Tara, the narrator, begins the story by explaining the memory she created based on a story she heard from her father. Tara’s family consisted of seven siblings, with Tara being the youngest. Tara’s farm was situated in a remote area at the foot of the mountain Buck Peak (Warnick). The family of Tara, especially her father, was a religious man who believed that a school was a propaganda tool used by the government to deceive children away from God. The father of Tara never wanted his kids to join school; instead, he preferred them to work in a scrapyard. Moreover, Tara’s father prefers using herbs as means of medication. In any social setting, education, health, and religion are the critical elements through which an individual grows from.
To some extent, family dynamics and expectations shape a person’s future. For example, Tara’s family’s business of supplying weapons, food, and supplies had begun to decline; as a result, Gene Tara’s father was forced to focus on developing a scrapyard business for the family to earn money to help other children. According to Warnick,” It dwarfed my father’s business and all other business in the whole town” (p. 325). Tara is forced to separate materials to sell in her new venture. Tara despised her job because it was monotonous. Tara decided to leave his house. She worked fewer hours as a babysitter. Earning her own money outside her family gave her a sense of independence. Tara makes money by working at a local grocery store. According to Warnick, “It’s strange thing to say about a grocery store, but I felt at home.” (p. 207). Furthermore, she leaves home to pursue an education, eventually earning a Ph.D. from Cambridge.
The family of Gene was a religious family that adhered to religious doctrines. The father of Tara desired that his children be educated at home because he believed the government used education to divert people’s attention away from God. Gene preferred that his children remain at home. According to Warnick, “Dad wants us to be at home; God wants us to stay home and be schooled at home” (p.15). The analysis of the said proofs shows Tara’s brother taught her to read from when she was four until she was eight. Her mother had left them to learn at home. Religion is a part of society, and most families regard religion as a way of life.
The educated novel demonstrates a lack of setting ambitious educational background. Tara and her siblings had never attended school because her father was against it. Faye, Tara’s father, believed that school systems were a criterion set by the government to ensure that their children abandon their religion. The narrator says the father never wanted them to attend school. This was because the father was concerned that the government would force them to join school against the father’s will. According to Warnick, “Dad said the public school was a ploy by Government to lead children away from God.” (p.23). Tara and her siblings do not attend school, but her brother considers teaching Tara. Tara and her siblings also used the public library to learn basic subjects, where they were given little direction. As a result, the topics they covered were never particularly interesting. According to Warnick, “I should enroll in the public school.” (p. 81). Historically, education was not regarded as the most important factor compared to other activities, such as religion and economic activity in ancient society.
In contrast to the modern health system, in which medical care is obtained from doctors and hospitals, herbs were considered a treatment method. Tara’s father considers the use of herbs as a treatment mechanism. According to Warnick, “Dad said doctors couldn’t do anything for her anyhow.” Moreover, her father is described as an adamant person. Faye, Tara’s mother, was involved in a terrible car accident that resulted in a severe brain injury that required immediate medical attention; however, Gene decided to treat Faye with herbs. Tara’s father is advised to take Faye to the hospital, but he refuses due to his strong desire to save the lives of loved ones. According to Warnick, “Herbals operate by faith. You can’t put your faith in a doctor.” (p. 117) As a result, serious attention is required to ensure that people’s health and safety are maintained.
In conclusion, the narrator begins the story by explaining the memory she created from a story she heard from her father. The family consisted of seven siblings, and Tara was the youngest. The firm of Tara was located at the foot of mountain Buck. The father of Tara is religious, and her family supplies food and weapons. The mother of Tara is a midwife. Tara is not excited about their family’s way of life. Hence, she leaves home to pursue her dreams. Moreover, the narrator discusses critical issues that society faces, such as education, health, and religion. The narrator discusses how society perceives religion, education, and health. For example, Tara’s father considered religion as a fundamental value everyone in his family should adhere to. Gene desires for his family to remain at home, limiting his children’s ability to identify their potential outside the home. Gene does not consider education as an important factor in his children. Instead of educating his children, he engages them in other activities, such as scrap yard. Gege uses herbs as means of treatment, which has a low chance of success. Tara’s father was a learned man who insisted his family adhere to his culture’s doctrine.
Work Cited
Warnick, Bryan. “Educated by Tara Westover, New York: Random House, 2018.” (2020): 188-195.