Lucky, a memoir by Alice Sebold, illustrates the details of the traumatic rape Alice experiences her freshmen year of college and the consequences that supersede the event. She is forever changed by the attack and the story describes how she puts her life back together and sets her sights on revenge for her attacker. She encounters many struggles along the way, including problems with her friends and family, issues with the court, and believing that no one could ever love her after what happened to her. She contradicts the misconceptions that some associate with rape. She was simply an eighteen-year-old girl walking home from a friends house in baggy clothes and glasses, there was nothing suggestive or promiscuous about it. The memoir takes the reader through every step of her personal journey of reclaiming her life and beautifully highlights the feelings and emotions of a rape victim. As soon as she feels she has escaped from the presence of rape, a close friend is plagued by the same horrible attack. She realizes that rape will have a lifelong presence and she will need to learn to deal with the consequences and help others overcome as well.
Sebold demonstrates complete honesty and levity in her story of ultimate healing and triumph. She manages to contrast the darker subjects with humor to lighten the mood of the book. In my opinion, she does a tasteful job of highlighting her triumph alongside her struggle. She never hints for any pity or sympathy. The point of her memoir is not to expose her hardships, but to give hope to others from the way she dealt with these troubles. She portrays herself as nothing but "real", which is a major factor in the personal feel of the memoir. This is a book, I believe, everyone should read for real-life insight to the sadly prevalent occurrence of rape in modern society.
Sebold, Alice. Lucky. New York: Little, Brown, and Company 1999. Print.
Sebold demonstrates complete honesty and levity in her story of ultimate healing and triumph. She manages to contrast the darker subjects with humor to lighten the mood of the book. In my opinion, she does a tasteful job of highlighting her triumph alongside her struggle. She never hints for any pity or sympathy. The point of her memoir is not to expose her hardships, but to give hope to others from the way she dealt with these troubles. She portrays herself as nothing but "real", which is a major factor in the personal feel of the memoir. This is a book, I believe, everyone should read for real-life insight to the sadly prevalent occurrence of rape in modern society.
Sebold, Alice. Lucky. New York: Little, Brown, and Company 1999. Print.