"Can this be the same Alex that set out in July 1990? Malnutrition and the road had taken their toll on his body. Over twenty five pounds lost, but his spirit is soaring." Sometimes I have been so self absorbed between what I'm trying to do and my pride. I loose focus on any other necessity that my body needs and my pride ends up driving me to complete my goal. This in of itself, is a double edged sword because on the one side I'm getting to my goal, yet on the flip side, I'm neglecting other needs that I have. True determination can get you to your goal.
My second literary work that I chose for this paper is Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austin. This novel essentially "teaches" about how pride can take control of your life and how you live it. From the quote that was describing Darcy, "His pride never deserts him; but with the rich he is liberal-minded, just, sincere, rational, honorable, and perhaps agreeable - allowing something for fortune and figure", is important because at times, I have viewed and thought of myself as someone different than who I really am because of people that I am with. This feeling, and view of myself can only be exaggerated by my level of pride. People can be influenced by many things and you can tell by how they dress, talk, act, and carry out their lives. I often find myself trying to distance myself more and more in order to support my self pride and individuality, which is only fed when I successfully don't let people or groups influence me. I wouldn't become someone I am not because of the influence of others. I feel it is sometimes sad to see people compromise who they are and what they believe in because of what others have influenced them to be like, or simply just trying to "fit in". I wouldn't want to loose my identity to fit in to some group of people who are not anything like me and who want to deviate me from who I truly am.