Summary Of Little Girls In Pretty Boxes 'And' Where Have All The Heroes
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Critique Exercise: Shining an Unflattering Light on Sports
Ryan’s “Little Girls in Pretty Boxes” and Mosher’s “Where Have All the Heroes Gone?” shed an unflattering light on the world of two popular sports—Olympic gymnastics and figure skating and major league sports. The discussion that follows examines the author’s credibility, their knowledge of the sport, as well as how their facts hold up under scrutiny. Clearly, both authors successfully argue, despite the realities of the abuse of young women and questionable ethics of some players, Americans continue to worship sports. “Little Girls in Pretty Boxes”
In 1995, Joan Ryan was a journalist for the San Francisco Examiner when she wrote the controversial book exposing pervasive abuse of young women in Olympic gymnastics and…show more content… When describing gymnasts (2009, pg. 302) “…the girls looked like trinkets from a Tiffany box,” and in the same manner skaters, “…she spun like a jewel-box ballerina,” Ryan brings home her point of the young women as exhibitions for the public’s delight. In another piece of writing, the use of cliché metaphors and similes can become cloying, but Ryan used unique similes in the above references, giving the reader a perfect visual of her subjects.
Opinion and Conclusion
Ryan tells the reader of the shocking lives of the young woman in the seemingly beautiful world of gymnastics and figure skating. At the time of the book’s release, readers were horrified to learn of the near starvation, brutal injuries, and sexual abuse that many of these young girls suffered to compete in their beloved sport. It is difficult to like a book that exposes abuse; however, it is important even 20 years later. If nothing else, Ryan’s book should be a warning to parents considering pushing their daughters into the highly competitive world of Olympic sports, that winning at all costs is never a victory.
“Where Have All the Heroes