Memories of Summer by Ruth White

Significance
There are a lot of reasons people should care about this book. For one, it has deep meaning and it is really a heartfelt written story. Two, there is a great moral, and three, it has an amazing plot. This work matters because it is not just any ordinary book. It is very different and I would choose it over any other book in the library. People should care about the events in this book simply because they’re real. People have heard of some issues, but this book really puts you in the shoes of the family with the problem. This work is valuable in so many ways, for one it cost $16.00. Just kidding. For one, it is not a book that you read and then forget about. Oh no. After I read it, I felt the need to just sit there and think for a few minutes. I have never done that before with a book. And two, you really take something with you after reading this book. It messes with your heart, and now I see a different perspective on the issue. And that’ll stay with me forever.

Perspective
This book was written by Ruth White, and it took place in 1955. “…is described through the eyes of Lyric, who loves her sister deeply, yet she finds herself feeling increasing frustration, embarrassment, and anger…” an excerpt from the back of the book. So, Lyric sees Summer’s mental illness as something that needs to change, when others might think to just put her in a mental house and forget about her. When I first started reading this book, I didn’t really think about the families in that situation, and it jut never really mattered to me. But after reading this book, I have a whole new perspective on things. There definitely is another way to approach this problem in real life. Some families, as soon as they fnd out their child has disabilities, just gives them up for adoption. But, Lyric and her daddy took it a whole different way.

Evidence
Well, the author isn’t really trying to make an argument in the book, he is just telling a story.

Connections
This book took place in 1955 but these events definitely still happen to this day. There are still people with mental illnesses and there are still families that have to go through what Summer and hers did. This piece inspires me to read so much more. Because, it is such an amazing book, I didn’t know there was this good of books out there, so I am now determined to go read until I find one better than this. It’s hard to connect this with books or papers I have written. BUT, it does inspire me to write better, in more detail so the reader can have as good of an experience reading it as I did.

Supposition
Based on the information given, I think that Summer will never be “normal” again, but hopefully she will get better. If Summer was in a different family, then I think that the story would be a heck of a lot different. After Summer broke glass on Lyrics’ head, most families would’ve given up there and the story would’ve been over. If this book took place in modern times, I’m sure it would be mostly the same, but just a few minor changes. It wouldn’t change the important parts at ALL, however. For most people, life today wouldn’t be any different if mental illness didn’t exist, but for quite a few families it would.