Theme Of Perseverance

David Sarnoff once said, “The will to persevere is often the difference between failure and success,” and this is true in the novels Speak, The Art of Resilience, and the poem ”If”. These three works of literature show the act of perseverance through the most difficult times of life. The theme of perseverance is revealed through conflict by creating a problem for the character to solve and persevering through it. Characterization also displays the theme through the characters having persevering character traits. In the novels and the poem the author’s use of foreshadowing reveals the theme throughout the texts. The theme is that it is important to stay positive and persevere when one believes they have reached their limit is displayed in speak,

Melinda has persevering attitude and becomes successful towards the end if the story. This shows that by persevering one can become successful. “I reach in and wrap my fingers around a triangle of glass. I hold it to Andy Evan’s neck”(195). Melinda is fighting back from Andy Evans and overcoming her problem with him by standing up. Melinda persevered through the time she was dealing with him and solved her problem. Similar to this the author of “If” states, “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you”(Kipling). Rudyard Kipling is saying that if one possesses the character trait of staying positive when all others are acting as victims. This ties in with the theme because persevering is an important trait to be successful even though one may be surrounded by negative people. Both of these texts explain that perseverance may be tough to attain, but if one has the traits of attaining it they will be successful. Perseverance is key when one is feeling depressed and this

Foreshadowing gives clues that describes an event that might happen and therefore one must persevere what is happening now and what is to come. Melinda states, “Rachel ditched Andy in the middle of the prom...They say Andy’s been really pissedoff ever since”(191). When Melinda says this it foreshadows that Andy is going to confront her because Melinda told Rachel what Andy did to her. He is going to think that this was the reason Rachel left him. When Andy confronts Melinda their will be a problem, but she has to persevere and overcome it. Rudyard Kipling states, “Yours is the Earth and everything in it, And-which is more-you’ll be a Man, my son”(Kipling). Rudyard Kipling foreshadows that if one could do all the ifs in life and persevere they will be successful. The authors use of foreshadowing hints what is to come. Perseverance does not happen overnight just as the events of foreshadowing happen in the future. Each of these literary terms implement the theme of perseverance. The author’s of Speak, “The Art of Resilience”, and “If” display the theme of perseverance by conflict, characterization, and foreshadowing. It is revealed through conflict by giving the character a problem to solve and persevere through it. The characterization of a character develops the theme by the character receiving certain character traits that implies with the theme. Foreshadowing implies that certain events