Mawson’s Adversities Phineas Gage, Henrietta Lacks, and Douglas Mawson are people who faced many different challenges, some on purpose and some accidentally, to contribute to science. Phineas Gage had an iron rod shoot through his head, Henrietta Lacks who had scientist take cells out of her body without her permission, and Douglas Mawson faced many difficulties on such a brutal journey through Antarctica. Even though all of these people have gone through some incredible things, there is one who faced more adversity and stood out from the rest, and that is Douglas Mawson. One reason why Douglas Mawson faced the most adversity is because he lost a lot on his journey (as seen in “Into the Unknown”). He and a few others went on an expedition in Antarctica. While he was on his expedition, he had to kill the huskies that that they brought with them because they became weak. Some of his sledding partners fell into a crevasse in the ice; they had to walk …show more content…
Mawson did not have a lot of food left, so he had to plan out to make it last longer. In the article “Into the Unknown” it states, “The food was almost gone, and his own physical state was deplorable, with open sores on his nose, lips...; his hair coming out in clumps; and skin peeling off his legs. And he still had a hundred miles to go.” This passages shows the struggles Mawson goes through on his journey. Also, physically Mawson was not well. His feet were severely cut and every step that he made caused him so much pain, and yet he continued on. Mawson was thinking that he had no chance to survive, but that did not stop him from trying. When he reach a hut the people did not recognize him, but he knew them. When Mawson eventually reached Australia he was greeted as a national hero because of his discoveries (Into the Unknown). Even though Mawson clearly faced the most adversity, some people think that Phineas Gage faced more
...ommand during the Battle of Little Bighorn. He did not understand his enemy or their tactics. He did not employ fires as well as he should have, failed to protect his forces, and, perhaps most importantly, he ignored the pertinent intelligence available to him. The outcome was utter defeat in this particular battle.
During his journey, McCandless was a leather tramp, he travelled on foot and he would
Rebecca Skloot has done a marvelous job telling the story of Henrietta Lacks; the woman who changed science!
The Immortal life of Henrietta Lacks is a book about the women behind the scientific revolution of using actual cancer cells to perform cancer research. Henrietta Lacks was an African American woman who was barely educated and worked as a tobacco farmer. At the age of thirty she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. In Lacks’ time being uneducated, African American, and a woman was not a great mix. They were often undermined and taken advantage of. When Lacks started to become very ill she went to the nearest hospital that would accept black patients. There the doctor, George Gey, misdiagnosed her illness and took a tissue sample without her consent. After suffering through her illness and trying to keep up with her five children Henrietta died
Mawson went on an exploration in Antarctica with many challenges, like wind gusts up to 200 miles per hour, very limited food and other resources, and the journey was a total of 600 miles. In the fourth paragraph of “Into the Unknown,” it says “with gusts up to 200 mph;” winds like that are easily strong enough to knock someone off their feet. Gage or Lacks never went on a journey this difficult, but they had minor adversities. Second most important, the seventh paragraph talks about how Ninnis falls down a large crevasse. Along with Ninnis, they lost all of the dog food all of the men’s food and their three man tent. Phineas never really went through a journey to this extent like Mawson. Lastly, throughout the whole article it said that is was a 300 mile journey there and a 300 mile journey back. Not to mention that Mawson traveled most of the journey back by
Henrietta Lacks is not a common household name, yet in the scientific and medical world it has become one of the most important and talked names of the century. Up until the time that this book was written, very few people knew of Henrietta Lacks and how her cells contributed to modern science, but Rebecca Skloot aimed to change this. Eventually Skloot was able to reach Henrietta’s remaining family and through them she was able to tell the story of not only the importance of the HeLa cells but also Henrietta’s life.
Captain Meriwether Lewis and William Clark took the risk of life, limb, and liberty to bring back the precious and valuable information of the Pacific Northwest of the United States territory. Their accomplishments of surviving the trek and delivering the data to the U.S. government, have altered the course of history, but have some Historian’s and author’s stating, “It produced nothing useful.”, and having “added little to the stock of science and wealth. Lewis and Clark’s expedition is one of the most famous and most unknown adventures of America’s frontier.
His exclamations against those who don't change their live to find all the “marrow,” hidden in society, shows his passion for “sucking,” the positive features which enable him to ensure he has spent his time effectively. Lastly, this related to “living deliberately(…),” expressed by Thoreau. This philosophical idea distinguished the difference between simply who simply are alive in comparison to one who lives a life that they know that they “truly live(…),” instead of later realising they haven’t done what they as individuals wanted to do. This contrast is symbolised by the comparison of McCandless and the social norm. The fact that McCandless felt implied to not take short cuts through modern day advancements suggested by the “plane,” and instead wanted to complete his trip in the way he desired leads to him exemplifying the meaning of living deliberately by Thoreau. Nonetheless whilst they are both different individuals, McCandless lifestyle and actions portray the life based on the philosophical ideas of
It was her cells that became what is known as HELA cells or immortal cells. Her story is interesting to me because of her impact on the science community. Her cells allowed scientist to perform
...fe for oneself. McCandless primary tragic flaw being his unwillingness to form long-term relations brought him both to the happiest moment of his life, but also to his demise. McCandless never had a problem with people, but rather with the status quo of society, the idea that a man or a woman has to live inside of a coordinate plane. McCandless left home and went on his adventure simply for his own well being, he achieved both what he wanted to accomplish while learning a valuable lesson along the way. He learned that happiness must be shared, and while everyone has his or her flaws, it is important to let these go. Christopher McCandless should teach people the importance of following your dreams, and the importance of enjoying the natural serenity of life.
McCandless is a very independent person, a person with high hopes, that has a lot of courage, and is a very brave man for going out by himself in the wild of Alaska of the Stampede Trail. Chris McCandless had a lot of courage on going to Alaska by himself at a young age. While Chris was at any city or anybody’s house, he was ready to go to Alaska. But while he was there, close to the end of his life, he left a note on the back of the bus saying, “S.O.S I need your help. I am injured, near death, and too weak to hike out of here i am all alone, this is no joke. In the name of god, please remain to save me. I am out collecting berries close by and shall return by evening. Thank you, Chris McCandless. August?” Chris McCandless was by himself at the time. He shows his courage because while by himself, he went back out even though he was near death. He went out for food. Food for his health. That shows how much courage he had for his trip. Chris McCandless encouraged many young men to ...
The book about Chris McCandless’s journey into the Alaskan bush, Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer, received a lot of criticism about Chris being foolish for being unprepared. From the articles that I have read, most of the sources do believe that he was poorly prepared for his journey. But there are a few people who believe he was prepared mentally, and an even smaller amount believe he was fully prepared. I believe that Chris only knew what he was doing mentally. He did not have the correct tools or the developed skills to survive, for an extended period of time in the wild. But, he did know what he was about to get himself into. He planned out the trip and knew exactly what his risk factors were. Chris McCandless was either prepared mentally, both mentally and physically, or he was ill-prepared for his voyage.
Heroism demands self-sacrifice, self-discipline, self-confidence and self-respect. Ulysses S. Grant had these qualities in their most complete form. He set out from humble beginnings, and failed. At the age of 38 was a conspicuous failure. Then, like few of us, he succeeded beyond belief. Had he not had tremendous greatness within him, he could never have accomplished what he did. How did such a simple, honest and humble man raise himself in the eyes of his people and the world to the highest position a man or woman can reach - that of a national hero?
Living in the wilderness is difficult, but understanding the meaning of such lifestyle is even more difficult. One of the Christopher’s admirable qualities was that he was well aware of what he was doing. He knew about the difficulties and dangers that he would face into the wilderness, and was mentally prepared for that. Author Jon Krakauer says that “McCandless was green, and he overestimated his resilience, but he was sufficiently skilled to last for sixteen weeks on little more than his wits and ten pounds of rice. And he was fully aware when he entered the bush that he had given himself a perilously slim margin for error. He knew precisely what was at stake” (182). McCandless was an educated youth, who loved nature and dreamed of living in the Alaskan wilderness. Although he ignored to take many necessary things with him on this
...emselves. They endure mosquitoes and rain and tough walking and bad river crossings and the possibility of bears. The burden the pilgrims carry to the bus is so heavy, laden with their frailties and hopes and desires, with their lives that don’t quite satisfy. Well, so many of them are young, and they’re lost, somehow, just as he was.” What makes Chris McCandless such a hero to young men is that he is easily relatable to those young men. As Neal Karlinsky writes of Chris McCandless,“McCandless tramped his way across North America determined to live completely free of the trappings of modern society. He was intoxicated by nature and the idea of a great Alaskan adventure — to survive in the bush totally on his own. In his last postcard to a friend, he wrote: "I now walk into the wild."