This article records the summarizes of the book Educated.
Summay
In a remote valley, there was a girl named Tara. She was born in the state of Idaho in the United States and spent her childhood in the mountains, completely isolated from the outside world. She had never attended school because her father refused all modern education. He believed that worldly knowledge was toxic and that purity could only be maintained by staying away from modern society. Tara’s family followed the Mormon faith and lived a life extremely different from the outside world. The family’s beliefs were extreme and rigid, filled with fear and confinement.
Tara’s father suffered from a mental illness, his bipolar disorder making his already extreme thoughts even more paranoid. He prohibited the family from seeking medical help, prevented the children from going to school, and even had them prepare for the end of the world as he envisioned it. Tara’s family lived in a self-contained world with little to no interaction with common knowledge in society.
However, Tara had a brother named Tyler who was different from her. Despite dropping out of school, he continued to self-educate and encouraged Tara to pursue knowledge as well. With her brother’s support, Tara finally gathered the courage to self-study and eventually got accepted into college. This may sound inspirational, but Tara’s story goes far beyond this.
Upon entering college, Tara faced significant challenges. Her thinking was completely overturned, and what seemed like steadfast common sense and truths became blurry and confused. She used to believe that girls dressing provocatively were immoral, that drugs were poisonous, and she didn’t even know what the “Holocaust” was. Living under extreme ideologies, it took experiences in college for her to realize that her previous knowledge system was almost entirely wrong.
The real challenge for Tara was not just realizing that her parents’ education was incorrect. For her, the biggest challenge was how to rebuild her new life completely after destroying the foundation of her old beliefs. She struggled and suffered, feeling lost in the new world. Two conflicting voices resided in her mind: one from her original family with its traditional, paranoid values, and the other from the new perspectives brought by modern education. Unable to reconcile these two, Tara’s inner conflict grew immensely.
Although she learned to view problems through the lens of modern society, she had to sever ties with her family. Education gave her a new perspective on life but also forced her to completely break away from her family. In Tara’s story, unlike many successful inspirational tales, she didn’t ultimately reconcile with her family but became even more isolated and struggled. She went through mental breakdowns but eventually stood up again.
What deeply touches people in Tara’s story is not just her success but its revelation of a universal theme: education is not just about acquiring knowledge but also about a shift in perspective. Through education, Tara learned how to see herself, her family, and the world with a completely new perspective. Her pain, struggles, and courage showed readers the possibility of self-reconstruction.
The title of the book, “Educated,” chosen by Tara herself, is derived from the Bible, symbolizing escape and redemption. Through education, Tara finally flew from the valley to a broader world – not just physical escape but also internal redemption. Education gave her a new perspective, allowing her to view her past from a higher vantage point, understanding and accepting those who had once hurt her.
Tara’s story is not just a personal growth legend but a mirror reflecting deep within many people. Many have felt pain due to the influence of their native families, but Tara found the strength to move past the agony through education. For those fortunate enough not to have experienced Tara’s struggles, this book offers a way to understand oneself, examine one’s past, and find a path to self-redemption in a complex world.
If you are struggling due to family difficulties, Tara’s story will undoubtedly bring you hope. If you have never experienced such pain, this book will make you appreciate and understand everything you possess – family, education, and those who have helped you grow.
Tara’s educational journey ultimately brought her not just a degree and knowledge but a completely new perspective to understand herself and others. This, indeed, is the greatest significance of education.
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