An Analysis Of Amber Smith's The Way I Used To Be

Amber Smith’s novel, The Way I Used to Be explains the difficulties and experiences a young teenager named Eden overcomes. Eden struggles to cope with her emotional struggles after being raped by her brother’s best friend, Kevin. As a result, Eden experiences with drugs and engages in multiple sexual relationships. She also becomes more distant with family and friends and begins to isolate herself. She knows she is supposed to tell someone about what has happened to her however, she lacks the support in order to do so. Eden’s silence about the assault is ultimately centered by Kevin’s reassurance that no one will ever believe in her. Eden’s journey from a victim to survivor portrays the dangers of silence and the importance of finding one's voice. By the end of Eden’s journey, she is able to seek for

support and is able to claim ownership of her life.

Eden’s realization encourages young readers, especially rape survivors to analyze their coping mechanisms in situations like this. For instance, reaching out to a close friend, a parent, or the authorities. A second major theme in this novel is the overcoming of trauma. After Eden’s sexual assault, she was told to believe that her words had no validity. When her family and friends began to notice her destructive behavior Eden confessed the details of the assault. The character was able to speak about her abuse and obtain the help she needed.

Throughout the course of this novel, Eden struggled to find healthy ways to cope. Instead she depended on drugs or alcohol to relief her pain. In regards to the Teenage Brain: A Neuroscientist's Survival Guide to Raising Adolescents and Young Adults Frances E. Jensen states that recent studies have shown that the frontal lobes, which control risk-taking, are less “connected” in teens than adults (Jenson,

pg. 119). This explains why Eden chose to partake in alcohol, cigarettes and sex. Towards the middle of her sophomore year, Eden started to experiment with cigarettes. At the age of 15 a person’s brain has not fully finished developing. Eden failed to realize how harmful cigarettes and alcohol were for her health. This then lead her to engage in sexual relationships with men that she knew little about. Eden also beings to start fighting with her parents and referring to her mother by her first name, Vanessa. The importance of this is to show the extent of Eden’s rebellion. For many, “adolescence is a time when the young separate from the comfort and safety of their parent in order to explore the world and find independence” (Jenson, pg. 104). Eden did everything in her will power to escape the sorrow she was feeling and rebelled against her parents. According to Jensen, “the problem for teens is that their underdeveloped frontal cortex means they have trouble seeing ahead, or understanding the consequences of their independent acts, and are therefore ill equipped to weigh the relative harms of [their] risky behavior” (Jenson, pg. 104). At the time her assault, Eden had just turned fifteen. At this age, teenagers make poor decisions about drugs, alcohol, and sex. Eden was not able to fully analyze the risks of her behaviors and therefore went to multiple parties and drank in excessive amounts.
If presenting Amber Smith’s novel, it is important to be sensitive of the conversation of rape. Some teens may have been harmed themselves therefore. It important to create a safe environment when discussing this book. With the coming of age of social media, we now have access to several platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. These platforms allow for social movements to develop among the population. One example, #MeToo demonstrates the widespread of sexual assault that women experience. This movement has led high-profile celebrities to share their stories about sexual violence. The #MeToo movement has created a space for victims to share their stories without the fear of criticism or judgement. All in all, it is essential as future educators to acknowledge that sexual assault does indeed exist. Engaging students in a conversation about the risk factors associated with sexual assault is crucial to provide students with the resources they need to cope.