Abstract
This analytical essay presents a critique of the book The Child Who Never Grew, presenting facts mentioned by the author that are still valid today and also those that are erroneous. The bibliography page appends one source in APA format.
Introduction
The book that has been taken into consideration goes by the name of “The Child Who Never Grew” and has been written by Pearl S. Buck. It has been said that the book being analyzed is the factual narrative of the great effort of the novelist subsequent to getting to learn that her offspring Carol, who took birth in 1920, was psychologically handicapped. The Woodbine House edition that was presented in the year 1992 consisted of a prologue by James Michener, an overture by Martha M. Jablow, as well as an ending by Janice C. Walsh, being Pearl’s daughter and Carol’s sister.
In her intro, Jablow has noted that “Child” was basically first introduced to the readers as an article in “Ladies Home Journal” in the year 1950 and was before long after that made available in the form of a book. It is believed that this book is definitely a milestone in the writings related to disabilities. It has further been noted that psychological retardation “carried a shameful stigma” at the time when this story had at first been published by the author. Historical contexts have also been presented for the main text.
Analysis
“Mine was a pretty baby, unusually so. Her features were clear, her eyes even then, it seemed to me, wise and calm. She looked at me and I at her with mutual comprehension and I laughed”. Pearl S. Buck
In the book that has been taken into consideration, the author has written very touchingly of the despondency that she felt and the pain she went through when she found out about the ailment or the retardation faced by her daughter. She tells the readers about her consciousness of the dishonor that was prevalent back in those days in opposition to people like Carol, and in addition, tells about how she looked around for an establishment where the special needs required by her daughter could be met. Buck overpoweringly supports the compassion and significance of the psychologically retarded and what is more, is that she tells us of all that she learned with her experience with Carol. In the words of the author, “I learned to respect and reverence for every human mind. It was my child who taught me to understand so clearly that all people are equal in their humanity and that all have the same human rights.” (Buck, 1992).
Certain information provided by the author can be held true in the current times as yet, while on the other hand some facts mentioned by her are now considered erroneous. First of all the first fact mentioned by her is that such children need help. Whether it be back in those days or in today’s fast-paced world, such children desperately need help and attention. Another fact that she mentions which is true as yet is that the number of such children with mental retardation is on the rise.
On the other hand, what can be held as erroneous in the current times are the statistics provided by her as well as the notion that she gives that such children are a source of sorrow for the parents. Another erroneous statement of hers is that finding help for such children is hard. In the current times, there are a vast number of options available for helping such children meet their requirements as well as treatment and care.
Conclusion
In the light of the above discussion, we can hereby culminate that the book under consideration is a moving narrative of a mother who went through a lot of pain and distress after finding out about her child’s disability.
Bibliography
Buck, P. (1992). The Child Who Never Grew. United States of America: Woodbine House. Pp. 1- 107.