Strength Of Character
Written by: Anna Petrella
Louis Zamperini's key trait; Strength of Character
The article, “4 Lessons of Manliness” by Brett and Kate Mckay from the website artofmanliness.com begins by explaining Louis Zamperini’s life as a young boy. He was a huge troublemaker and was expected to become a criminal. As Louis got older, he turned his life to running. He made school records and went on to represent the U.S. at the 1936 Olympics. After this, he joined the armed forces and became a bombardier on a B-24 Liberator bomber. While on a rescue mission, his life would soon be changed. The plane crashed into the ocean and 8 out of the 11 men aboard died. Louis and 2 other men spent 47 days on a raft and were captured/rescued by the Japanese. Louis had to have the strength to keep fighting for the 2 years he was imprisoned. According to the article, Louis was “starved, diseased, and beaten almost daily by a sadistic guard nicknamed the Bird.” Although Louie survived to the end of the war, he dealt with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder before seeking faith and forgiveness from God. In conclusion, Louis Zamperini’s strength of character led him to be an inspiration to many people around the world.
Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey's Unforgettable Act
The story, “The Noble Experiment,” by Jackie Robinson as told to Alfred Duckett explains the courageous act made by Branch Rickey. Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey are both very courageous and strong willed people. They worked together to do something completely out of the ordinary and make history. To continue, they both had a love for baseball and wanted to make things right. On the other hand, one way they differed was Jackie Robinson was black and Branch Rickey was white. Another difference was Jackie Robinson was the player and Branch Rickey was the “boss.” As stated by the story, “He knew that achieving it would be terribly difficult. There would be deep resentment, determined opposition, and perhaps even racial violence. He was convinced he was morally right, and shrewdly sensed that making the game a truly national one would have healthy financial results.” This shows that the act would not be easy, but would be worth it. To conclude, Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson’s strength and perseverance led to being one of the greatest moments in sports history.
A photograph of Branch Rickey
Jackie and Branch Rickey together
Jackie Robinson stealing home.
Kayla Montgomery's Drive to Keep Running
The article, “Despite MS, Kayla Montgomery Keeps Running,” from the site www.runnersworld.com by Hannah McGoldrick talks about Kayla Montgomery’s inspiring story and her grit. Kayla was diagnosed with MS after falling in a soccer game. After being told not to play soccer, she turned to running. According to the article, “Whenever she races hard, Montgomery’s legs go numb, but that doesn’t stop her from running.” Kayla is very strong when it comes to her character. For example, one trait she has is determination. This is important because it allows herself to keep going even through the most frustrating and difficult circumstances. Her discipline as a runner allows herself to not settle for less. She pushes herself to the limit and works extremely hard. In short, Kayla Montgomery’s journey as a runner has allowed herself to become stronger than ever before and has taught people to not let the worst get to you.
Navy Seal, Chris Kyle's Strength
“There are bigger and worse things that could happen than to have this tiny little problem wreck your life, or even your day. I’ve seen them. More: I’ve lived them.” -Chris Kyle. The book “American Sniper,” by Chris Kyle talks honestly about war and the impact it had not only on him, but his family as well. Chris Kyle recorded the most career sniper kills in United States military history. He served 4 tours in the Iraq War and was greatly changed from combat. The book states, "War definitely changes you. You embrace death. As a SEAL, you go to the Dark Side. You're immersed in it." This clearly shows that once you experience war, there is no going back. Chris explains that his regrets were the soldiers he couldn't save, and having a young soldier die on him was one of the worst things he experienced as a SEAL.The war caused him tremendous grief and caused him to start drinking a lot. This resulted him into a minor car accident. Fortunately, Chris got his head straight again and focused on his family. To conclude, the war clearly caused Chris serious personal struggles which, through his strength of character, he managed to work through.
Amy Purdy: The Unbeatable Woman
A woman who faced extreme adversity, chose not to be defeated. Her strength of character led her to become an unforgettable woman with an unforgettable story. Amy Purdy found a love for snowboarding at the age of 15. However, she developed bacterial meningitis at the age of 19. With less than a 2% chance of living, she survived. Unfortunately, there was a cost, Amy lost both of her legs below the knee and would later require a kidney from her father. According to the article, “Amy Purdy, Snowboarding” from the site www.teamusa.org, “Purdy longed to return to snowboarding, and when she couldn’t find prosthetics that would work for snowboarding, she built her own.” Amy faced extremely tough obstacles. She not only lost her legs but couldn’t find the right prosthetics for snowboarding. She loved what she did so much that she refused to take no for an answer. By not giving up, Amy took all she had to find the perfect solution for her problem.
Work Cited
"Runner's World." Runner's World. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2015.
"TeamUSA | Home." Team USA. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2015.
"American Sniper- Chris Kyle with Jim Defelice and Scott McEwen
"McDougal Littell Literature and Language" textbook "The Noble Experiment" Jackie Robinson as told to Alfred Duckett page 144