Style of writing

Part of your exam question asks you to focus on Sarah Persinger’s style of writing in “It’s Perfectly OK to Not Always Be Perfect”.

Direct address

Furthermore, she addresses readers directly, getting them involved with her story and inciting them to reflect on the pressures of striving to be perfect:

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Figurative language

Figurative language in the form of metaphors and idioms create interesting associations and make the tone casual and accessible: “We had fought and clawed our way through the season, never once giving up or throwing in the towel…” (ll. 12-15)

The metaphor of clawing their way through the competitions suggests the hard efforts that the gymnasts made to stay in the competition.

To describe the state of anxiety and sadness that she felt at the end of her routine, the writer uses the following figurative description: “A giant lump in my throat and tear-filled eyes.” (ll. 68-69).

Then she personifies doubt to suggest the power that negative feelings have over people at times:

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Repetitions and enumerations

Finally, the sender uses various repetitions and enumerations which help accentuate certain ideas. For example, she writes in the subheading: “We still can upgrade our difficulty, our technique, our consistency.”

This repetition mixed with enumeration suggests the idea of hard work in a team, as well as the repetitive nature of training and getting routines ready for competitions.

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