Overall Analysis
A Teenager’s Journey, by Richard Pelzer, is classified as a memoir. Through his piece of work, he describes his difficulties as a child being abused by a schizophrenic and an alcoholic mother. The book has given the horrifying and saddening story about a child through imagery, word choice, and descriptive details.
The author appeals to the reader’s emotions by using imagery. He describes events so well that the reader can actually visualize the event happening. For instance, the author says “Mom bought tickets to go explore the caverns with her ‘family’ while I was left alone in the car while it was about ninety-eight degrees.” This appeals to the reader’s emotions because it makes you sympathize for him because his mother was not treating him like a mother should be. Another example was when the author says, “I tried not to pause as I put my finger through the trigger guard and felt the cold metal. I closed my eyes tighter and squeezed.” The simplicity of those two sentences makes it easier for a reader to understand and imagine the event.
The book was very interesting and easy to read. The author wrote this book in a “smooth” and in an easy flowing way. There was a little difficult area in the beginning of the book. The author led the reader to believe on thing and then eventually gives the real truth behind it. For example, in the beginning of the book, the author says, “When I was fifteen, after my dad’s death, we moved to Sandy City, Utah.” The author leads the reader to think that he was only fifteen when his father had passed away but later on in the book, the author states that his father had actually died when he was six.
I had a strong initial impression about the book before I read it. I thought the book was going to be very saddening and well written. The author’s brother had written a similar book based on his own experiences so I assumed that this book would just as impacting. In fact, this book was more emotionally impacting because the author talks not only about the abuse, but also about the effects of it.
The author’s purpose of writing the book is to inform people and to help inspire others who have experienced abuse too. The author also wants to give insight to what a household of abuse is to someone who has no experience or idea of it. The author states in his Afterward chapter that he wishes, “this book will help inspire others who have experience the abuse and pain like me to know that it does get better.” The author effectively reaches out to other victims by relating experiences and appealing to their emotions.
The author implies multiple messages throughout his book. One message is that no one should blame themselves for the conditions of their abuse. They are not held responsible and they did not do anything to deserve it. The second message is that no one who is enduring abuse should use drugs, alcohol, or sex as a scape goat to their problems. Those wrong actions all usually end up in addictions and end up worse for everybody’s lives. Lastly, the third message is that people who endure a life of abuse need support whether it comes from friends, family, or others.
I would recommend this book to people who are more interested in social services. This book is appropriate for teenagers and up due to its drug references and language. This book has the effect to make people very emotional so if it probably would not be best if someone who is overly emotional to read it.
In conclusion, I think extremely high of this book. This book should be read by many people and even be considered, a book that should be read in English class. The author did an excellent job in writing the book. The way he wrote made the story ten times more effective and appealing to the audience.
The author appeals to the reader’s emotions by using imagery. He describes events so well that the reader can actually visualize the event happening. For instance, the author says “Mom bought tickets to go explore the caverns with her ‘family’ while I was left alone in the car while it was about ninety-eight degrees.” This appeals to the reader’s emotions because it makes you sympathize for him because his mother was not treating him like a mother should be. Another example was when the author says, “I tried not to pause as I put my finger through the trigger guard and felt the cold metal. I closed my eyes tighter and squeezed.” The simplicity of those two sentences makes it easier for a reader to understand and imagine the event.
The book was very interesting and easy to read. The author wrote this book in a “smooth” and in an easy flowing way. There was a little difficult area in the beginning of the book. The author led the reader to believe on thing and then eventually gives the real truth behind it. For example, in the beginning of the book, the author says, “When I was fifteen, after my dad’s death, we moved to Sandy City, Utah.” The author leads the reader to think that he was only fifteen when his father had passed away but later on in the book, the author states that his father had actually died when he was six.
I had a strong initial impression about the book before I read it. I thought the book was going to be very saddening and well written. The author’s brother had written a similar book based on his own experiences so I assumed that this book would just as impacting. In fact, this book was more emotionally impacting because the author talks not only about the abuse, but also about the effects of it.
The author’s purpose of writing the book is to inform people and to help inspire others who have experienced abuse too. The author also wants to give insight to what a household of abuse is to someone who has no experience or idea of it. The author states in his Afterward chapter that he wishes, “this book will help inspire others who have experience the abuse and pain like me to know that it does get better.” The author effectively reaches out to other victims by relating experiences and appealing to their emotions.
The author implies multiple messages throughout his book. One message is that no one should blame themselves for the conditions of their abuse. They are not held responsible and they did not do anything to deserve it. The second message is that no one who is enduring abuse should use drugs, alcohol, or sex as a scape goat to their problems. Those wrong actions all usually end up in addictions and end up worse for everybody’s lives. Lastly, the third message is that people who endure a life of abuse need support whether it comes from friends, family, or others.
I would recommend this book to people who are more interested in social services. This book is appropriate for teenagers and up due to its drug references and language. This book has the effect to make people very emotional so if it probably would not be best if someone who is overly emotional to read it.
In conclusion, I think extremely high of this book. This book should be read by many people and even be considered, a book that should be read in English class. The author did an excellent job in writing the book. The way he wrote made the story ten times more effective and appealing to the audience.