Response to Poison by Roald Dahl

When people are struck with hardships in life, the way they react reveals their true character. Having a certain mindset can greatly influence how they handle problems, differentiating one person from another. Many can feel discouraged and feel like giving up when they hit a rough patch. In other cases, the will to be in a position better than where they are at the moment gives them the motivation to succeed. Adversity can have a positive effect on the development of an individual's character, providing them with the drive to overcome their current situation.

In life we may go through hardships that take us down a path that benefits us in the future and make us stronger individuals. These hardships can influence a person’s life by making us face obstacles we don’t want to face and

Adversity is an inevitable component of human’s lives. Without it, individuals would glide through their existences without any mishappenings along the way and life would be nearly perfect. While this situation seems ideal, it is unrealistic and actually detrimental to personal development. The obstacles people face play a key role in shaping who they become. Without difficulties, individuals will not be exposed to real, purposeful problem solving skills. They will not receive the opportunity to face adversity head on and potentially come out victorious, all while learning a lesson and improving themselves along the way. If people become apathetic to their troubles, they are actually admitting a defeat. They will not get the chance to experience the satisfaction that is a result of besting misfortunes. In order to do this, individuals must use the pressure that these troubling times cause to their advantage by holding onto hope and the value of life. In The Shawshank Redemption, the text creator develops the idea that anyone can overcome the most terrible of situations if they remain patient, optimistic and logical. When Andy Dufresne is imprisoned as a result of false accusations, he uses his fortitude to inspire hope within other prisoners and eventually escape the harsh confinement. On the other hand, Red is transformed from a spiteful convict to an optimistic man upon meeting Andy. When individuals are placed under immense pressure over a long period of time, then they

“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.” What the Roman poet Horace was saying was that when there is an obstacle in our way, our true colors will radiate. I could not agree more. When we as human beings feel passionate about achieving a goal, we may learn something new of ourselves, maybe a new trait that we did not know we possessed, when we reach new heights we did not know we could push ourselves towards. Challenges are similar to tests. Challenges are faced every day, but how we respond to them determines how strong we really are. Prime examples are superheroes and students that move dramatically.

When people go through something difficult it can change them. Making them who they are, it can change them for the bad or good. Therefore, hardships can greatly influence a person’s life by making them appreciate all the things that make life enjoyable.

In the short story “Lamb To The Slaughter”, written by Roald Dahl, the two main characters, Mary and Patrick Maloney, show many emotions and the emotions are portrayed in certain ways depending on how Dahl uses word choice and figurative language. Throughout the story the emotions of the characters change and alter depending on how specific events happen and show how the character will react in the situation, whether it be good or bad. Mary and Patrick Maloney have very different emotions towards each other and it’s very surprising to see how the emotions change during the course of the story.

Adversity has a way of bringing up challenges unexpectedly, most people shrink away from it and get consumed, but when they push through it people come out stronger than they were before.

The Roman poet Horace states that “Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.” By this, he explains the role these hardships play in shaping and developing a person’s character. I agree that adversity not only elicits talents, but also brings out the hidden aptitudes within a person that which they were unaware of before. Through learning experiences and observations, I have witnessed the significant outcomes that come from the result of adversities.

situations in order to live a successful life. Hardships is something we all face and it’s

e. “What doesn’t kill us make us stronger.” When you’re faced with challenges, look at them as an opportunity for personal growth. Reflect on the choices you make and learn from your mistakes.

Hardships have the power to make a break a person, as Roman poet, Horace, once said, “Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant”. Everyone has or will have to face adversity at some point in their lives, it is a universal truth. Although misfortunes usually have a negative connotation, depending on the struggle and how one deals with it, it is likely the person will come out of misfortune better prepared for the world. Contrastly, if a person never experienced any hardships, they would lack a sophisticated understanding of the world and lack the ability to handle difficult situations. Adversity gives people strength they can not obtain with success.

Dwight Lyman Moody once said, " Character is what you are in the dark." This means that a person's true character is brought forward when they go through challenges. I agree with this quote, when people go through hard times the unimportant things are stripped away, and they have to learn to grow and adapt despite the obstacles they face. In the book "The Hunger Games," Suzanne Collins shows how some people's challenges change them for the better, other characters don't know how to cope and take longer to adapt, and how people's reactions differed from each others.

Quite often you hear that we do not grow without failure; that failure is what teaches us a new skill and how to then succeed. I was not familiar with the quote, “adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant,” by Horace, however I think this quote is true. To me, this means that when someone has some kind of disadvantage, that person can use the challenge to his advantage through self-reflection, determination, and hope. Every person faces an obstacle, usually many and of various degrees of challenge, and although you cannot control the situation, you can control your reaction. Those of us that learn from adversity take our time to figure out how to approach the problem in a new manner. We recognize that one barrier is not a reason to abandon our course. We think outside the box for how to overcome the challenge. We learn from the first failure and we regroup for the next approach. Failure teaches you how to define yourself rather than how others define you. All four of the

Once a Roman poet, Horace, noted, “Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous time would have lain dormant.” Horace’s examines the role that adversity plays in the development of a person’s character and understanding trouble and hardships. In times of difficulty, when adversities are faces, one true character is revealed. As Horace witnessed, adversity doesn’t only bring people down, but to acknowledge the hidden talents that were unknown to them. During these strenuous times, the true talent of human nature is revealed.

When we face challenges in life that are far beyond our own power, it 's an opportunity to build on our