Commentary on an extract from the 'Idea of Perfection' by Kate Grenville

The major factor in building the writer’s idea is also the contrast used through the extract. The contrast of dark and light, shadow and light, are intended to represent bad and good, meaning that there is no such thing as perfect, because then we have to disregard the shadow. Also the use of contrast and opposing ideas shows that there is always wrong and right. Thus the whole idea of using contrast was intended by the writer to show that there is always another side to everything.

The writer focuses on the bridge to also attempt to portray her idea through it. As the first look and description of the bridge contradicts the examining look later, the writer uses this contradiction to express her feeling of satisfaction and comfort in this simple, yet complicated structure, color and texture of the bridge. Thus detailing her description of the little minor things that make this complicated bridge, expressing her fascination towards these satisfying interplays of the bridge. Such dictions that support this fact are ‘fitted together in a satisfying way’, ‘that drew the eye’. Also the imagery that accompanied the bridge and it descriptions, like color imagery and simile helped in revealing how intrigued the writer was towards the bridge, especially in lines (32-40). The writer’s fascination towards the bridge is used as a mean to make the readers relate to a moment of realization where even though things are flawed, they can still generate a simple feeling of satisfaction and acceptance.

The extract is purely just an idea of the writer’s, that introduces a new look at perfection, flawed perfection. Flawed perfection is what humans are all about; we are perfectly humans with our flaws; and this flawed perfection gives us acceptance to who we are, makes us natural and human. The writer could just simply relate this idea to everyday life things; however, it can’t be detached from the idea that flawed perfection is what keeps us intrigued, interesting and natural. Thus the writer uses the fact that flawed perfection in intriguing, yet natural, in other words complicated, yet simple; to build her novel.