“In reading about cases in which people survived seemingly impossible circumstances, however, I found an eerie uniformity,” in their actions (Gonzales, 1). Though there are many different techniques and ways of responding to setbacks that all can be extremely effective in helping one survive natural disasters, the most commonly used and most effective survival technique is staying positive and keeping a calm composure. The pieces of non-fiction literature “Nine Year Old Amber Rides out a Killer Flood in Ohio,” “Deep Survival,” “Staying in Galveston, a Park Bench for Shelter,” and “The Johnstown Flood” all show different instances and experiences where staying positive and staying calm were crucial in order to survive during unexpected events. Staying positive and staying calm help to keep one’s mind together, help to stay focused, and help to make wise decisions.
Right from the beginning of the article, “Nine-year-old Amber Colvin Rides out a Killer Flood in Ohio,” the authors, Michael Neill and Ken Myers, wanted you to have the impression that Amber Colvin was young, innocent, and childish. However, as the article goes on, readers start to realize that Amber was quite mature for her age because of her ability to keep her composure and survive such a catastrophic experience. The authors tried to make Amber seem young and childish when they use phrases like “9-year-old Amber…” and “…playing at home with her friend,” (Neill-Myers, 1). The word “playing” gave the impression of being rather childish, especially in this context. As the article progressed and the flood began, Amber started to be viewed as mature because of the way she made decisions that very well could be the reason she survived. For protection, Amber and her friend, Kerri, decided to seek shelter in the bathtub. This was a very wise decision, especially for a nine-year-old and a 12-year-old. When the situation got even worse and the flood demolished the house, Amber did all she could to...