I am only halfway into the book, and I read about some things that took place in Mary Karr’s life that I would think is impossible to happen to one person. The further I got into the book the more I had a burning sensation in my heart. Reading the book is running shivers down my spine every once in a while. Being put into such a dysfunctional family is not her fault, and I feel so sorry for her for having to go through all this. From all the violence and the tantrums the mother throws. There is a point in the story where the mother went crazy and burned all the clothes and furniture and was about to butcher the kids with a knife. If I had to experience something like that, especially if that person is my own mother, I would be in shock and traumatized for life.
It is different when you hear about children living in environments like these on the news or in regular conversation. It is also juristically different when you hear about children getting raped at the age of 12, and reading about it from the person’s point of view. It made me feel like being in any other possible situation is better than what she went through. All this also had an affect on Mark. In the end she turned out to be a normal human being, but it caused her to act a certain way throughout her life. She would get into many fights in school and was always, attacks children, sleepwalks, and always bites her nails. I do not blame her at all, the things she is experiencing caused her to be that way. The thing that makes me hurt the most is that innocent children get messed up because of the things they experience. They do not deserve to live a life like that because of other people. This book gives the point of view of her experiencing all this, and it makes it so much more effective and much more real. It makes you feel the pain that she felt, but the pain that she felt throughout her whole life is NOWHERE NEAR what we feel from reading this.
One day, I am going to help all those organizations that look out for families like this, in any way possible. I simply cannot live knowing that children suffer like this for no reason at all. Hopefully with the help of may people like me these organizations that exist now will grow and lessen the number of children like this.
Feelings