English exit exam - Grade: A PDF

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English Exit Exam...

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INTRO 100 Mi r ei l l e Si l coff' s" Swedi sh Deat h Cl eani ng and t he Anor exi c Home"c r i t i c i z es s oci et y ' si deaofper f ect i onasshecompar esi tt oment ali l l ness .Thr oughouther t ext ,s heexpr essest hesoc i alpr essur epeopl eendur ei nt oday ' sdayandaget o ac hi ev e" t he i dealoft he r el ent l essl ys t aged and c ur at ed home" .Whi l e many bookson t he mar k etel uci dat e uson how t o notov er bur den ourhomeswi t h us el esst hi ngs,s hear guest hat“ t hewayt obet t erl i f e”mi ghtbeani mper f ect l y madebedoranots oper f ectl i v i ngr oom.Thi sessaywi l li nv est i gat eSi l coff’ s poi ntofvi ew onmi nal i s m asshepr ovi desmor ei nsi ghtoni t snegat i v eeffect son ment al heal t ht hr oughj uxt aposi t i on,i r onyand BODY 1 185 (juxtaposition) between consumerism Mireille Silcoff utilizes juxtaposition to contrast the similarities between consumerism and mental illness. This literary device creates a dramatic ambiance between the two entities. In fact, she assesses that the need to organize “does not come from a place of great mental health” as she presents Marie Kondo’s book on minimalism. The idea of a minimalist home develops into a “neurotic” behaviour as it pushes us into a “more demanding consumerism”. Indeed, Kondo undergoes the negative consequences of this lifestyle as her compulsive behaviour prohibited her from creating meaningful bonds with kids of her age. Due to her obsessive habits, she had difficulty creating interpersonal relationships, thus she “had an unusually strong attachment to things.” Silcoff also claims that humans are constantly encouraged to buy more. Even “supposedly minimalist” books persuade us to make new purchases to “achieve a well-organized existence”. Here she highlights the similarity between this faulty perception of always needing more to schizophrenia, a mental disorder characterized by contradictory actions. Therefore, Silcoff emphasizes the intersection “between mental disorder and a house in order” by contrasting the negative affects of both.

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BODY 2 185 Fur t her mor e,by ut i l i z i ng i r ony ,Si l coffc r i t i ci z es “ mus euml i k e”and mi ni mal i s t homesassheemphas i z est hatnobodywoul dorshoul d“ f eelcomf or t abl el i v i ng i n”anempt yenv i r onment .Fori nst ance,s hemocksKondo’ st heor yofaper f ect l y f ol dedsock.I nf act ,sher ewor ksKondo’ si deaasshesay s ,“ t hatsock sshoul dbe l ov i ngl yf ol ded,sot heycanr estaf t eral ongdayt r appedbet weeny ourf ootand y ours hoe” .Thr oughobvi oussar cas m,s heper s oni fiessocksasi ft heyar el i v i ng t hi ngswi t h emot i ons .Her e,she f ur t hercr i t i ci z est hepr es sur e Kondo conv ey s wheni tcomest of ol di ngs ock s;i r oni cal l y ,i ts eemst obequi t eas er i oust ask. Si l coffal s o seemst o fi nd Jus t i n Kl osky’ sbus i ness ’name i r oni c asi t sname Or gani z e& Cr eat eDi sc i pl i neper f ect l yr epr esenthi sdi agnos i sofO. C. D.Kl osky c l ai ms t hat“ becaus e of[ hi s ]neur os i s and obsessi ons, ”a per f ect l y ar r anged env i r onmenti s“ t hemos teffic i ent ,effect i v e,andev er gr eens y s t em outt her ef or t r ans f or mi ngy ourl i f e. ”Shequest i onshi st heor yasshebel i ev esi twon’ tchange s omeone’ sl i f e“ f ort hebet t er ” .Sheal souseswor dswi t hposi t i v eov er t onessuch asi ncr edi bl y ,whi c hcr eat esasar cas t i ct onet owhatshesay s ,t oemphasi z eher posi t i on.So,wi t ht heai dofi ncongr uousaspect ss ai dbyKondoandKl osky ,s he i r oni cal l ycr i t i ci z est heemphasi z epeopl eputonc r eat i ont heper f ecthome. BODY 3 185 In addition, the author’s serious tone conveys an overall feeling of urgency. In fact, throughout the text, Silcoff clearly criticizes writers such as Kondo and Klosky, businesses such as Ikea or magazines such as the New York Times for supporting the sick obsession people have for perfection. She also reminisces old times in which “sofas [looked] sat in” in magazines. Here, she obviously wishes to go back to simpler times, where not everything needed to be perfect. By doing so, she ultimately denounces today’s society as it seems that “in order to look right”, everything must look “untouched”. So, her criticizing tone desires to change perspectives; “imperfection does not need

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correction.” Overall, she urges the reader to not to worry to much with trivialities like meticulously placing their toothpaste in the right compartment all the time. On the contrary, she encourages them to be more careless, so they avoid unnecessary anxiety. CONCLUSION 100 Hence,

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