Risk taking has held itself accountable for the biggest failures and successes in the world. From Fortune 500 CEO’s, to failed business startups, risks can reap rewards or decimate dreams. Hannah McGoldrick writes about the struggle of Kayla Montgomery, who faces a currently incurable disease called multiple sclerosis or MS that causes her legs to go numb. Despite this, she still runs for her school’s track and cross-country teams. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Gatsby chases after his love interest, Daisy, and lives under the illusion that she will leave her husband for him. The novel revolves around his life, concluding in his tragic death. Rob Reiner’s The Princess Bride plays on the idea of true love and its power. Princess …show more content…
Whenever she races hard, Montgomery’s legs go numb, but that doesn’t stop her from running” (McGoldrick, 1). Kayla has to face multiple sclerosis (or MS), but even so, she still runs. She says that she has “just decided to make [sure that she is] able to keep running the best that [she] can and make the most out of what [she is] able to do still” (McGoldrick 2). Kayla still runs despite her MS which many would consider a life changing disability. This shows her strong will to push past what some may deem impossible. Reiner’s The Princess Bride illustrates Inigo Montoya’s will and determination to avenge his father’s death. After meeting his father’s killer, Count Rugen, Count Ruger impales Inigo with a knife. Inigo then begins apologizing to his deceased father for failing to avenge his death until he find the determination to power through and kill Count Rugen (Reiner).This portrays his determination and respect for his father, as he still pushes to avenge his father while on the brink of death. Both Inigo and Kayla push on in the face of failure. Inigo took a knife to the stomach, which made the odds seem against him as he sat at death’s door. Despite this, he still fights his hardest and avenges his father. Similarly, despite Kayla’s life changing disability, she still pushes on and runs not just at a subpar level, but as one of the best in her state. While Inigo …show more content…
Kayla says that she “still [wants] to run because [she doesn’t] want anybody to know what [is] wrong.” Kayla keeps running in order to maintain her lifestyle, however McGoldrick notes that “While exercise does offer many benefits to people with MS, LaRocca [says] right now there’s no research indicating it can alter the course of the disease” (McGoldrick 2). Kayla takes a risk every time she runs since the lack of feeling in her legs makes it hard to control her running. Yet even with her effort, there’s no scientific proof that running will change anything for her MS. In Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, while stalking Daisy, Gatsby tells Nick that he is going to “wait [there] and see if he tries to bother her about [the] unpleasantness [that] afternoon. She’s locked herself into her room, and if he tries any brutality she’s going to turn the light out and on again” (Fitzgerald 144). Gatsby believes so strongly that he can reignite the spark between him and Daisy, even though she is now married, that he is willing to take the risk of stalking her. However, later at Gatsby’s funeral, “Daisy [doesn’t send] a message or a flower” (Fitzgerald 174). Daisy no longer cares about Gatsby, to the point where she doesn’t even attend his funeral or leave a simple message regarding why she couldn’t make it. Both Gatsby and Kayla take risks to make their respective situations better. Kayla runs, even though she loses feeling in her legs, and Gatsby tries