Summary Of Educated By Mara Westover

In the book Educated by Tara Westover, the author tells the story of her upbringing in an extremely restrictive and abusive household. Her father was paranoid about the government and put her in harm's way while also denying her access to education. Tara is not allowed to go to school, constricting her ability to learn about the world around her and what life truly is. When Tara finally rebels and goes to university, she discovers that education is what truly motivates her and gives her the opportunity to grow. In Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor Franl, the author argues that one can only find meaning in life by becoming aware of their responsibilities. Tara’s education uncovered meaning for her because learning new perspectives allowed her

Without leaving her entire past behind, Tara transformed into a new person, with the strength of what she endured at Buck’s Peak. As Tara is on a tour, her teacher notices her strength and resilience compared to her classmates around her. “Everyone has undergone a change,” Dr. Kerry said. “The other students were relaxed until we came to this height. Now they are uncomfortable, on edge. You seem to have made the opposite journey. This is the first time I’ve seen you at home in yourself. It’s in the way you move: it’s as if you’ve been on this roof all your life” (Westover 237). Tara had undoubtedly changed since the time she left Buck’s Peak, but she had held on to traits that shaped her character for the better. Even through all of the suffering and trauma she endured during her childhood, it shaped who Tara truly is: “It is one of the basic tenants of logotherapy that man’s main concern is not to gain pleasure or avoid pain but rather to see a meaning in his life. That is why man is even ready to suffer, on the condition, to be sure, that his suffering has a meaning” (Frankl 112). Frankl explains that there is no way to truly find meaning without suffering. A life of solely pleasure cannot be beneficial in the search of what truly matters to someone, and Tara was able to find her meaning through all the suffering she