havoc on his body and self-confidence, polio had a largely helpful effect on him. After he came to terms with his affliction, political battles may have seemed inconsequential to the frustration of trying to support your own weight, and his determination to become president must have increased. He became more sympathetic towards the disabled, which was incredible, for disability was widely looked down upon in the 1920s. Franklin Roosevelt passed a federal act that provided immediate grants to states for relief because of the terrible unemployment rates. He aided suffering farmers, passed bills that provided jobs, aided both consumers and producers, revived the economy during the Great dDepression, and so much more. Most importantly, his resolve to help people was only comparable to his mental fortitude. The Time Magazine said, “When the steel went onto Roosevelt’s legs it also went into his soul,”
Bill Gates is another example that supports my opinion. Bill Gates faced adversity with his first business. He started a business in high school called Traf-o-Data, a company that collected money to analyze traffic data. The business was a great idea, but charging per day for a service that could be provided by anyone else with a microchip is a terrible idea. As Paul Allen -a partner of the business and co-founder of Microsoft- once said, “Traf-O-Data was a good idea with a flawed business model. We had done no market research. We hadn’t foreseen… that officials would be reluctant to buy machines from students.” The company flopped, but gave them valuable experience in building a company. It also gave them experience in software engineering. Allen argued, “If it hadn’t been for our Traf-O-Data venture and if it hadn’t been for all that time spent on [University of Washington] computers … Microsoft might not have happened.”
J.K. Rowling is the author of one of the most sold series, with William Shakespeare and Agatha Christie. She has sold over 500 million copies of her Harry Potter series and was the first billionaire author. However, she had to face many difficulties before writing her books. The same year she started writing the Harry Potter series, her mother died, due to Multiple Sclerosis. Soon after, in 1993, she became divorced from her husband and moved back to the U.K with her daughter. During this period, she was diagnosed with clinical depression and considered suicide, as she was a single mother, struggling to complete her book and support her daughter, (this part of her life supposedly inspired the Dementors). Nevertheless, she still completed the first installation of the Harry Potter series, in 1995. She sent her book to various publishers but was rejected 12 times. For two years, she was ” [as] poor as it is possible to be in modern Britain, without being homeless,” and survived on welfare. Fortunately, in 1997, Bloomsbury Children’s Books bought her novel for $4,000. The book even won The British Book Awards Children’s Book of the Year and the Smarties Prize, which propelled her book to instant publicity. Her second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was published in 1998. One year after, the third book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was released. By 2000, the three books earned $480 million in total. Later that year, she released the fourth book in her series, but the release of the fifth book in 2003 was the most incredible. Harry Potter and Half-Blood Prince, sixth installation, sold 6.9 million copies in the US within the first 24 hours of its release making it the most successful opening in publishing history! On top of that, the last book in her series became the most preordered at Barnes & Noble, Borders, and Amazon. As J.K Rowling once said, anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.
Adversity can force a person to better themselves, or give someone experience. President Franklin, Bill Gates, and Joanne Rowling are perfect examples of this. They all faced grueling experiences, but none of these people let that stop them. Because of this, they became widely known, as well as tremendously successful. Some may argue that adversity may break a person, but I argue that it allows many to become better human beings. Adversity is beneficial to those who can conquer their fear of failure.
Student Essay #2
Lots of people have faced challenges in their life. These hard times sometimes bring better, but also can bring the worst. You never know what it might bring into your life. You sometimes just have to take that chance and roll with it. I believe adversity shapes us, brings the better in us, and helps us learn.
One example is myself in water polo. When I first started water polo, I was terrible. Not only the first day but the first year and a half. I could barely swim, keep myself above the water, and I still had no idea what I was doing. I remember my first game, when I got pushed around and I believe that is what helped me start becoming better. I started getting better and better as I played more teams that pushed me. I moved to a new team and learned how to push myself harder, with the help of my coaches. I played on a 14 and under girls team, knowing I was the youngest and I had to show that I belonged on the team because I knew I did. I practiced hard, listened to my coach, and made my way to the top of the team. I kept getting better and better, leaving the other girls behind until the 14 and under boys coach asked me to be on his team. And just like that, I was on the bottom once more. I was the only girl on the team, knew nobody except my coach, and would rarely get passed to in games. I knew how it would be on this team, but still took the chance. That team helped me become a better shooter, learn that my defence was needed, and see what I didn’t know I could do. This helps prove that adversity lets us learn, shapes us, and shows what is best in us.
Another example is when my mom got hit by a car in 2012. It was a Sunday morning and my mom was walking Maddy, our dog, like she had millions of times. She decided to cross the street to make it back to our house. She pushed the button, waited for a few minutes, and went when the cross light turned green. “I was crossing the street and could hear the car coming. I remember turning to my left, seeing the car coming, knowing that the car was going to hit me and all I could see was the bumper” says my mom. She was taken to the hospital through an ambulance and got a CT-scan showing that her knee was broken. I remember seeing her at the hospital and knew she was going to be okay because she is the strongest person I know and this made her stronger. She got surgery done on Tuesday with a metal plate and screws in her knee. She had physical therapy for weeks. I believe this has made her into a safer and stronger person because now when she crosses she always looks both ways, she overcame this difficulty and can overcome the next.
In Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird”, Miss Maudie’s house burns down. This can be a really difficult time for her because she had lived in that house for many, many years and then it was gone in flames. According to “To Kill a Mockingbird”, “‘You ain’t grieving’, Miss Maudie?’ I asked, surprised. Atticus said her house was nearly all she had. ‘Grieving, child? Why, I hate that old cow barn. Thought of settin’ fire to it a hundred times myself, except they’d lock me up’” (chapter 8). She had lost her house but that helped her get what she wanted which was a new house. This helped her, Scout, and Jem learn that not all things that seem bad, are bad. I believe this shows adversity can shape us and bring the good in most situations.
During this outbreak of COVID-19, I have learned to be more organized with my time, safer with my health, and be ready for emergencies. I am not the only one learning as we go through hard times, the whole world has been hit hard. As I go through my day, I make sure to keep up with what I planned for the day. My mom and I make sure to wash our hands everytime we touch something that has been frequently used and also clean that item. We have devised a plan in case my mother has to go to hospital, too. I believe the world and my family are now more prepared after this troubling time has begun.
This shows adversity configures us, shows what is good in people, and educates us to understand the world more. Adversity helps us become better even if your house is on fire, you can’t stand because something happened to your knee, or it gets hard in a sport. It shows what we can do even when we think it can’t happen. Adversity will always find a way to help you.
Student Essay #3
I believe adversity can make people into new human beings and change their lives into something better. Once someone has broken the ice and has stopped their suffering or at least minimized it, it is almost as if their life has changed and they have become a new person. The bad has given them a lot of courage and new strength will be found in them. Adversity can shape a dull, almost broken person, into a bright and unstoppable one.
One example of how adversity changed an almost broken human being into someone is the legend Oprah Winfrey. Oprah had a terrible childhood. She was born into poverty and her parents divorced soon after she was born. Winfrey was put in the care of her grandmother. Then, the young girl had to move back with her mother, and unfortunately had a lot of hardships. Men that her family trusted but Oprah did not, got her pregnant at the young age of fourteen, without her consent, which is absolutely disgusting. On top of that, her child died very soon after he was born. Oprah Winfrey did not let all of this crisis and terrible times in her life stop her, though. She worked super hard, was super smart, and participated in extracurricular activities. I guess you could say the start of her fame was when she participated in talking on the radio. Soon after, Oprah became so famous, had her own talk show, and became a favorite of many, which really shows how the adversity in the beginning of her life did a great deal and let her qualities like intelligence, courageousness, kindness and more come out because she never gave up even after what happened to her. The troubles made her believe she could do anything, so she followed her dreams and did just that!
My mom’s story isn’t even close to being as dramatic as Oprah Winfrey’s, but it still shows how her trouble made her an even better person than she was before. My mom was born in Armenia, and over there especially when she was a child, everybody was struggling in the money department. They had barely any water, but they still made the best of it! When my mom got older, she decided she wanted to become a dentist. She worked super hard, was one of the smartest people there, and completed six years of college. Then, she took a vacation to New York, which is where she met my father, and they decided to move to Ventura to settle down and start a new life. My mom then needed a job here, and obviously she was going to be a dentist. Since she had completed school in Armenia, the people said she needed to complete some here, too. That was devastating. My mom moved to San Francisco without us for two years, where she completed school there. Being away from her family for two years and completing another round of school was very hard and heartbreaking, but now my mom is a super great dentist, and so many people recommend her to others and love her. My mom’s fight through starting as a child in a family that had very little money, two different colleges, and being away from her family was so hard, but it made her a smarter and much better dentist, because she went through an extra two years of school. That is how my mom’s adversity shaped her into a better person.
I’m sure all of you know who Albert Einstein is, I mean why wouldn’t you! He’s one of the smartest people ever, and he was a great scientist. Albert Einstein didn’t speak until he was about three years old, and many people including his parents were ironically worried about his intelligence. After graduating from college it took Einstein several years for him to get a job, around ten. This scientist also had Aspergers, which I’m sure made it hard for him to make friends and have a more social life in the beginning, and he also got called mean names, like “the dopey one.” Through all of this, Albert Einstein came to be an incredible smart person, and had the IQ of about 160, he was an incredible scientist than many looked up to, so smart that someone had the audacity to steal his brain after he passed! As you can see Albert Einstein’s hard work and suffering paid off big time.
During this coronavirus pandemic myself and many others are suffering. We have to stay inside all day and we don’t get to see our friends and some of our non-immediate family members, not to mention thousands of people around the world are getting sick! There hasn’t really been anything I’ve learned about myself or talents I have mastered. Some things I do know now because of this quarantine is that I am capable of learning new gymnastics skills by myself. During this I have had a lot of time to hang out with my family which is really fun. I also love the book club meetings we have been doing, it shows me I am capable of reading and discussing books with other people.
As you can see from Oprah Winfrey’s incredible journey from her very tough childhood to an extremely successful adult, my mom’s struggle with her dentistry and childhood, Albert Einstein’s change from a small child to a new famous and successful scientist, and myself and others during COVID-19 is adversity can shape a dull, almost broken person, into a bright and unstoppable one. “Life gives you lemons because life knows you can make something sweet from them”. (I’m not sure who said this quote). Never give up!
Student Essay #4
Can adversity bring out talents in people? Adversity gives people a chance to see things in a new way, which can result in them learning new things about themselves. These things can either bring out the best in somebody or the worst. These changes can affect a person’s life in many ways, leading them to greatness or to failure.
An example of a person who faced great adversity is Wilma Rudolph who won three gold medals in the Olympics. Wilma Rudolph was born in 1940 and was diagnosed with polio in 1944. She overcame polio but even with a weak left leg and foot, she went on to train and overcome her physical challenges and become a great athlete. She started competing in the Olympics in 1956. Being an African-American woman during this time, she had little to no rights in society, and still accomplished great achievements. Her accomplishments influenced many other women and African Americans to go for their dreams, too. Later, Wilma competed in the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Italy. This was the year that she was called the fastest woman in the world. At the Rome Olympics, she became the first American woman to win three gold medals. She also made a world record for the 100, 200, and 400 meter relay. Sadly, after her life which influenced many others, she was diagnosed with throat and brain cancer. She died at the age of fifty-four due to these conditions. This is an amazing example of how adversity can bring out greatness in people. From learning how to walk without a brace at the age of twelve, to winning three gold medals at the Olympics, she showed perseverance through the adversity in her lifetime.
Another example of persevering through adversity was when Rosa Parks wouldn’t stand up in the bus to give her seat to a white man as per the law at that time. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks made a history-changing decision that would help all African Americans in the future. During a time with extreme racism and segregation she took a stand for the better. She was taken to jail for her actions and a boycott was started by African Americans. For a whole year people of color wouldn’t use the bus. They would either walk everywhere or carpool. This was a great idea considering that 75% of the people who rode the bus were African Americans causing the bus company to lose money. Despite the adversity that Rosa Parks and many other African Americans went through to help their community by taking a stand, her actions helped move an important historical event forward for the greater good, equal rights for African Americans. Parks, and the people she influenced had found that they could have a say in their life, they just had to work together as a team.
A third example of adversity making people stronger is when they go through life threatening diseases or illnesses. An example of this is with Mailet Lopez, the founder of the I Had Cancer social support network. Lopez was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, which took a huge toll on her life. After her life-changing experience with cancer she decided to create a site where people could interact with each other and help each other deal with their cancer through their experiences. According to Mailet, the name “I had Cancer” is meant to show the importance of looking towards the future and being positive. This is a great example of how Mailet created something great after her battles with cancer and adversity. Mailet overcame her hardships throughout her life, and as a result she was able to make other people’s lives better.
During our current “‘stay at home” order, I’ve experienced how adversity can bring out hidden talents in myself. In the beginning I was fine staying home and keeping myself busy, but as time went on the things I could do lessened. Since I was bored so often and missed my friends, I decided to go to my grandma’s house. I knew she needed help after her surgery and that she felt more alone since my grandfather passed away. When I go there I learn new things everyday. I’ve made several Indian dishes, and am now able to write in Punjabi, an Indian language, just by hearing the words! Being confined to my home has given me a chance to do new things. The adversity the whole world is going through at the moment may be for the better in some people’s cases. With the adversity that has been added to my life, I have had the opportunity to learn new things, and get new talents.
Adversity gives people a chance to do great things that they never knew they could do. When people are challenged they tend to see things a different way. Wilma, Rosa, Mailet, and I have all demonstrated this by persevering through the hardships in their lives and making situations better for themselves and others.
Student Essay #5
At one point or another you will face challenges in your life. The question is whether those challenges and adversity can bring out talents or it can break you. The poet Horace thought so. I agree with him and that challenges do bring out the best in communities and people with some exceptions such as the situation and person.
At one point or another you will face challenges in your life. The question is whether those challenges and adversity can bring out talents or it can break you. The poet Horace thought so. I agree with him and that challenges do bring out the best in communities and people with some exceptions such as the situation and person.
The first example of adversity bringing out the best in a community, was ours during the Thomas Fire. After the traumatic fire that burned down a total of 504 houses in Ventura, our community really pulled together. Schools and neighborhoods made posters thanking first responders and firefighters and right after the fire those who didn’t have a home could seek shelter at the fairgrounds where they were passing out supplies. Before the fire I feel like our community wasn’t as connected but during that period of time after the fire we were very strong. I think we became so connected because we shared a common goal of improving our city and also we could feel compassion for those who had been affected.
The second example is Jeannette Walls in her book The Glass Castle. Jeanette grew up with a very hard life. She had an alcoholic father and a weak willed mother who was partially forced into marrying Mr. Walls. As a child she was set up to be unsuccessful being dirt poor and having a bad family. However, these hard circumstances, I think, shaped her to the way she is now. As she grew up she became very determined not to be poor when she was older, so she got her first job at age 10. By age 16 she had two full paying jobs and was also practicing writing for the school paper. When she gathered enough money she decided to move to New York in her sister’s footsteps, but just before she could her father found the money and spent it all on alcohol. He was still trying to control her. She waited another year and snuck out of the house and boarded a bus to New York. She is now known as a successful journalist and author This shows how adversity brought out the best in her because if not for her hard conditions she wouldn’t be the successful person she is now.
Another example is what I have discovered about myself in these hard times of the Covid-19. I definitely think that this pandemic counts as adversity and even though it has been a hard time it has brought out talents that would have otherwise been dormant. Ithink that this has really shown me my love of exercise to another level. Whenever I get the chance I do crunches, sit us and other things that make me feel good. These times have forced me to workout at home without doing any soccer, tennis, or PE which has made my methods more creative. I think that without this whole experience I wouldn’t have discovered the interesting new hobbies that I have.
The last example of my belief is when people get disabilities. A lot of people think that they would rather be dead than have a disability that completely ruins your happiness forever. But in fact we’re very wrong. Multiple Surveys reveal people with disabilities say that they have a great quality of life that is as good as, or sometimes even better than, that of non-disabled people. Also, people in paralympics report to have more strength than they had before being parylized. Richard Whitehead is a paralympian who broke the record for fastest marathon and half marathon with two leg amputations. He once said, “When you fail, you learn a lot about yourself and come back stronger. Life need not have limits. Having an opportunity in life is important but what defines you is what you do with that opportunity.’
Having adversity in life does bring out the best in people but with some exceptions. Some prime examples are Paralypains, Jeannette Walls, and Our community after the Thomas Fire. I think that diversity can bring out talents and characteristics in people that they would have known that they had. As Horace the poet once said,”“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.“
Student Essay #6
Many people throughout their life have to go through tough times. The Roman poet Horace stated, “Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.” Does adversity bring out slumbering talents in people? If a person takes it the right way it can bring out hidden talents that can only come out because of it. However, If the person takes it the wrong way it can greatly harm the individual. I believe that adversity can only help a person if the person is strong enough to take it and learns from it with an open mind.
The first example I am using is Elon Musk. Elon Musk is a very successful businessman who is the creator of Tesla, SpaceX, and Paypal. Elon Musk did not have a happy childhood. Elon Musk was born in South Africa and is the oldest of three children. His parents divorced when he was very young and he lived mostly with his father who emotionally abused him. Elon had a very rough school life. He started school a year early and had excessive trouble making friends. To make matters worse he was bullied as well. In an interview, he replied to a question about his childhood, “I was almost beaten to death if you would call that bullied.” In one instance they got his best friend to lure him out of hiding so they could beat him up. Because he was beat up so often he decided not to leave his house and discovered a dormant love for coding. When he was only twelve he created a video game called “Blaster” and sold it for 500 dollars. Later in his life, he created a company called Zip2 which was made to help newspapers develop online city guides. It was bought out and he used the money to create X.com which was combined with a company called Confinity and resulted in the company Paypal. Paypal was then bought by eBay and Elon Musk used the money he got to create the company he is most famous for, Tesla. So without him being bullied he would not have found his dormant love for coding, and without his love for coding he would not have resulted in creating Tesla and he would not be the man he is today.
The second example I am using is Mike Tyson. Mike Tyson was a boxing legend who at one time in his life had a net worth of 300 million. Similar to Elon Musk, Mike Tyson also had a rough childhood. His father abandoned him before he was 2 years old and by the age of 12, he was in a street gang and had been in and out of juvenile prison custody. After his mom died when he was 16, his coach, Cus D’Amato adopted him and brought him into the world of boxing. Mike Tyson used boxing as a way to release all of his pent up emotions. At the age of 20, he became the youngest ever heavyweight champion. This was about the same time that his coach Cus D’Amato died. After overcoming his difficult childhood and becoming the best in his field he was not able to learn the life skills necessary to build a stable life for himself. The adversities he faced allowed him to be successful for a short period of time but after that, he crumbled under the same pressure. Without his tough childhood Mike Tyson would never have become the heavyweight champion at age 20 and would never have become the person he is today. Mike Tyson went through adversity and though in the beginning of his life it helped him it eventually led him to lose most of his money and happiness.
The third and final example I am using is Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr was a spokesperson and a leader in the civil rights movement. He was the leader of the Montgomery bus boycott and delivered the famous “I Have a Dream Speech.” Martin Luther King Jr had many adversities he had to overcome on his mission for equality. He was attacked by many white supremacy supporters. His home was bombed, set ablaze, received many threatening calls and was even stabbed. He overcame all of the obstacles that he had before him. Through the fight against racism and segregation Martin Luther King, Jr was able to harness his dormant trait of being a fantastic leader.
Adversity can bring out dormant traits in people only if the person learns from it and takes it with an open mind. It is not problems that you face that brings you down. It is how you face the problems that decides that.
