King Lear

Over the last few weeks, my AP Lit class has been reading Shakespeare's King Lear in class, and it ties very well into my big question of whether or not facing adversity and/or failure strengthens an individual or hinders their potential. On example being found in the character whom the novel is named after, King Lear. Lear naively gives up his power and authority to Regan and Gonneril, only for them to plot his downfall. He is shocked at their assertion for independence after he gave them everything they had. Lear realizes his stupidity soon enough. His retirement starts a series of conflicts that lead the whole country to civil war. Two of Lear's own children turn against him, and Lear goes mad and wanders around in a thunderstorm, shouting at the sky. In some sense, what happens to Lear is tragic. He ends up suffering in ways that elderly people are not supposed to. Worst of all, Lear is betrayed by his own flesh and blood. Yet Lear also experiences an incredible transformation. Through adversity, Lear gains a new perspective on life. He rejects power and politics and decides that what really matters is being with the people he loves. For the first time, Lear also feels sympathy for the hardship undergone by others – especially the homeless that wander about the kingdom. His strange journey makes Lear a much better person. Clearly Lear's encounter with adversity has strengthened him as an individual. He has a heightened sense of moral awareness and he also undergoes self- enlightenment. Even though he dies in the end, it is a Shakespearean tragedy after all, Lear has benefited from the trials and adversity he has run into.

Oedipus

Over the last couple weeks our AP Lit class, we read Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. This Greek tragedy answers  my big question on the opposite side of the spectrum from what my last post did. Oedipus fled from the family he knew, post- hearing of the prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother, in order to avoid fulfillment. However, who Oedipus had been calling "Mom" and "Dad," were not truly in fact his birth parents. As a result of his attempt to flee from his fate, he strikes a nobleman dead and all but one of the men traveling with him. He proceeds on to succeed the throne of Thebes because their king was gone, and he takes the queen to be his wife. Years later, the city of Thebes is burdened by a curse and Oedipus vows to do all he can to make it right- meaning bring punishment and avenge the murder of King Laios. By agreeing to such a thing, Oedipus unknowingly brings upon his own downfall because he was in fact the very murderer he condemns. The play goes on and eventually Oedipus gains all the facts and comes to the horrible realization he has fulfilled the prophecy. The result of this adversity upon Oedipus does not make him stronger and better suited for the future, no. It does the opposite. Oedipus chooses to fall a victim to his faults and conflict, gouges out his own eyes, and expels himself to a life lived in exile. The key to overcoming the hardships of ones life is the conscious decision that must be made. "No, you will not defeat me. I choose to conquer, not be conquered by you," is what one must say to themselves as opposed to what Oedipus chose to buy into," I am an abomination. I am no good, this trial defines me and has taken all that is left of me. I give up." I don't think that last choice sounds too beneficial, but that's just me.

Stronger

Does facing adversity and failure strengthen an individual or hinder their potential?

One play was all it took. One second I'm running a practice drill and then next I'm looking up at my coach's face towering over me as I lay crippled on the gym floor. Tears are streaming down my face and I feel a piercing pain in my right knee. Little do I know that collision, along with one other injury in the coming year, will contribute surgeries #7 and  #8 for me; as well as end my career as a basketball player.

These battle wounds that lead to my basketball downfall try my sanity and present great adversity to my previously trial-less life. My identity was found in basketball, and now I am haunted by the words of my doctor that tell me it's time to throw in the towel. My body can't handle high contact sports. Those words themselves delivered what felt like the hardest blow I had ever felt, worse than when I blew my ACL. I fell a victim to adversity and I didn't know what I did to deserve this.

Now that I look back at the trials I faced- both physical and emotional- and the strength in character that they gave birth to, I am thankful for each and every one. Had I not had those struggles I would not be who I am today. Not only do I have a good idea of my future career (a physical therapist), but I also can empathize and encourage others that go through trials- related or unrelated to my own. I have a greater drive to explore things outside of my comfort zone and I know that I am not defined by my genetic mutations.

 There are many movies, songs, and articles that this question relates to. One example being the song Beauty Will Rise by Steven Curtis Chapman's who's lyrics read "Out of these ashes...beauty will rise." I take that to mean that only after we've been knocked down, can we truly rise up and be victorious. A thought that Steve Jobs, CEO/Chairman of Apple is well aware of. He was fired before making Apple the moneymaking machine it is today. He hit rock bottom and learned from his mistakes, Jobs is now considered to be a modern day Thomas Edison and one of the greatest thinkers of our time. Throughout society and history you can see that some of the most successful businessmen/women are ones that experienced great trials and failure. Success is a choice, and how you choose to respond to failure can make or break you.