The Dead Father In The Secret History Of Tiger Woods

The Dead Father

Tiger Woods suffered vastly from his fathers death. In the article, “The Secret History of Tiger Woods,” the reader notices the immediate decline of Tiger Woods post his dads death. Furthermore, Woods began to become fixated on the Navy because his dad was a navy seal. This became an unhealthy obsession that began to take over him. Consequently, the bereaved behavior of Woods illustrates how the world's greatest golfer lost his way. In the story, Wright Thompson utilizes metaphors, imagery and allusions to illustrate how Tiger Woods copes with the struggles of fame and his fathers death.

The world's greatest golfer took the nonchalant approach to fame. Tiger is known globally as an exceptional golfer; He holds ten major championships

However, Tiger enjoys remaining understated, he does not care about fame. Thompson utilizes Metaphors to entice the reader in understanding Tiger Woods' character on a deeper level. Thompson states, “...moves through the world in a cocoon of his own creation,”(291). Revealing Tiger in a mind image, a cocoon is like an envelope, a protective layer meaning Woods inhabits under a sheathe. This furthermore illustrates the nature of Tiger hiding from the public eye, not wanting to be noticed. This comparison dives deeper to the audience to distinguish the specific personality of Woods in the public eye. Tiger declares, "I'm only a role model because other people make me one” (Helen Zia et al.). He did not want to be disclosed to the public eye, the public put Tiger on a pedestal. The metaphor demonstrates Tiger dwelling in a protective shell, but the quote illustrates the public attempting to break his cocoon to pieces. Thompson illustrates the struggles of fame faced by Woods by providing a vivid description of Tiger's plane, “...the plane is detailed in North Carolina blue, and his tail number is N236MJ..Tiger’s plane looks like it belongs to an anonymous business traveler…”(292). This allows the reader to

Thompson declares, “They could talk about anything, from the big questions of life, like Tiger’s completely earnest belief in ghosts, to simple things a man should know”(302). Earl was infamous for playing women and Tiger even stopped speaking to him because of this. In the absence of Earl Tiger went into his circus of life moving places constantly and having affairs. The text reveals a vital allusion, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, we grow up like our daddy after all,” (Thompson 304). Tiger became the part of Earl that he loathes; Tiger is playing women attempting to fill the hole fabricated by his father’s death. Thompson appeals to the reader by connecting emotion with detail. Another writer Alasdair divulges, “Barely controlled sentimentality is an important characteristic of Thompson's style but it's notable that he writes, consciously or not. about subjects that refuse neat conclusions…” (Alasdair McKillop 30). Tiger was human and Wright hit on the roller coaster emotions he felt. According to Thompson, “Tiger talked openly about grief and loss he felt when he practiced, since that activity was so closely wound together with his memories of his dad” (Thompson 305). Golf became a hurtful reminder to Tiger of all the memories and experiences between him and Earl. In the 2006 U.S. Open, Tiger missed his first major cut as a pro; Woods being mentally unprepared for the