Herman Melville wrote a book entitled Billy Budd, set shortly after the American Revolutionary War. In the book the protagonist, Billy Budd, faces adversities that also show both aspects of this quote. In the beginning of the book, Billy faces the challenge of being impressed into service on a British warship, but rises to the occasion, becoming a model member of the crew. Later however, Billy was confronted by Claggart, who accused him of planning a mutiny. Billy, who has a speech impediment, was greatly upsetted by this and his only response is lashing out, striking, and killing Claggart. Here we see Billy face a great adversity of not being able to speak, but fail in response to it, as he ends up committing murder which ends with his execution (Melville).
