<p>Prompt:
What determines success in life is not intelligence or talent, but character: those qualities gained both from living in an honorable and straightforward manner and from learning to deal with disappointment and hardship. Without character, an individual has no hope of true success. Even when competing against opponents of considerable intelligence or strength, those individuals who possess strong character will ultimately win.
Assignment: Does a person’s character determine that person’s success in life? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.</p>
<p>A person’s success is most definitely determined by his or her character. We see this throughout many prominent instances in history as well as in literature.</p>
<p>An important epoch in the history of a village in Spain, named L’Eliana, is when Ana Elisa Torona, a typical spanish housewife at the time, stood up for women’s rights in the 1700’s. Mrs. Torona was the first women in the whole of Spain to publicly express her belief: it is a fundamental right for women to be treated equally. Her character at the time, was considered not appropriate nor conventional, this determined detrmined and later provoked her ultimate fate. Success, in the long run, was achieved by her strong character and will-power. There is now a statue in the main plaza in L’Eliana in remembrance of Ana Elisa Torona, her character and strength to do the unimaginable at the time.</p>
<p>An influential novel written by Taylor G. Light named “The Unknown” embodies the fact that success is determined by character. Jona, the protagonist, was an upscale Trader in Wall Street who lived a glamorous life dictated by money, drugs and women. At the time, he believed that he was successful. In 2007, after the enormous market crash, Jona lost it all. Unable to find work, he began to reflect on his new life and how many others were affected by the crash, just like him. He began to live a modest life, and at first is was the only thing that he could afford. But he began to involve himself in things that didn’t directly benefit him such as community work. Mr. Light depicts that his moment of success was not we he had a surplus of money, nor expensive watches. But it was when he began to understand that there was much more to life. That happiness doesn’t derive from money nor job titles but it derives from helping others, being true to one’s self, understanding the we don’t need so many luxury items to be happy. </p>
<p>I reiterate and conclude stating that it is irrefutable that success is detrimined by character as we have seen in the lives of Ana Elisa Torona and Jona, in Mr. Light’s novel. </p>