Shes Come Undone - Essay Example

Social Work Order No. 610296 Introduction ‘She’s Come Undone’ (1992) is a scintillating novel by Wally Lamb that focuses around the fantasy and melodramatic life of one of the most extraordinary characters, Dolores Price. This book came out as the finalist for the Los Angeles times book award’s Seidenbaum Prize in the genre of fiction in 1992. The book from the Oprah’s Book Club, was credited by the New York Times Book review as one of the most notable books of the year. ‘She’s Come Undone’ though fictional, is a very realistic presentation and is filled with emotion and anxiety that is not only endearing but pulls at the heart strings of its audience because of the impact it creates. The character of Dolores Price is unlike any other because she drowns herself in her world of fantasy only to surface from time to time into a world of unrealistic problems. In the words of Dolores all these troubles “began somehow, in 1956 on the day our first television was delivered.” (Wally Lamb, 1992)She had no idea that something as simple as a television would lead her on the path of a personal tumultuous odyssey. The character of Dolores as presented by the author Wally Lamb, was vulnerable yet mysterious human being. To a great extent her family was responsible for the outcomes in her life. Her mother who was an emotionally disturbed person was quite fragile and battled with mental illness and therefore could not be of much help to Dolores. Her father was a lustful man who always threatened to leave the family. Her proud grandmother had a lot of pent up feelings and suffered deeply as she could not express them. Another person who did not belong to her family but was quite responsible for Dolores’ condition, was her handsome neighbor Jack Speight whose final betrayal throws the life of Dolores almost permanently off track. In this novel there are many cultural and social factors that play havoc in her life and brings her to a point of breaking. Quite frequently in the story we find Dolores making encounters with people who mirror the members of her family by whom she faced disappointment throughout her life. Beginning with her father, her path seemed to be guided towards dysfunctional relationships with men. In her quest to come to terms with her own identity, Dolores is victimized by her own circumstances and stands out as a character that is loathed as well as adored because of the unconventional way she presents herself. Dolores the protagonist is a tragic character who encounters tragedy after tragedy all through her life from the tender age of four to 40 years. The tragic circumstances such as her mother’s unstable mind, the abandonment of the family by her father, death, rape and mental illness forced Dolores to find solace in food. This is very unfortunate because this is the prime age of her life when she should be living normally like any other person and enjoying her life, but unfortunately, the poor circumstances of her family forces her to eat her way through the tragedy that she experienced at different intervals in her life. Reflecting on the misfortunes she faced in her life Dolores states – “My whole life used to throb like a toothache”. (Wally Lamb, 1992) It makes it really hard for us to think that one human being had to suffer so much. Adulthood found Dolores tipping the scales to about 250lbs. in her obesity. Her condition stemmed from the fact that she had spent her formative years in front of the television watching soap operas while she consumed a lot of food. In that condition she begins her freshman course at college, but unfortunately she finds that she is virtually incapable of relating to people around her. In Dolores’ words “I wanted to talk to someone, some person I hadn’t failed.” (Wally Lamb, 1992) She is unable to accept the disappointment and dejection that she feels and she attempts suicide and is forced to spend the following seven years of her life in an institution. In reality of our everyday life we come across people like Dolores who have traveled the same path and hence we are able to empathize with her and her tragic environment. Just as how a butterfly emerges from its cocoon to freedom, in the same way Dolores emerges from the ashes of her disappointment to face the world with confidence once again. Her character in the beginning which was filled with vulnerability, anger and sadness, was now filled with determination and confidence. In the face of societal pressures, she does come across a lot of difficulties and pain but her determination to fight against these harsh realities and find her own self worth is the most inspiring part of this novel. Conclusion Willy Lamb who is a critically acclaimed writer has not just given us a story, but he is given us a lot to reflect upon in own lives. The same thing could happen to anyone who is in the same position as Dolores. Lamb’s story could be fictitious but in reality it could apply to people who travel along the same path. The author Wally Lamb describes "good literature" as writing that serves to explore the imperfections of our world and "kicks readers in their pants, shakes them out of their complacency about a world that needs fixing." (Wally Lamb, 1992)  Lamb’s mastery over the subject is highly commendable because he’s a male writer who is trying to portray the feelings and emotions of a female character. Readers are able to identify with the character of Dolores because such incidents could happen to anyone. But what is most inspiring in her character is that she had to guts to never say die by looking beyond life’s imperfections involving so many cultural and social factors and finding her own identity and respect after her harrowing journey towards truth. If I was assigned to work with this client I would have created a good rapport with her just like a friend and I would make her gain her confidence in people around her. I would also create situations which would have positive interactions in order for her to gain faith by associating with other people in the environment. Then I would give her a platform from where she could reach out to people in similar circumstances who are suffering so that she could understand and feel that she is also a useful person in the society. References She’s Come Undone www.oprah.com/.../About-Shes-Come-Undone-by-Wally-Lamb Read More