What Football Taught Me And Suicide's Forgotten Victims By Lisa Keiski

Growing up can essentially be defined as the process of enduring the obstacles and challenges faced throughout one’s lifetime. By overcoming them, one becomes stronger as the valor needed to withstand anything builds character. Both Donald M. Murray’s “What Football Taught Me” and Lisa Keiski’s “Suicide’s Forgotten Victims” demonstrate how to persist and overcome life challenges. Despite experiencing different forms of hardships that enable them to survive through their pain, Murray and Keiski transmit life lessons about individual growth. They emphasize survival through society, authority figures, and themselves.

Murray’s response to societal expectations shows his self-determination as he challenges fully living up to the forecasted character

Murray says, “When the coach says, ‘Murray, the stuffin’ outta dah dummie, now, hit. Charge,’ he may not have any idea what he means” (365). Murray conveys that even his coach who has poor vocabulary may not see the lack of clarity in his demand, but he has a lot to offer. Murray shows that his couch may have not received a full driven education, but implies that his demands send an important double message. Through the succession of demands, the coach wants him to apply what he does on the battlefield in his daily life in order for him to strengthen his character. Also by using negative nicknames, the couch angers Murray in hopes of building his confidence thus he will exhibit all of his hard work in the specific demands required of him to do. Murray’s authority figure, the coach, motivates him to stay on track and improve his

As a player himself, he exclaims “I imagine ̶ no, I know ̶ that when the coach barks, “Murray. Go in at right tackle,” I could do it. And do it well.” (365). Murray has personal qualities such as self-confidence, self-motivation, and self-determination which enable him to take down any player of the opposing side. Relatively speaking, he applies all these qualities to his daily life as he reminds himself that he can do anything on his own. Although it is important to possess all of the qualities Murray exhibits, he stresses the importance of reminding himself of his potential. When in times of doubt, he must keep himself in a positive mindset; he must believe in his potential to an extent where the impossible is possible. On the football field, Murray demonstrates his capabilities and strengths which convince him to maintain the self-motivation and determination to prosper through the challenges he