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Eugene Fluckey saves his friend from drowning.
During their summer vacation, Eugene's friend got cramps and started to drown. Eugene then grabbed on to his friend, swam him a quarter mile to shore, and saved him in time.
Character Development (positive): This was Eugene's first event in his life that he experienced the meaning of courage and determination.
Relating to theme: Eugene's determination allowed him save his friend, which to Eugene at the time, seemed almost impossible. -
Eugene decides to go to the Naval Academy
Eugene's great academic credentials were enough to get him scholarships to Princeton, Yale, and Harvard. However, inspired by his Navy veteran neighbor, he instead applied to the Naval Academy.
Turning Point (positive): If Eugene didn't switch to the Naval Academy, he would have not have accomplished all the great things that he did in the Navy.
Relation to theme: Eugene's courage to switch his choice of college allowed him to accomplish things that he probably wouldn't have done if he didn't. -
Eugene fixes his eye problem
Eugene couldn't pass the mandatory vision test in the Naval Academy. He then spent weeks studying eye anatomy, trying to find a solution to his problem, which he eventually did.
Character development (positive): Eugene's determination allowed him to solve his eyesight problem, a problem that even the doctors said was not fixable.
Relation to theme: Determination allowed Eugene to accomplish something that seemed impossible. -
Eugene gets transferred to the Bonita
Eugene gets transferred to the Bonita, which was one of the most problematic ships at the time. Instead of complaining, Eugene attempted (and mostly solved) a lot of the ship's problems.
Character development (positive): Eugene used his determination and perseverance to solve a lot of the problems on the ship.
Relation to theme: Determination, like in the other events, allowed Eugene to solve problems that were thought of as impossible to solve. -
President Roosevelt Acknowledges Eugene's achievements
President Roosevelt traveled to Hawaii to meet with Eugene. There, he praised his accomplishments on his previous missions.
Character Development (positive): Eugene's courage led him to lead many daring and successful missions. His courageous efforts got even the praise of the president himself.
Relating to theme: Eugene's courage allowed him to get recognized by the president, an accomplishment which he probably couldn't imagine. -
Theme: Being courageous and determined in the darkest times can lead to high reward in the end
