In this visual essay, the images as well as the organization and arrangement of them contribute to the general theme that one should never give up on their dreams, no matter what comes in the way. This essay is not showing a story, but presenting the idea that perseverance and dedication can help one achieve great things. At first glance, it may seem as if this is just another comeback story, but it is much more than that: it is intended to evoke emotions in the reader, the main one being hope, and to inspire them to make their own success story. 

This essay depicts the timeline of an athlete’s life, and the progression of that athlete growing up with the sport in their life. Each image contributes to the overall theme of the essay, being that they all share the topic of gymnastics and team comradery. Throughout the essay, the images show each stage of growing up as a gymnast, with the addition of a few images representing the setbacks that an athlete might face. The images are also arranged in groups, which also adds to the theme of togetherness. By arranging the images in such a way, the essay makes a point that in order to accomplish a goal, one must stick together with those they care about in order to help themselves fight through the tough times. Without a support system, fighting battles and pushing past obstacles that may be in the way of a goal is a lot more difficult, but by showing these certain images, it proves that having others to guide oneself makes everything easier.

This essay was intended to be directed at a relatively young audience, but could definitely generalize to a larger range of people. The youthfulness and age of the people in the pictures makes it easy for people of the same or similar age to relate to the message that is being delivered. Yet, at the same time, the general message is one that not just young adults should take into consideration. Looking directly at the essay, one may conclude that the main point is to push through obstacles that are placed in one’s way, and to always keep moving forward no matter what, but this does not only apply to sports or school. The general theme of perseverance can be applied to many real life situations, such as finding jobs, or accomplishing personal goals, which is why this visual essay appeals to such a large group of individuals.

Since the main theme of the paper is dedication and determination, the images chosen aimed to express that theme. This is done by showing the athlete engaging in the sport at various stages of their life. The images before and after the injury are almost identical, showing the full circle that was made after the comeback The only major difference in the before/after images is that the subject is wearing an ankle brace in the after images, which shows how the injury affected their athletic capabilities. Although it is shown that the sport was not the same for the gymnast after the injury, the parallels between the before and after images evoke a sense of hope an accomplishment. This is due to the fact that despite the major setback, the subject was still able to be the same person they were before the injury. To a reader, this could be seen as inspirational, showing them that it is possible to stay right on track even if something tries to stop them.

Although this is a visual essay, there are still written text aspects that help make it more understandable. Since the images are spread out over long periods of time, having the text at the bottom of each set of images allows the writer to indicate that time has passed, otherwise, the sets of picture may not have made as much sense together. The captions are short and sweet, as to not take away from the selected images. They are just enough information to help the reader understand the context of each group of images, but not overpowering so that the images can “speak” for themselves. The images in this essay are also presented on a plain, white background. This is done intentionally, and is a metaphor for focusing entirely on the goal at hand. With nothing else besides the plain text and white background, the reader is forced to focus mainly on the images and what they are trying to convey, just as someone who is trying to reach their goal should be focused on what they want to accomplish. If the images were on any other background, or in any other order, it would be difficult to comprehend the full message, so having them the way they are makes sense as a stylistic choice.

Overall, the main theme of this visual essay is strength and perseverance, and shows the process of overcoming obstacles. The arrangement of the images shows progression and unity of a team, and the similarity of the images before and after the injury show the full-circle of the comeback. The images directed at a younger audience with the theme of dedication and determination can also resonate with many others, making the essay relatable, and the text in the essay is just enough to allow the reader to understand the context. Each stylistic choice made in this essay makes sense and allows for a better understanding of  the idea as a whole, and the essay itself inspires its reader to do the same and perservere.
