2nd Week of Presentations

"In comparison, they said I was lucky". Lucky is such a relative term. lucky to be successful in life, lucky to have loving family, or lucky to be alive. Such was the conflict in Lucky by Alice Sebold. unlike conflicts caused by her own choices, like those of Anothony Kiedis in Scar Tissue, hers were forced upon her by someone who cared nothing for her. This seems to be one of the hardest things to get over, because you had no control over what happened, and when you make the choices, it's easier to change and erase those memories. The root of Anthony Kiedis's hardships come up due to his drug addiction, so once he realizes his problem he can more effectively eradicate the source. With a rape, that image and those feelings are imprinted onto that persons soul forever, and every time they have to talk about it, they relive it which brings those memories back. 

This is similar to the tragic kidnapping of an 11 year old girl in A Stolen Life, where she can never forget the 18 years she was trapped in a situation she couldn't escape. One thing not under her control was the birth of her first child at 14, who will always be a reminder of the child's father and the mother's captor. This women, however was able to shine through with the surprising attitude that what happened to her can be moved past. Although she will never forget, she has learned to appreciate every day in the present and future as if it's her last. She knows it could be, it may not be under her control what happens to her or those she loves.