Family Ties

Two or three things I know for Sure has been my second favorite book we have read all semester. Suprisingly enough, Push has been my favorite book we have read, partially because I was so incredibly moved by this book in a way that other books haven't moved me. And now, I am pleasantly shocked to say that the last book of the semester is my other favorite book, and I even have motivation to read it when I don't have motivation to read much other class readings. Anyways, the reason I feel that this book has sparked my interest is mainly the writing style. Dorothy Allison's writing style is similar to most of my favorite authors' styles in that I feel as though the author is directly talking to me. It is as though she is telling the story to me on a Sunday afternoon and I love how personable she is in her stories.

From what I have read so far, and I have gotten halfway, I noticed that the main theme of her stories is her family ties, but mostly the dysfunctionality of her family. When the substitute teacher first assigns the project of a family tree, I thought nothing of it mostly because I've even gotten that assignment while I was in elementary school. For her family though, this was a big to-do and I felt like a huge family secret. Her mother was reluctant to go into further detail about her family tree and it seems that she is insensitive to those that are dead or that are not on speaking terms with her. For Dorothy, her mother's reluctance causes her to be more suspicious of her family background and curious to push to investigate even more. What I also like about this book is that all of her family questions and possibilities makes you wonder about your own family ties and trees, causing the audience to feel relatable to her as a character and person. Her family's relationships with one another are also one to note and something I find interesting. In class we discussed how the family was harsh towards one another with the men calling the wives or sisters or daughters ugly bitches. I cannot even imagine how this family dynamic would have effected Dorothy growing up, but it is clear in how her mother acts that she has been effected it. Those cold and distant family ties seem to be a factor in the book and will follow Dorothy even after her mother's death.

 I am excited to keep reading to see if she ever finds out more on her past family ties and if she ever recovers this information, if it does it change her opinion of her family at all.