What Is The Theme Of Elena Vanishing By Dunkle

In the memoir Elena Vanishing, by Elena and Clare B. Dunkle, she tells of her memories, pain, feelings, and fears regarding her long battle with an eating disorder. Over her experience, she loses many friends along the way, and even angers her family as well. What I found most remarkable about this story was that no matter what happened in her life whether she was avoiding treatment or wanting to give up, her family was behind her one hundred percent and encouraging her along the way, especially her mother. The memoir shows the rollercoaster ride of emotions with her mother. There were times when Elena said “ ‘I’m leaving’, I announce. ‘I’m moving out just like you wanted’. ‘That’s not what I want,’ Mom says. ‘And if you’re leaving, you’re

Parents give their children tough love with good intentions. Elena or the children may not appreciate their parent’s methods, but in the end everything happens for a reason, and come to understand their reasoning. Even when they hit rock bottom with one another they still always found a reconcile, and put aside their differences. It shows that any relationship is salvageable if you want to have one, and make the effort. Their unconditional love for each other was the glue that kept them together, and allowed them to move past all of their issues. So much, that they were even able to write a book together on their struggles together. This relationship has showed me that all relationships are worth fighting for. I will take this in the future with me whenever I get in a fight with my mom or sister. Having them in my life is better, even when we are fighting, then not having them in my life at

Before reading this, I never understood the mindset people had with eating disorders and why they would want to harm their own bodies. After reading this, I have come to understand her reasoning and what she felt during those troubling times. She says “ As the girl in the mirror got thinner, I became more popular. And I didn’t have to do a thing! Guys treated me differently. Girls came to me and begged ‘Please, please tell me how you did it.’(10).” We do drastic things in order to fit in and please others. It was just as hard for her to eat, as it is hard for us not to eat. Now that may sound like a crazy idea to people, because food is something that nourishes us and keeps us living, but to her it was her downfall, and kept her from being everything that she wanted or imagined to be. Our fantasies can take us over until it is the only path that we can think about. When you are headstrong, you are not big into making compromises, which was a major downfall of Elena’s and myself as well. Often, our egos get in the way of the truth that is lying right in front of