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Everything I Never Told You Analysis

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Originally I had chosen the thematic thread of journey to self discovery, but after reading my first novel and analyzing the convoluted relationship between the mother and her daughter, I decided to take a different approach on the project and change my thematic thread to discuss the complexity of relationships. The second novel that I read confirmed my decision and interest in studying parent-child-family relationships. I discovered that parent- child relationships can be shattered forever when parents push their children past what they are capable of achieving or wanting to achieve. When parents live their lives vicariously through their children and children respond like trained animals, problems will arise and eventually there will be a breaking point. No one person on this earth has the same feelings, desires, dreams, and …show more content…
the inevitable pressure that parents place on their children to perform academically and or socially creates a barrier in parent child relationships. In the novel Everything I Never Told You, not only did Lydia’s mother, Marilyn push her to live the live she had always dreamed of, she put an immense amount of pressure on her academically to achieve those dreams. She bought her copious amounts of books, she never let her go out, and she spent hours tutoring her and perfecting her knowledge. Once Lydia realized what her mother had been doing to her all her life and decided she wanted to change and follow her dreams it was too late. The poem “Suicide”, emphasizes the warning signs Lydia was giving her family towards the end to symbolize the need for change. She “didn’t thank, didn't wave goodbye,didn't flutter the air with kisses, bed unmade, no appetite, always elsewhere”. (Oates) Parents not only need to pay attention to warning signs from their children, but they need to stop putting so much pressure on them. Children must believe there is more to life than school, and looks. Life is about adventures, mistakes and fun

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