Essay Questions

What does Deborah experience in the religious sect?

While Deborah stays in the religious sect, she experiences misery, limitations, restraint and sexism. The religious community had complete control over her actions, and she was told what she could wear, read and even who she could talk to. She was not taught sex education, but was forced into an unhappy arranged marriage, where she felt like a failure because she couldn’t have a child. Overall the experience was damaging and traumatic, and is something Deborah comes to terms with in her memoir.

Why does Deborah decide she needs to escape?

In Deborah’s memoir, we learn that she had rebellious thoughts from a young age, always having had an interest in books. She recalls that there were restrictions on what she could read, so she decided to steal books and keep them secret, favoring the writing of Jane Austen. Later, Deborah is forced into an arranged marriage and finally has a child. She is then inspired to seek a new life for her and her child, to ensure that they do not experience what she did growing up.