Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
In Educated, Tara Westover shares her remarkable story of growing up in a strict, survivalist family in rural Idaho and the transformative journey she undertakes to educate herself. This deeply personal memoir is a powerful meditation on the transformative power of education, the complexities of family loyalty, and the emotional and intellectual growth that comes from questioning long-held beliefs. Westover’s raw and eloquent prose makes Educated a moving and unforgettable read.
Plot and Themes
Tara Westover’s memoir begins in a world apart from the one most readers will recognize. Raised in a family that rejects formal education, medical care, and even most modern conveniences, Westover was home-schooled in a makeshift school her father set up in their remote home. Her parents, particularly her father, are distrustful of authority figures, including teachers, doctors, and the government. Westover’s childhood is filled with hard work, isolation, and fear. Her father believes the government is conspiring against their family, and he imbues his children with his survivalist beliefs.
Despite her limited formal education, Westover demonstrates an insatiable thirst for knowledge. At the age of 17, she decides to leave her home and attend Brigham Young University, a decision that ultimately leads her to break free from the rigid constraints of her upbringing. However, her journey is anything but easy. Westover’s pursuit of knowledge creates a rift between her and her family, particularly her father, whose control over the family’s way of life begins to unravel.
The central theme of Educated is the power of education to transform one’s life. But this transformation comes at a price. As Westover learns about the outside world, she is forced to confront the deeply ingrained beliefs and trauma from her childhood. Her struggle to reconcile her loyalty to her family with her intellectual independence forms the emotional core of the memoir.
Character Development
Tara Westover’s personal evolution throughout Educated is both inspiring and heart-wrenching. Her memoir is not just a recounting of her academic achievements but a deeply emotional journey of self-discovery. As she navigates the difficult terrain of leaving behind her family and their worldview, she also grapples with the emotional scars of growing up in a tumultuous and often abusive environment.
Westover’s family members, particularly her father and brother, are complex figures, and she doesn’t shy away from the dark aspects of her upbringing. Her father is both a visionary and a tyrant, and her mother, though loving, is often passive and complicit in the family’s rigid beliefs. The dynamics of the family are drawn with nuance, and Westover doesn’t seek to demonize them, but instead attempts to understand their motivations and how they shaped her own journey.
Writing Style and Impact
Westover’s writing is both poetic and precise. She captures the rawness of her experiences with a clarity that makes the reader feel her pain, confusion, and eventual triumphs. Her prose is emotionally charged, yet never sensationalized. The power of Educated lies in its ability to draw the reader into Westover’s world, making them feel her struggles and her moments of awe and wonder as she discovers the world beyond her childhood home.
The narrative is both gripping and introspective, with Westover using her journey as a vehicle for exploring broader themes of identity, freedom, and the role of education in shaping one’s life. While Educated is undeniably a memoir about education, it is also a meditation on the complexities of growing up and coming of age in a world full of contradictions.
Final Thoughts
Tara Westover’s Educated is a deeply affecting memoir about the power of knowledge, the pain of leaving one’s past behind, and the journey to understanding one’s place in the world. Westover’s bravery in sharing her story, with its moments of vulnerability, anger, and eventual reconciliation, makes Educated a transformative reading experience. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the ability to change, no matter how difficult the journey. Educated is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of education, family, and personal growth.
