'drop the Backpack' Descriptive Paragraph

"Drop the Backpack" Paragraph

"Drop the Backpack" by Anna Quindlen is a captivating and thought provoking speech that challenges us to focus on who we are rather than the perfect picture we wish to be. The idea of being the desired perfection we all search for, tires us. It makes us feel that we cannot go on without having society's vision of smart, pretty and perfect be a part of us. The truth is we all fall into imitation when we should fall into ourselves. Not only is this the thesis to the speech but it is one of the realities of life; a reality to which Anna Quindlen informs us that we can live differently. We can live and be who we are; all we must do is abandon the idea of being perfect and focus on who we are, making this a new way to being successful. Anna tells us that the constant drive to be perfect is too hard as well as cheap and easy. Being perfect requires us to put on society's mask and shape shift into whatever their idea of perfection may be. Anna reminds us that nothing important or creative came out of imitations, but what is truly amazing is forgetting about being perfect and focus on being ourselves. Although this can be seen quite different as there is no formula to follow in order to be yourself, unlike imitations which can be found step by step in books. Her speech focuses on the thought of not only our future, but our children's futures. As we all have seen growing up our parents go through a hard time raising us. There are times we disagree with their ideas and decisions, but later on we learn that they want what's best for us. If our parents are able to raise us being the self they tritely are as opposed to society's image of the perfect parent we will surely give them their own uniqueness to share in the world. Throughout life there are things that mean very much to us, people, opportunities and even jobs. The loss of any of these can be devastating and it is moments like those where you realize who you truly are. If all you had done is worry about being perfect and not worry about being yourself you will be nothing in moments where you fail, because that was your objective of life and you may lack anything to sustain you as you would have if you cared more about being yourself. All that was mentioned before is proof that we all fall into imitation before we fall into our selves and the drawbacks on this. Overall Anna Quindlen's speech shows us the importance of being yourself, your whole self and not just an imitated and adapted version of someone else. And as George Elliot once said, "It is never too late to be what might have been."