1 May 2014
Perseverance: A Virtue and Vice
From the very beginning of life children are taught to not give up despite their past failures. One example of this would be when they are first trying to walk or ride a bike. In this case perseverance would be deemed as a good quality to have. In another instance someone is arrested and convicted for robbery. Once released, they attempt to commit the same crime again. This example would be an individual persevering but for a malicious and self-seeking motive. Perseverance is the continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition. (Merriam Webster). While it is often seen only in a positive light, like most things, when used wrongly it has far from a positive impact. Perseverance, while socially accepted as a societal virtue, can also be a vice to those who use it to pursue malevolent or selfish causes.
The first character exemplifies the definition of perseverance. Odysseus from The Odyssey is an example of an individual that is persevering for a respectable and virtuous reason. He is determined to return home to his wife despite the many obstacles he has faced along the journey. Odysseus’s mindset is that he will endure all the trials that are ahead of him to return home. Odysseus states:
[…] what I want and all my days I pine for is to go back to my house and see my day of homecoming. And if some god batters me far out on the wine-blue water, I will endure it, keeping a stubborn spirit inside me, for already I have suffered much and done much hard work on the waves and in the fighting. So let this adventure follow. (5.219-224)
This establishes the way in which Odysseus dealt with trails throughout the Odyssey. There are numerous instances when th...
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One aspect of my life that I have been persevering from for years is the loss of my dad. It is never something you truly get past, but you can choose to let it define you, destroy you, or shape you. It took me many tries to find the right way in which to move past that struggle but I think the end product embodied perseverance. Despite searching for answers and solutions in the wrong places I kept trying. I was determined to not let this event define or destroy my life. The failures that I suffered when searching for those answers made when I finally came to grips with it that much more rewarding because I knew that I battled through the extremely difficult times and came out a better person because of it. Perseverance is not the easy thing do, it is not the most common thing to do, but it is by far the most rewarding thing to do when all is said and done.
The strength to persevere and keep going are traits that are something everyone should learn to have. No matter what you are going through if you have that mentality or mind state I feel like you can accomplish anything you set your mind to. Mattie had her mind set on avenging her fathers death and wanted to do it at any cost and she wouldn’t stop until she’s had her justice. That was her motivation, maybe something can motivate you to keep persevering through the many obstacles in your life.
In his journey, Odysseus persevered through various hardships and trials. His success of the venture was possible because of the heroic qualities he possessed. Whether Odysseus had been shipwrecked, involved in an argument with the gods, or even on the verge of death, he endured and finally made it home, despite any odds or lack of motivation. Odysseus emulates many of the characteristics which are crucial to an epic hero and is able to survive various wearisome and unfortunate circumstances.
Perseverance and failure cannot coexist. Failure happens when you quit. When all is said and done, perseverance, commonly referred to as "stick-to-itiveness," is the ultimate success insurance. Nothing can take its place.
Odysseus is the main character in an epic poem called the Odyssey. In the poem Odysseus has had some bad luck getting home, with some of the gods helping him and some hindering him; his journey towards home is a constant struggle. In this poem we see a man being broke and rebuilt, through constant irony his faith was damaged and without the help of Athena he probably would have given up on his journey. Through his hard work and wise spirit he finally does achieve his goal.
“The perfect journey is never finished, the goal is always just across the next river, round the shoulder of the next mountain. There is always one more track to follow and one more mirage to explore.”(Rosita Forbes) This seems to be the case for Odysseus in The Odyssey, because no matter how many troubles he overcomes, there always seems to be another adventure waiting for him. In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus shows both courage and arrogance as he journeys home to Ithaca.
Many people show perseverance, including me. I showed perseverance when I failed a quiz and I knew to get my grade up I had to work harder and study more. I knew if my parents found out that I failed a quiz they would yell at me and would be disappointed on me for getting a bad grade on a quiz because I didn’t study. This factor contributes me to work harder, I learned that I need to work harder to succeed, like Salva, how he showed perseverance by looking for his family.
In the epic poem, The Odyssey, Odysseus’ heroic deeds are recounted through a narrative, written by Homer, that describes his arduous journey of his return from the Trojan war to his homeland of Ithaca. Loyalty, patience, and determination, are necessary traits to survive the perilous, painstaking journey that Odysseus embarks upon to return to his native land. Loyalty is exhibited when Odysseus goes to rescue his crewmen on Kirke’s Island despite the probability of jeopardizing his own life. Odysseus presents patience throughout the entirety of his journey, but most specifically when his crew opens the bag of wind, which causes much regression on the embark homeward. Determination is displayed when Odysseus is on Calypso’s island.
After reading this essay one can see how The Odyssey main character Odysseus faces struggles and hardships that only make him stronger.He learns to be more cautious than he was and he truly shows how much he wants to return to Ithaca and learns who is faithful to
... front of me since the road to success is far away. Facing unknown obstacles is like drowning in water because obstacles are weighted heavily and sometimes I can't lift it. I just have to use my strength and hopefully, I can raise it off me. I learned that sometimes it is better to have a little false hope than to have none. Perseverance doesn’t not come naturally to all people but eventually it will come because they will find it. It helps them find their inner self by going through obstacles so that they can be more of a life challenge. I believe that this can change a person who they are because it is something everyone needs to go through life.
In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, Odysseus goes through many trials while trying to return home from the Trojan War. On his voyage home, he must visit the Land of the Dead, evade the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis and when he does arrive home, participate in a tricky reunion with his wife, Penelope. All of these examples show that Odysseus has extreme determination and perseverance. Perseverance is an excellent quality that few possess which can spark achievement.
Perseverance is a very powerful word, many people go through hard times and don’t make it to see the other side. My story of perserverance starts sophomore year during football season. As two-a-days started everyone was excited to get through and get to play our first football game. As the season progressed I started feeling pains in my shoulder constantly; a few weeks go by with the pain continously getting worse. I specifically remember the first incident during a game, it was against White Oak about half way through the third quarter, as I was running to go make the play, as I dove to make the tackle I landed on my side and I felt a pop, not thinking anything about it I got up. When I reached my two feet something just didn’t feel, my shoulder
In the epic poem, The Odyssey, Odysseus finally found his way back home during the hardest time of his life. Over the course of 10 long years, Odysseus encounters monsters, gods and suitors who strive to interfere with his return to Ithaca. The strength of this war-hero aided his journey home, but his intelligence and love for his family allowed him persevere through barriers that stood in his way. In the Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus shows the importance of cunningness and trickery to overcome deteriorating obstacles.
My perseverance has prepared me for a career in medicine. The path towards becoming a physician can be long and challenging, necessitating the ability to endure. My ability to bounce back from setbacks and mistakes has solidified throughout my journey. One of the cornerstone experiences of my personal development occurred during high school. My determination led to me my graduating as valedictorian of my class, while balancing three varsity sports and several extracurricular activities. In addition, I worked on weekends to help support my family financially. This persistence resulted in scholarship awards that made higher education a possibility.
perseverance I will overcome adversity. During that time this experience also taught me how to stay
Perseverance is steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success. Correctional environments take their toll on all who pass through the