Dickens, Thurber, Andersen, London and Perseus

They refused to be mere products of their environments. Instead, they transcended adversity by having faith in themselves and subsequently shaping their environments.

Now, how do I associate the mythical Greek hero Perseus with Charles Dickens, James Thurber, Hans Christian Andersen and Jack London? Perseus had to overcome many obstacles in his pursuit of honor and glory. Kings and noblemen rejected his ambition. The hero was about to surrender to failure when the goddess Pallas Athene appeared to him and asked, "Perseus, which would you prefer to have, a soul of clay or a soul of fire?" Obviously, Perseus answered a "soul of fire."

This is what Perseus has in common with Charles Dickens, James Thurber, Hans Christian Andersen and Jack London. Success wasn’t given to them; they earned it by overcoming challenges that obstructed their achievements. They all realized how ephemeral human existence is and that every second counts. They made the most of their lives by seizing opportunity the moment it came their way, and when it didn’t come their way, their industry and their inner strength compelled them to create opportunity. The five would not accept "no" for an answer from anyone. Those great "heroes" transcended the sarcasm, the banality and the castigation that surrounded them. They refused to go through life satisfied being sheepish men having souls of clay. The five champions of literature aptly demonstrated to the cynical world that they possessed "souls of fire."

Jay Dubya (author)
http://ebookpalace.com/authors/dubya/index.html
http://www.authorsden.com/johneweissner

John Wiessner

January 24, 2002

Copyright: The Hammonton (New Jersey) Gazette