According To Lucy Grealy Autobiography Of A Face Essay

Nijad Makoon
Prof.Hackelton
English 001A
June 11 2023

According to the 2003 autobiography by Lucy Grealy, “Autobiography of a Face”, Grealy describes the struggle of finding meaning to her life despite going through cancer. Grealy had undergone multiple operations for her facial abnormalities caused by cancer when she was a young girl. She examines issues like identity, self-worth, and how society's standards of beauty affect her own sense of self throughout the whole book. Therefore, from changing her entire physical appearance to her yearning for someone to love, a question she constantly asks herself “was I lovable or was I ugly?”. Based on the quote Grealy identifies her need for approval and love. Throughout the autobiography she

So was being “normal” the only way of being loved or receiving love from someone? Well according to Grealy being normal was the only goal she had for a long time. Having a face that one would look at and not feel scared or criticized for. This was what she wanted to have for the longest time. Thus the countless surgeries and treatments she would undergo would not be able to achieve this. This not just affected her physically but also psychologically. Having to accept that she is unable to achieve that state of “normal” was something she could not come into terms with. So she would look for something else she could change, her

This stage that takes place during one’s young adulthood explains the point at which one starts to yearn for love and if they do not achieve this they choose isolation. Thus in Grealey's case she chose to lead to isolation. While she yearns for this form of love and affection from someone she just tends to hold herself back due to the constant trauma and lack of self esteem. In the case of Grealy, her issues with her physical appearance and abnormalities have a significant negative influence on her capacity to form close relationships. She struggles to completely accept herself and thinks she is not lovable because of her facial defects, surgeries, and social criticism. This makes it difficult to build meaningful relationships and share genuine connections with