Rating: 
Summary: Will he ever get out?
Review: Will he ever get out?
Jack, a young boy growing up in the 1950's, has a crazy and bizarre life. This Boy's Life, a memoir, by Tobias Wolff, is about the problems Jack encounters throughout his teen years. It tells about how he solves, and gets over these problems and moves on with his life.
As a young boy, Jack lived with his mother and father, later they divorce. Jack leaves his father and brother behind, to move to Utah with his mother, and her new boyfriend, Roy. Somewhere along the line things go wrong, and Rosemary, Jack's Mother, leaves Roy, and moves to Seattle and brings Jack with her. Rosemary met a man named Dwight, and were soon engaged to be married. Once they were married, Jack and his mother, moved to Chinook with Dwight. The abusive, drunk side of Dwight shone through once they moved in with him, and Jack made up his mind, he wanted out.
Dwight had three children of his own from a previous marriage. Two girls and a boy, the oldest was Skipper, then Norma, and the youngest was Pearl. Both Skipper and Norma were much older than Jack, so they never really paid any attention to him. Pearl on the other hand, was the same age as Jack. When Dwight would become abusive, Pearl was pretty much the only one that would stand up for Jack. Considering the Fact that Rosemary was laid back, and let Dwight do what he wanted to her son.
Jack's main goal was to get out of Chinook, and away from Dwight. Whenever Jack was home alone, he would go rummaging through everyone else's things. One day, when he was going through his mother's dresser, he found a letter from his uncle, and got an idea. That night, Jack wrote to his uncle, telling him of the tragic life he lead in Chinook, and asked for a way out. His uncle responded quickly, with a plan. Jack would move to Paris with him, and finish high school, and then Rosemary would follow when he graduates.
Do you think Jack will ever get out of Chinook? You will just have to read it to find out what happens to Jack.
Rating: 
Summary: "The human heart is a dark forest."
Review: Wolff's memoir of his life as a boy is tragic in itself, but Wolff does an excellent job of presenting his hardships through humor and sharp wit. In an attempt to escape the reality that is his life, Wolff created extravagant plans to escape, and though most of his attempts were unsuccessful, he succeeded in creating a world in which he fancied himself to be in charge of his destiny.
Wolff represents many children who grow up in dysfunctional families, turning to alcohol and a life of misdemeanors in order to gain attention, and ultimately, acceptance. He lies, steals, cheats, and gets into trouble as a form of rebellion at having to deal with a broken family and an abusive stepfather.
Everyone can find something to relate to in this memoir. Although it has a great deal to do with his bad home situation, it also has a great deal to do with childhood in general. The lessons that Wolff learned as a boy can carry over into our lives, as well:
"Like anyone else, she must have wanted different things at the same time. The human heart is a dark forest."
"I learned a couple of lessons. I learned that a punch in the throat does not always stop the other fellow. And I learned that it's a bad idea to curse when you're in trouble, but a good idea to sing, if you can."
Other timeless words of wisdom are prevalent throughout the book, and Wolff's memories of his childhood are both entertaining and thought-provoking. As depressing as his situation was, Wolff does an excellent job of bringing back the memories of his childhood and causing the reader to sustain an emotional attachment to the characters of the book. It is written as though it came from the boy himself, rather than the grown-up version of Tobias Wolff.
An excellent read - highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: This Boy's Life Touches the Lives of the Readers
Review: Writer Tobias Wolff does a superb job of recreating his dysfunctional childhood in his memoir _This Boy's Life_. The journey he and his mother take across the country to get away from an abusive relationship lands them in places where they have nothing and know no one. Through it all Toby Wolff and his single mother make the best of what they have and constantly strive for bigger and better things. The struggle of this small family is easily relatable to many readers across the country who have dealt with and are dealing with similar problems. That's why when the reader is finished reading this book they feel a sort of connection or peace rather than a deep emotional pain because they know that similar things go on and they aren't as "different" as they think. The fact that this book is a real life drama appeals to many people and makes the book more fascinating. Wolff does a wonderful job of making this book flow and connect. His down to earth writing style and structured plot bring the book together and leaves the reader with a contentment that most books about family issues don't.
I am a junior in high school and I read this book for my Advanced Contemporary Lit Class. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to read a book that was not written for entertaining but for the value it personally brings to the author and to the reader.
|
