Persevering with Doggedness
Erin Hennessy
J.K. Rowling
Amy Purdy
Amy Purdy at Paralympic Games
Amy Purdy at Paralympic Photoshoot
Amy Purdy with the Gold
Mia Goda
“As long as I can remember, I had always been a good girl. In School, I got decent grades and never was in trouble. At home, I tried not to cause my parents too much grief. But more than that, I had the ‘look’ of a good girl. People always saw me as a quiet, studious Asian girl. Friends’ parents often asked if I play the violin or the piano. ‘No the flute,’ I’d say, and they would nod, not surprised.” Mia Goda is a great example of judging a book by it’s cover. People looked at her appearance and determined that she was a certain type of person before even meeting her. But Mia wanted to prove the stereotype wrong, and would not stop until she succeeded. She used to have long black hair and “felt somewhat obliged to appease the stereotype imposed on me.” She was what was classified as a “good girl.” So when she changed her look to appear as a punk who causes trouble, she was more than happy to prove the stereotype wrong.
‘Punks’ and ‘good girls’ are different in many ways. People who are included in the punk stereotype are usually rebellious and sly. Good girls typically are ignored and approved of. They are placed in the background, unlike punks who stand out. Punks are something usually people cover up or are ashamed of. Being a punk is ‘a bad thing.’ when in reality, we need people to stand out. Differences are how we survive. While ‘Punks’ and ‘good girls’ are both very different stereotypes, they are both people, and just because they are in different categories, some good girls may have a little punk inside them, and vise-versa. They may be more alike than the stereotypes want them to be.Derek Redmond
"I heard a funny pop, which I thought was a noise from the crowd. It was my hamstring going and over the next two or three strides the back of my leg was agony. I thought I'd been shot in the leg, but then realized what had happened.” Derek Redmond has several characteristics. One Characteristic is Strength. Absolutely incredible strength. Another is Doggedness, which he shows when he does not give up until he got to the end of the race. He would not stop until he had accomplished what he desired.