Some thoughts and questions for our meeting on the 20th.
A Book Review With a Point of View:
1. Why do you think Tara wrote this book and told everyone about her family? If you had a similar abusive childhood and background, would you want to do the same?
2. This book is not about Mormonism but - in what ways did Tara's father and brother Shawn use religion as a way to manipulate the women of the family?
3. Why was Tara's father so determined to live off the grid? Why is anybody?
4. Tara's mother is an elusive character. She seems to ignore the abuse and violence, then acknowledges it and later denies it. What's going on here?
5. How did her brother Tyler leaving to attend college completely change Tara's perspective on what was expected of her life?
6. Shawn is violent and cruel to Tara in front of their parents. Why didn't they at least verbally push back against him?
7. Tara tries to date Charles, a boy from her hometown, but when he witnesses Shawn's abuse, she pushes Charles away. Tara writes "He couldn't save me. Only I could. I had no idea what he was talking about". How much does shame of one's background (addiction/poverty etc) prevent a person from getting help?
8. When did Tara start to understand that she came from a "troubled" background and that her family's behaviour was wrong?
9. Education opened her eyes to the world, but also meant that she cannot be with her parents and her family members (who depend financially on the parents) any more. Do you think she should keep trying to reunite with them?
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