Invictus
In his victory speech tonight, John McCain said “Nothing is inevitable in America. We are the captains of our fate.”
He takes this quote, “We are the captains of our fate,” from a British poem he had to memorize in school, called Invictus. The title means “Unconquered” in latin, and it perfectly embodies the campaign and especially life of John McCain. The theme of the poem revolves around a man in a terrible situation, yet who remains committed and hopeful about the future. To him, fate is nothing. We, as humans, set our own course, and no power or persuasion can deter us from our goal.
Now, this may seem like a literary analysis piece, but the poem, and McCain’s frequent use of it, embody his life and the party line.
John was captured, tortured, and put in a situation where most men would lose all hope. Yet he fought, and he kept hope alive, and eventually he was released, along with his fellow POWs. The fifth line of the poem fittingly states, ” Under the bludgeonings of Chance, My head is bloody, but unbowed.” Throughout his political career, John McCain has done what he believes is right for the American people, and allowed no one to unduly influence him.
It embodies the Republican belief in personal choice and responsibility. This belief is, in my view, the central difference between the two parties. The Democrats believe that they, not the American people, know how to best spend our money. We believe that individuals, not the government, make the best choices about all aspects of life.
This election will indeed be about ideas, policies and experience. John McCain, like the character in Invictus, has been tested by the rigors of the world. He has, as the poem states, an “unconquerable soul.”
Link to poem is here.
2 comments March 5th, 2008
