Anna Michener: Becoming Anna

During the weeks Molly spends with Vivian, she learns a lot from Vivian. Most important, she realizes that Vivian also had a difficult childhood but was able to overcome her bad experiences and lead a happy life. Molly’s realization reflects the theme of the book: learning about the experiences

In this novel Taylor is a dynamic character, we see her transform from a young girl who didn’t want to get married or have kids to an independent single mother. In the beginning we get to know her as a self-owned, determined and a stubborn girl who is focused, ambitious and thinks outside the box; because she knows firsthand what is like to see her mother struggle as a single parent. She learned to value every day because pregnancy was like a disease. An example of her considerate outlook is “believe me in those days the girls were dropping by the wayside like seeds off a poppy seed bun and you learned to look at every day as a prize” (3). This small but

This journal reveals a rich history of her past through the viewpoint of her mother. Annabel states, “‘[Dr. Smith] was my father. I read it in my mother’s journal. They...they came together just so they could make me. So they could have ‘an innocent’ to use in their experiments’” (Nappa 334). It reveals that Annabel was not just a child that her parents desired to have, but instead she was just one of their lab rats. She had just been a part of her evil father’s overarching objective. As a result, when her mother tried to help escape Dr. Smith and save Annabel, she was killed. This harsh history has isolated Annabel to a point in which she feels completely dehumanized. This is further reinforced as Dr. Smith, her own father, refers to her as an it. He refuses to accept that she is anything more than a variable in an experiment or a test to be run. This form of isolation resonates deep within Annabel and places every part of her life in line for questioning. She begins to wonder who all was involved and why they hadn’t just locked her away from the beginning to “protect”

Doyle, Jim, and Peter Fimrite. "Caring for Mentally Ill Criminals Outside of Prison Is Dangerous." America's Prisons. Ed. Clare Hanrahan. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Criminally Insane Taking over State Hospitals." San Francisco Chronicle 22 July 2001. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.

“The Book Thief” presented a story filled with various themes that comprised a powerful plot line. Although there were many themes in the story, there was one that stood out to me more than others. In the process of reading the book, the theme of suffering affected me the most. The definition of the word suffer is to experience or be subjected to something bad or unpleasant. Different characters within the story are subjected to dreadful feelings and are therefore suffering. Through my analyzation, I observed the three different types of suffering that the characters experienced: guilt, feelings of emptiness, and anxiety. The characters of “The Book Thief” experience these three types of suffering in different ways.

She is able to show the reader the effects of her father’s artificial behavior on her upbringing and her life after his death. Bechdel is able to convey the toxicity of gender roles and stereotypes within her life, and how they effect the way she was (or in this case, was not) received after she came out as a lesbian. This memoir is highly effective in bringing these issues to light in a digestible way, enhancing the reader experience. On the contrary, because of her emotional bias, Bechdel also creates an atmosphere of ambiguity surrounding the experiences of her life, forcing the reader to examine these encounters without knowing whether or not to accept them as fact. In conclusion, Bechdel’s skillful use of a comic-book style memoir successfully recreates the experiences of an upbringing in an emotionally abusive household, conveys the toxicity of gender roles and gender stereotypes, and tackles the role of point of view as an unreliable

Marry Karr’s The Liars Club is a haunting memoire, depicting a young Texan girls struggle to survive the trials of adolescence in home that finds stability in chaos and comfort in the abusive habits of her parents. Illustrating both fond and painful memoires from her past, Karr paints a complex image of the relationship she shared with her mother; giving readers everywhere the ability to relate and empathizes with the emotional complexity of their mother daughter relationship. This complexity of relationship can be explored in three main ways: the conflicting views Karr formed of her mother, In Karr’s

The emotions I felt for this woman was overwhelming at some parts of the book. The hardest parts to read, were involving the author’s daughter. I started the book, when we watched the video about her book about her daughter’s death in class. I felt for that woman, to have loss a husband and a child within a very close time span is saddening. I was surprised she did not go crazy after her daughter died. When she writes about her memories of her husband and daughter, there is an obvious joy that exudes the pages. Knowing how much she loved and cared for her daughter was sad. She cared for her aligning daughter when she was at her sickest, her top priority was her health and wellbeing. She even postponed his funeral until she was strong enough to say goodbye. It was heartbreaking.

Childhood is a crucial time in a person’s life and it needs to be kept innocent and pure for the child’s well-being later in life. The most important recurring theme in the novel Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O’Neill is the loss of innocence at a young age and the profound complications later in life. The complete loss of innocence is built-up with multiple different experiences over time. For Baby, these experiences are: when she is first exposed to drug use, when she spends time in foster care and when she becomes engaged in prostitution.

The bond between a mother and child is often spoken of as being unlike any other. Yet there are always exceptions to the rule where this connection isn 't as impenetrable as one might assume. This book is an example of this bond gradually becoming weaker over time. It shows how it affects the child, Bone, and leaves her vulnerable to the abuse of her step-father. Bone’s mother, Anney, had fallen in love with a man who abused her which at first, she’s unaware but eventually comes to realize but still chooses to stay with him. Throughout the book there are instances of Anney’s negligence in recognizing her daughter’s abuse and being of aid to her but wasn 't. In having to deal with her

In the novel, “Girl in Pieces” by Kathleen Glashow, the main character, Charlie Davis, faces both internal and external conflicts that shape her journey of self-discovery and healing. It’s like her emotional journey is reflected in the world around her. The challenging environment of the treatment center, where she experiences bullying and judgment, mirrors the internal conflict she feels about her self-worth and the battle to overcome self-destructive behaviors. There are moments when her external circumstances don’t align with her internal growth, creating a sense of tension. These conflicts add depth to the story, showcasing the challenges she must overcome.

The author’s topic is about a teenager name Susanna Kaysen. At 18 she voluntarily turned herself into McLean Hospital.

Empathy is having the ability to understand the feelings of others often through connecting our own experiences to those around us. “Wildwood” by Junot Diaz follows the journey of the main character, Lola. Lola is a rebellious teenager living with her mother and younger brother in New Jersey. Lola's mother who is battling breast cancer, must deal with Lola and her defiant ways. Lola’s mother sends her away to live in the Dominican Republic to learn how to be a mature young woman. Every kid can relate to wanting to go against their parents rules and Lola is no different. The reader can relate to Lola through her common experiences that many deal with. Diaz uses first person to allow the reader to experience the perspective of Lola through her narration. He makes it easy to relate to as the story follows something that everyone has been through, growing up. Rebellion is a natural characteristic of maturation, although difficult for the parents it allows children to learn from their mistakes. Junot Diaz’s short story, “Wildwood” uses teenage rebellion and common feelings, to challenge stereotypes which allows the reader to easily sympathize with the story.

The reader cannot help but feel the burden the daughter will be sharing with the mother. And while the plight of the mother is real, the reader cannot ignore how the isolation and loneliness of this type of community, or lack there of, has effected Tome's judgment in mothering.

The resentment within the young girl’s family is essential to the novel because one can understand the young girl better as she makes her decision.