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Arts Humanities

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Feb 20, 2024

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Mia Lezcano Educated Questions 1. Educated starts with an epigraph from Virginia Woolf: “The past is beautiful because one never realizes an emotion at the time. It expands later, and thus we don’t have complete emotions about the present, only the past.” What do you think Woolf meant by this? Why do you think Tara Westover chose to begin her memoir this way? - The statement above is meant to showcase how events are often overlooked in the present due to the overflow of different emotions that cause a lack of understanding of what’s happening at that given moment. It is not until time passes and emotions are back to normal that one reflects and gains consciousness on how they truly feel about these past occurrences. Westover chose to start the book with this writing style in order to highlight a main point expressed in the book, she was faced with difficult circumstances growing up and only realized the severity of these events and the toll it took on her life. Once she grew up and was able to analyze and reflect on how these hard times shaped her into the person she is. 2. By Chapter 22, Westover writes that her life was often “narrated for me by others. Their voices were forceful, emphatic, absolute. It had never occurred to me that my voice might be as strong as theirs.” Westover eventually finds her voice and realizes it’s just as powerful as the people who have influenced her life. What is voice, and how important is it that every child is encouraged to find their own? - Voice is the ability to verbally express oneself. Without one’s voice they wouldn’t be able to project their emotions effectively. Therefore, impeding not only their ability to communicate their wants, but more importantly their needs. For these reasons, adolescents are taught what their voice is and how to utilize it correctly. If this is not done from the developmental stages in our lives, then when faced with problems later on in life one might struggle to get their point across and be heard. 3. At one point, Tara’s father makes the case that his form of homeschooling couldn’t have been that bad since three of his children went on to receive their PhDs. What do you make of this? Did his children succeed in spite of their education, or were there some inherent lessons about how to learn imparted by this non-traditional form of education? - Gene believed that homeschooling was the primal factor that led his children to earn their PhDs, however if it had not been for their natural curiosity and hunger for knowledge, they would not have stepped foot outside of the house. While homeschooled, the kids were spoon-fed with their fathers closed-minded and extremist views towards the world. This fueled their intrinsic curiosity and desires to explore the world and gain their own perspectives.

4. How might Westover’s life have been different had she chosen not to leave home and attend college? What risks did she face and what fears did the author have to overcome in order to leave home and pursue her higher education? How did Westover change as a result of her formalized education? - If Tara had not been persuaded to go to college by her older brother, Tyler, she would’ve remained stuck in the naïve bubble created by her father. However, leaving this bubble meant Westover was faced with many things she didn’t know existed such as racism and prejudice. The only person opposed to her leaving home to pursue a higher education was her father who thought “public school was a ploy by the Government to lead children away from God” and if she left, God wouldn’t approve of her actions, and she would be condemned. Deciding to go to college taught Tara to have an open mind, find her voice, and explore the unfamiliar world that surrounded her. 5. Tara has titled her book Educated and much of her education takes place in classrooms, lectures, or other university environments. But not all. What other important moments of “education” were there? What friends, acquaintances, or experiences had the most impact on Tara? What does that imply about what education is? - Education is most commonly recognized as what you are taught in a formal classroom setting, however, people learn all day every day. Different interactions you have, what you learn by hanging around diverse people, and customs that are shown to you at home. All and all meaning that educated isn’t limited by four walls, a teacher, and a desk, but rather the whole world and its population is a big classroom where everyone is constantly learning and evolving. Although Tara learned a lot in classes, another contributor to her education occurred by her family within the four walls she called “home”. This is where she was taught the conservative beliefs she held, such as how it was deemed improper for a woman to reveal anything above the ankle. 6. Why is it significant that Westover didn’t know the word “holocaust” and had no knowledge of race issues in the United States? How does her view/awareness of racism evolve throughout the book? - By not knowing about prominent racial issues that occurred and are occurring in America, Tara’s naivety becomes evident. This was a result of her sheltered upbringing where due to her families Mormon extremism she never went to a hospital, lived isolated, and had no birth certificate till she was nine years old. By attending university and seeking a higher education Tara was able to comprehend the ignorance her family imposed on her. 7. What does Westover’s family try to impart about the way they believe a woman ought – or ought not – to be and how do they convey this? How does the author meet or fail to meet these expectations as a young woman herself and how does this influence and shape her

sense of self? In what ways does the author challenge her parents’ notions of what a woman should be and how is this received? - The Westover family’s outdated and closed-minded beliefs towards gender roles such as women were supposed to stay home and do household chores like cooking and cleaning while the men were the ones to seek an education and provide financially for the family. Tara failed to meet these standards when she decided to go to college, displeasing not only her father but the Mormon religion. However, by seeking independence she was able to formulate her own perspective and stray from the yellow brick road created for her by her parents. 8. Many of Tara’s father’s choices have an obvious impact on Tara’s life, but how did her mother’s choices influence her? How did that change over time? - Tara’s mothers choices gave Tara no backup or support. While already battling her father’s controlling behavior, she feels hopeless as she can’t even turn to her mother because her parents are in agreeance of how a woman should carry herself. Over time, Tara understands that she is unable to rely on her mother for help and has to fight her battles alone. 9. Over the course of this book, the Westover family deals with several accidents: Westover’s brother Tyler falling asleep and driving off the road, Westover’s brother Luke catching on fire, and later, a very serious accident for their father. How did these accidents shape Tara’s experience and relationship with her family? - Due to their religious beliefs the Westover family is unable to seek professional medical attention. For this reason, they treat all illnesses and accidents with at home remedies like herbs and oils which prove to be ineffective when compared to professional help. With each different injury adding to the strain her family had. An example of this was Shawn’s abusive tenancies following his accident, which was caused by untreated brain injuries. This abusive nature could have at least been lessened or prevented, had the family taken their children to the hospital. Instead, these injuries and accidents continued and placed a divide between the members of the Westover family. 10. What impact did the author’s parents’ religious beliefs have on the Westover family? What challenges of faith does the author confront as she moves into her future? How does her schooling help her to confront these issues from a new perspective? - The Westover parents Mormon beliefs hindered the family’s ability to seek medical attention several times. One example of this is when Luke was in his accident and rather than being taken to the hospital to treat his burns, Tara resorted to at home treatments such as a bottle of rescue remedy. Attending school showed Tara that the world had so much to offer, and it was not all bad. If she had remained at home, she would’ve never expanded her knowledge past what her dad was willing to show her. By leaving she was able to push the boundaries she didn’t know existed and gain a true understanding of the world she lived in.

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