Growing up, children are told about “stranger danger,” not taking candy from strange men, and never getting into a car with anyone they do not know. Parents hope that these rules will keep their kids safe in their own homes. In the autobiography, My Story by Elizabeth Smart, Smart recounts her experience of following these rules, yet still getting abducted from her own house. Her abductor Mitchell claimed that it was God’s wish that he should have seven wives and that Elizabeth was chosen by God to be one of the seven. Elizabeth was taken into the forest by her abductor just miles away from her home. She accounts all of the terrible things that happened to her including getting minimal food, having a metal chain around her ankle that allowed her to go in a twenty foot radius at all times, and being raped every day. After a long nine months of being away from her family, Smart was rescued, but had to deal with getting readjusted to life and the trauma that Mitchell had inflicted upon her.
Although the theme of the book is very depressing, I thought Smart did a good job to not make the book so heavy and graphic that the reader does not want to keep reading it. Smart has a good balance of the events that took place and the optimism she had to keep while living every day under her unfortunate circumstances. Throughout the book, she never loses her faith, never stops thinking about her family and their safety, and never loses strength. The book includes many themes: family, love, courage, fear, and justice.
I think this book is really fascinating because everything that happened to Smart sounds like it came from a movie. I had to go back to reality and remember that this book is nonfiction; all of these terrible events happened to a normal girl from Utah. Smart uses a more laid back tone throughout the novel in order to avoid overwhelming the reader. This method was vital to making this book a success. She directly appeals to pathos because the readers goes through the emotions with her. When Smart felt hopeless, the reader feels hopeless. When Smart feels a spark of hope, the reader feels a spark of hope. Smart used very plain language and writing style. She sounded closer to a fourteen year old girl writing than an adult. I thought this was frustrating, but it could have been the style she was going for.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick-read about a young girl who overcame adversity and is now using it in a positive light. Elizabeth Smart beautifully executed a book that a reader wants to keep reading, and she uses it to motivate others to make the most out of a situation.
Smart, Elizabeth, and Chris Stewart. My Story. New York: St. Martin's, 2013. Print.
Although the theme of the book is very depressing, I thought Smart did a good job to not make the book so heavy and graphic that the reader does not want to keep reading it. Smart has a good balance of the events that took place and the optimism she had to keep while living every day under her unfortunate circumstances. Throughout the book, she never loses her faith, never stops thinking about her family and their safety, and never loses strength. The book includes many themes: family, love, courage, fear, and justice.
I think this book is really fascinating because everything that happened to Smart sounds like it came from a movie. I had to go back to reality and remember that this book is nonfiction; all of these terrible events happened to a normal girl from Utah. Smart uses a more laid back tone throughout the novel in order to avoid overwhelming the reader. This method was vital to making this book a success. She directly appeals to pathos because the readers goes through the emotions with her. When Smart felt hopeless, the reader feels hopeless. When Smart feels a spark of hope, the reader feels a spark of hope. Smart used very plain language and writing style. She sounded closer to a fourteen year old girl writing than an adult. I thought this was frustrating, but it could have been the style she was going for.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick-read about a young girl who overcame adversity and is now using it in a positive light. Elizabeth Smart beautifully executed a book that a reader wants to keep reading, and she uses it to motivate others to make the most out of a situation.
Smart, Elizabeth, and Chris Stewart. My Story. New York: St. Martin's, 2013. Print.