Alice Sebold Lucky Essay

Alice Sebold is able to survive the trauma of her rape because of personality traits and past experiences. In a sense, Sebold is indeed lucky; lucky that she survives a traumatic experience in a way that few others can or do. Throughout her memoir, Lucky, Sebold demonstrates her determination to move past her rape. This determination allows her to focus on the present and not dwell on her experience or struggle with self-pity. The rape provides to Sebold a purpose; to move past her rape and not let it defeat her. Sebold’s past with her emotionally inept family made her independent; this also allows her to recognize that she cannot rely on others. Her wit is a trait that she uses throughout her memoir to test herself, her friends, and her family.

Sebold holds no illusion that people around her are going to carry her to recovery. Indeed, Sebold writes that “No one can pull anyone back from anywhere. You save yourself or you remain unsaved” (61). The recognition of this fact is vital to Sebold because it allows her to survive when, indeed, no one is there to pull her back. Instead, Sebold is largely forced to pull others back despite her belief. Sebold writes that “What you have after that is a family. Your sister has a dorm room for you to see. Your mother has a panic attack to attend. Your father, well, he’s being ignorant, and you can should the burden of educating him” (55). Sebold’s family is scattered and panicking in the face of her rape which leaves Sebold to deal with their collapse. Taking care of her family is a common theme for Sebold, in fact, it is because of this that Sebold is able to see things through such a lens. She writes that “As Mary grew less and less sympathetic, I compensated and became the emotional overlord…” (40). Sebold is not naïve or dependent, rather, she has taken care of her family from a young age because of which she sees everything going on around her. It is because of this that Sebold seems to have maturity beyond her years. Sebold is asked “… How old are you, young lady? You look a lot like your mother, you know that” (49). Sebold is not simply her mother’s

It takes a very particular type of person to overcome such a horrific event. Sebold’s father says “if it had to happen to one of you, I’m glad it happened to you and not your sister” (57). This statement extends beyond the contrast of Sebold and her sister. Few people have the combination of traits that would allow them to survive a trauma such as rape. In a sense, it is lucky that, for once, a rape victim is able, even well equipped, to survive and move beyond what happened to them. Even more so, it is astronomical luck that put Sebold, and her rapist face to face (103). This encounter allowed Sebold to provide more detail about her rapist, as well as further driving her determination to pursue his conviction. Sebold writes “He was laughing because he had gotten away with it, because he had raped before me, and because he would rape again” (103). This encounter is lucky not just in its sheer unlikeliness but in it further motivating Sebold to survive for the sake of others that could be harmed by her rapist. Sebold is also lucky to have received a professor like Tess Galagher, and to be driven towards writing as a result of her rape (98). Sebold’s return is not dismal, it is filled with experiences that push her forward. In fact, it is through Galagher that Sebold has her first meaningful conversation about her rape and pursues writing about it (98). This encounter is lucky for the sole reason that the