Poignant and inspirational, She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb is the tale of an exceptional young woman who defies self doubt to overcome loss, loneliness, mental illness, abuse, and degradation. With a strong will driving her, and the aid of a savvy disposition, Dolores Price illustrates the magnitude of human strength, and proves that the most arduous task in life is banishing the demons of your past.
Throughout the novel, Dolores is forced to suffer because of her inability comprehend and move on from the horrific events that have befallen her. At the age of thirteen, Dolores is raped but a family friend. Jack Speight was the charismatic radio show host who lived with his wife in the apartment above Dolores's grandmother. With his playful jests and charming demeanor, he wins the affection of the three women immediately. However, as frustration at work mounts, Jacks behavior towards Dolores becomes increasingly inappropriate. On a drive into the woods one evening, he commits the brutal act. The enormity and permanence is not beyond Dolores's thirteen-year-old comprehension. As she stares at her reflection, she states "What had happened was going to be always on me, in me, as permanent as one of Roberta's tattoos I repeated my name over and over until it sounded warped and unreal. I was never going to be myself again". Dolores's sense of guilt and betrayal remain, as she enters high school and continues into her adult life. Being raped instilled a sense of worthlessness in Dolores, essentially killing a part of her. The devastation of the rape encompasses her being, suffocating what is left of the adolescent. Without a social life or academic ambition, Dolores eats compulsively, in an effort to fill the void within her soul. At 237lbs, she is lonely, miserable, and seemingly at the peak of anguish. However, Dolores's grief is only furthered, when a truck kills her mother during her shift as a tollbooth employee.
ENG 214: RESEARCH METHODS LECTURERS: Mrs Abdulsalam Nike and Mr Mathias Orhero This course is designed to equip students with the knowledge, methods and technicalities of research writing. In every institution of the world, students must submit a form of research work or another as a pre-requisit...
