Horace’s quote,”Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.”, simply means that people behave differently in the face of adversity. Facing adversity, it usually brings out the best in people or it leads for them to discover something that they knew not they could do. This quote helps in building a person’s character and may also lead to self-discovery for the person while facing adversity. I noticed how people react differently while facing adversity in one of the books I read this year. In Lord of the Flies, a group of children land on an island from a plane crash with no adult supervision. At first they were calm and even thrilled at the idea of being on an island with no limits, as they assumed a rescue team was already on the way for their salvation.
As days went by they noticed noone was coming to their rescue, and this brought out talents in every one of them. Adversity helped them discover within themselves leading skill, surviving skills, and how to cope with major responsibilities. I observed how people are while they have faced or are facing adversity, particularly at a young age. I am friends with a kid with divorced parents. His parents separated at a young age and I can’t imagine what he went through, but all I know is that it benefitted him. Although he must’ve felt frustration and anger during the divorce, today he is more patient and tolerant. I believe that this is an excellent quality, and that he is now more resiliant. He might even be able to deal and withstand everything that life throws at him. Adversity at a young age has helped him to develop a more composed character.
I, personally, do not think I’ve had to face adversity like many people claim they have. I have not been challenged to see to what extent my capabilities may come to. I want to challenge myself and see how well I cope with a challenge and difficulty. My junior year, I’m hoping to take many AP classes and take this as my challenge. I would like to see how well I manage my time and just have the determination to see it through the end. This would give me the feeling of self-worth that I require for school. It will also help me discover my potential by taking challenging classes, and benefit me later on in college. In conclusion, I agree with Horace’s quote. I have thought of a literary example to support his quote along with two other examples. Facing adversity does , without a doubt, benefit a person’s character.
