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

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,