Character Analysis: Fighting Blind And The Woman By Eva Larsen

Before learning about the lives of Fighting Blind’s Ivan Castro and my interviewee, Eva Larsen, my view on life was more egotistical. With life being so fast-paced and technology-reliant, many of us forget our true purpose on the earth. We live in a very self-centered society that tends not to appreciate the small things. However, the words of the hero in the autobiography Fighting Blind and the woman I interviewed have helped me further understand lasting joviality through three of their most prominent characteristics. Their courage, ambition, and optimism changed my outlook on life.
Even after enduring hardships, both Ivan and my role model, Eva, remain courageous. After being accepted into the army, Ivan went through intense military training …show more content…
After losing his eyesight, Ivan went on to achieve one of the greatest things in his life: becoming the first blind American to ski to the South Pole. The treacherous journey almost made Ivan lose his motivation but he reminded himself why he started: “I’m here to win, I answer. To be the first—in the race, and to the Pole as a blind American” (Castro 80). Subsequently, Eva Larsen has been ambitious since she was young, setting high standards for herself and getting involved in all kinds of extracurricular activities. However, Eva still had a feeling of lostness so she went on a mission to seek happiness and find herself. On Christmas Eve not long after moving to Canada, she found her faith in Catholicism, which she considers to be her greatest achievement. When I asked her how she has changed as a person, she responded, “I felt emptiness before my faith but in finding it, I found myself. I had been chasing my own shadow all along” (Larsen). Ivan and Eva inspired me because they overcame their struggles and rose up to follow their dreams. With so many forces seeming to try to stop them, they persevered with a positive …show more content…
Ivan Castro was in a vulnerable position after losing his vision but he did not let his blindness be his crutch; he got out of his slump and set goals for himself. He became inspired to start marathon training and biking. With a new, joyful outlook on life, Ivan began giving speeches to spread eagerness, confidence, and happiness in the lives of others. Eva Larsen shows the same optimism in her life and makes everyone around her feel loved and happy. During Christmas one year, Eva was in the hospital with her son who had overdosed on drugs. She noted, “ It was so hard for me to watch my child destroy himself while I couldn’t seem to help” (Larsen). However, she stopped being angry at him for the bad decisions that he made and decided to do her best to show him how loved he was. From this, she was able to gather all of the people who were lonely in the hospital and she made them laugh and told stories all Christmas with her son. Eva was able to radiate her joy and fill the despondent hospital patients and son with hope. Ivan and Eva stayed hopeful and optimistic even in their darkest