Page 4 - Corette-May-2022

A Lesson Learned From Educated

Educated, by Tara Westover, is a magnificent novel about a girl strug-
gling with her beliefs, family ties, and lack of an education. The story is
autobiographical, following the path of Westover and her family’s uncon-
ventional religion: survivalist mormonism. Her family was kept entirely
off-the-grid for much of her childhood. Her father taught her that her
body is evil, that the government can’t be trusted, and that doctors are
“servants of the devil.” After her brother, Shawn, began exhibiting con-
cerning - borderline violent - behavior, Westover studied for the ACT as
a way to get out of her home. The memoir shows her journey unlearning
all the things her family has instilled in her, and slowly establishing new
relationships.
Though the gripping tale of redemption is what draws many readers
in, this memoir has an underlying message that outshines its outward
appeal. Educated is a novel about a girl who was able to shake off what
she was taught, the original convictions that she had been indoctrinated
with for so long. For example, her household was extremely patriarchal.
Her mother and father rarely argued, because she was meant to agree
with everything he said. When Tara got to college, however, she saw this
didn’t have to always be the case, particularly when she read books by
second-wave feminists.
The novel is groundbreaking because it shows how people can rise
above their family situation. It may be hard to be rid of views that are
imbued in one’s mindset, but with education and awareness, it is possi-
ble. This is why we can’t provide excuses to those who are old enough
to know the consequences their words can have. Even now, I hear my
peers or elders providing justifications for the wrong type of behavior.
With the amount of resources online nowadays, anyone can learn what is
appropriate to joke about and what is not.
So while it is okay to forgive and forget for certain things, people who
continue to make inappropriate remarks have to learn eventually. Who a
person surrounds herself with ultimately reflects back on her. Educated
clearly illustrates an extreme case of this.
Tara Westover’s experiences have taught me a lot during the course of
the book. The beautiful language paints a clear picture of her emotional
struggle. While her position was entirely uncommon, I still find myself
relating to the content. So with my entire being, I recommend this book.

4 Corette