Synthesis essay

      In today's society nothing seems impossible and everyday there are incredible people who do incredible things. This is obvious simply by looking at the real life stories of Erik Weihenmayer from “Blindly He Goes Up” by Steve Rushin and uncle Jim from the story “Versabraille” by Bill Schermbrucker. Both people blind as night but who still manage to accomplish anything from everyday tasks to extraordinary feats even to people who still have their vision. Erik Weihenmayer makes the impossible possible by being the first blind man to ever climb mount Everest, where Uncle Jim blindly works his way across his town of Tulbagh at the young age of 7. Both extraordinary people who both faced extreme challenges.

      What is there to say about Erik Weihenmayer that hasn't already been said? In the year 2001 he became the first blind man not only to attempt to climb mount Everest but to also succeed in his journey up this 29,035 foot peak. In 1991 he managed to graduate from from Boston College with a degree in English and became a teacher soon after. Erik is not only an incredible man but also an inspiration to thousands of other handicapped and able bodied individuals. Even though Erik is handicapped he doesn’t think of himself that way using a sense of humor to pronounce his optimistic outlook on life saying “you should have heard the view from up there” speaking about the peak of Everest. One of Erik's most famous sayings is “because were here”. He says this to show us all that we must make the most of what we have because we are only on this earth for so long then we are gone like dust in the wind. What Erik has done sets a new standard for people around the world. Erik has shown the world that all it takes to accomplish life goals is to have courage, optimism, and a sense of determination.

     The short story “Versabraille” by Bill Schermbrucker tells the story of an African born Canadian returning to Africa to hear the stories of his blind uncle Jim's life. Uncle Jim may not have been born blind but says so himself that he “cannot remember seeing things”. When uncle Jim was only 7 years old he managed, with no vision at all, to travel all the way across town to pick up some tobacco for his father. Even though he was very young he was also very determined and faced his fears with pride that as to be admired. The fact that as a blind boy at the age of seven he even dared to venture so far from his home shows that he has an insurmountable amount of courage and deserves to be commended for that fact alone. The only goal Uncle Jim had in mind was to make his father proud of his actions and so he “marches slowly, determinedly across the road”. Making it home was not just worth the tobacco but rather a life lesson for Jim, one that he would never forget. This taught Jim that he had the ability to do what he wanted with his life and nobody could stop him.

     Although Uncle Jim's and Erik Weihenmayer's journeys were very different and on very different scales they both hold a few things in common. Both Erik and Jim have a sense of determination that leads them to achieving their goals. Without this profound determination they would never be able to accomplish what they want in their lives. Now being blind can be somewhat of a soul crushing thought but both Erik and Jim have accepted it as somewhat of a gift teaching them that they do have self worth and teaching others that they can accomplish their goals if they simply put their minds to it. Climbing Everest and crossing a street may be on polar ends of a spectrum of one another but to someone with no vision whatsoever crossing a street could manage to be a dangerous affair. It took Jim a certain amount of courage to drown out the thoughts of danger and take those first few steps out onto the street. Erik had to suffer much of the same fate when he would have to cross large ravines using only a ladder and his surefooted ability. Many people do not have what it takes to do what these men have done and drown out all thought of fear to accomplish their goals. But their optimistic attitudes emanate and can truly motivate people to have an optimistic outlook on life.