Notes

The Greek story of Achilles Heel is support to teach that no matter how big or strong something or someone is everyone has a weak spot that is a small or major flaw. This is why Kaufman named his essay “My friend Hector and My Achilles Heel”. It’s almost the same story with Kaufman being Achilles, except the major difference is Kaufman’s Achilles heel is his perspective of self-intelligence in relation to one's future success. His perspective of his intelligence was that he was smarter than Hector and was excelling in school much more than hector so he differentiated himself in terms of status. This caused the disconnection between the two. His perspective that was his Achilles heel was so significant that it separated a friend that he forgot he really liked. He even said, “At such times I was glad to Have Hector as a friend”. His own perspective on intelligence and its relation to self-status overcame his decisions and thoughts of identity. And when they went there separate ways they even stopped talking or acknowledging each other. He even says, “I would pretend that I didn’t see him”. The reason for this is Kaufman saw such a status difference between them that he thought it was easier to ignore Hector. Rather to not have to think of conversation to go around the awkward situations of intelligence difference that lead to the status difference. Also the awkwardness of the disconnection between them. And the dumbest part was that all of these thoughts that Kaufman was assuming and making, based off of his perspective on intelligence was wrong. He did not have to be so disconnected with Hector. Things didn’t have to be awkward when they did talk because maybe that was not the case. It could have only been awkward because Kaufman perspective made it awkward. They could of stayed good friends. In the end it turns out Hector Is making good business in the movie industry. Kaufman’s Achilles heel caused all of this idea and its Hectors made identity by Kaufman completely changed when he hears about Hector's success.