Mary Zinsser The Right To Fail

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Beneficial Failure?
In the passage, “In Praise of the F Word,” Mary Sherry speaks about the propitious outcomes of failure as it incentivizes one to strive for greatness. Complimenting Sherry’s piece, “The Right to Fail,” William Zinsser demonstrates the significance of individualism in both success and failure, in that failure is fundamental to overcome individual obstacles. Although they differ on the types of failure that influences the individual, Sherry and Zinsser share similar views on utilizing failure to further progress one’s success.
According to Sherry and Zinsser there are different forms of failure that can stimulate success. Sherry focuses on traditional failure, one easily known to everyone as “flunking,” arguing that “most …show more content…

Without fear lurking in the back of one’s mind, there is not enough motivation for one to learn the basic necessities of adulthood as well as life. In this case, the failure that motivates is a fear of flunking, or even then actually flunking. Sherry states that this type of failure isn’t only found in schools but also in a day to day basis. Whether it be not meeting deadlines a boss has set, or not meeting the personal expectations one sets for themselves. Parents should stand with the teachers as well-the teachers that threaten to flunk their child because without this very real possibility of failure, the student may never strive to do better. Sherry brings this up because she claims that without teachers carrying out their threat of flunking kids, students just barely pass school for being there without being prepared for real life, causing a string of problems to occur in the future. On the other hand Zinsser speaks of individualized failure and success. He claims that traditionally, “a boy or a girl who leaves college is branded a failure- and the right to fail is one of the few freedoms that this country does not grant its citizens” (Zinsser 525). America’s “motto” …show more content…

Sherry states that failure will lead to motivation that is just ample to jump start an individual to focus on their grades and do well in school. In support of this, Sherry speaks of a senior in high school who didn’t care about his grades until his mom informed him that he was going to fail his class and have to retake the course, and just like that “English became a priority in his life. He finished out the semester with an A” (Sherry 520). Along with Sherry, Zinsser also claims that “failure isn’t bad in itself” (Zinsser 526). Disproving the stigma that failure is incorrect and shouldn’t be thought of in that way. Zinsser further supports his statement by using examples from celebrity interviews, celebrities that have used their failures to set themselves on a path to success. One of the celebrities, Fred Zinnemann, an American-Australian film director claims,“I’ve learned a great deal from my failures” (Zinsser 526). While Richard Brooks, an American actor, said that “he learned more about his craft from this failure than from… many earlier hits” (Zinsser 527). It isn’t just common people that can utilize failure but it is everyone. Failure can be used by one and all to become successful to each their own. Both Sherry and Zinsser share a very similar perspective on the benefits of

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