Educated: A Memoir That Helped Me Reclaim My Voice

This post contains detailed reflections and commentary on Educated by Tara Westover, including key themes and events from the memoir. If you haven’t read the book yet and prefer to experience it without prior knowledge, you may want to bookmark this and return after reading.

    If you haven’t read this book or heard about it, you’re missing out on one of the most talked-about memoirs in recent years. For the last few years, I have had lots of people recommend this book to me. I had put it on my list but just never got to it. I don't think this book would have hit me as hard as it did if I would have read it a few years earlier.

    Educated is a powerful memoir of Tara Westover. She chronicles her journey from growing up in a strict survivalist family in rural Idaho to eventually earning her PhD from Cambridge University.

    Her family, Mormon fundamentalists, believed the end of the world was near. They homeschooled their children, practiced herbal medicine, and distrusted public institutions like the government, schools, and hospitals.

    Westover’s story is rich with themes that resonate deeply, especially for those who’ve experienced trauma or transformation.

    Education is a major theme of Westover’s book as she portrays it as the transformative force that allowed her to finally understand the world and gave her the strength to break free from her family’s control. Abuse is another central theme - one her family continues to deny. This has made it difficult for Westover to trust many of her own experiences as she has had to grapple with the knowledge that memory can be unstable and subjective. Westover experienced physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her family, and it was her family dynamics, and her identity as a loyal daughter that kept her trapped in this abusive cycle of silence and denial for a long time. When Westover finally decides to trust her own voice and experiences, even though they contradict with her family, her journey of self-discovery and trust in her own intuition is radical and empowering. The raw honesty with which she wrote this memoir made it one of the best books of the year in 2018 according to The New York Times, Time, and NPR.

    I decided to listen to the audiobook, and it was difficult at times to continue as the author kept justifying why her life was the way it was and to blame herself for so much of it. I cringed every time she returned to the toxic life she had escaped, only to be hurt again. When I read this in 2021, it had been almost 2 years since I decided to leave a very toxic relationship where I constantly blamed myself for everything. I justified everything done to me as normal and had accepted this to be my lot in life. As time has gone past, I have learned to slowly stop blaming myself for not seeing what is so apparent now, and to move on. It gets easier with time and distance, but years of being manipulated to think and feel a certain way are very hard "habits" to break. I could see myself in how the author described her mom who kept justifying everything her dad did. I still carry guilt for the times I didn’t stand up for my girls when they needed me most.

    This book was exactly what I needed to remind myself that some things are/were beyond my control. I can't change someone or make others see what I saw, all I can do is to be here now to pick up the pieces I let fall. I need to be happy with my progress and not look back, no matter how hard it is.

    I need to focus on the future now and not on the 'what ifs' anymore. I can't change the past. I can't wonder what if I would have spoken up sooner or found my courage earlier on... All I have is the here and now and what I do with my life from this moment forward.

    Thank you, Tara, for letting me read your story - to understand mine a little better, to make peace with my past, and to see my future a little brighter. If you’ve ever struggled to break free from a painful past, I highly recommend this book. It’s not just Tara’s story – it’s a mirror for so many of us.

Published: February 2018
Read: February 2021

aB . 2025 . All Right Reserved

The Internet

    According to the article we read during week 5 of my Internet and Society class, a basic description of the internet is that it is the connection of computer networks around the world into one entity, so to speak. It’s not one big computer, but rather numerous networked computers connected. (Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia) I was already a little older when the internet became something that could be used by everyone. I remember signing up for my first email address and realizing that I now could be connected to people across the world at a much faster pace. As I have gotten older I have also seen the internet age and grow. I have seen it add many more functions and possibilities to make people's lives easier. My kids will never know what it is like to do homework, write a paper, or do research for a school project without the internet or even a computer. In a way my entire lifetime so far has been part of an ethnographic study of the internet as it developed right alongside myself into what it is today.

    Sheila Jasanoff tells us that human beings are given to redescribing their world. The greatest achievements of human creativity - in art, literature, and in the sciences - come from just that urge to reread and rewrite experience. (Jasanoff, 2016) Because of our access to the internet and all the information you can find online that may be outdated, we can do what she describes by rereading and rewriting those things so that they make more sense in our world today. Our vocabulary has changed as well over time and so many things need to be updated constantly to keep the ideas current and relevant. The internet is allowing us to do so on a broad scale as we are able to collect all of these outdated ideas and rewrite them for our use today.

    Because we have access to the internet and lots of different information, we need to make sure that the information online is relevant, true, and accessible to all. Surveys can be more easily distributed to reach larger populations and large groups of people can collaborate with each other seamlessly online to further research and other important matters. A lot of our knowledge today comes from the internet and what is posted and uploaded by many different people. We have access to lots of different points of view for all types of situations. Rules and regulations are being placed on the internet as it continues to grow and give access to people who previously would never have been able to take part in it. Governments all over the world have had to create new laws for privacy, false accusations, copyright issues, and much more as the internet can now be found in many homes and businesses. We don’t even need to leave our home anymore for grocery shopping, schooling, work, and entertainment as it can all be accessed by us online.

    The digital divide is becoming narrower as now more than ever people have access to the internet and all its abilities. Older generations that did not grow up with this technology are catching up quickly and are able to keep pace with the younger generations in all aspects. They can be part of the online community in their homes, on their phones, at work, or wherever they are. Many elementary and secondary schools use technology in the classrooms and teach their students how to submit work online and do homework that way. Universities have online classes such as this one that don’t require students to ever set foot on a physical campus. For the first few years when I came back to UVU to finish my degree I had started a long time ago, I was able to take all my classes online while continuing to work full time. All I needed was a computer and an internet connection. I was able to have class discussions this way, log into live stream sessions, and do Team chats with my classmates and professors.

    There are so many components to the internet that are not visible to us. Underwater cables and satellite dishes in the sky keep us connected without our knowledge. We can get Wi-Fi at work, in our homes, and on the go with hotspots, internet routers, or just our regular cell service. Technology is replacing paper left and right by allowing us to write research papers online and submit them that way as well. Receipts are now sent to email addresses instead of physically handed to a customer at the end of a transaction. The multiple invisible components of the internet keep us going about our business without even stopping to think how this is all possible. Our lives are interrupted briefly when the Wi-Fi goes out or we lose cell service, but most of the time those hiccups are temporary, and we are back to business within a short period of time. The internet is fascinating at what it can do for us daily, even when we do not realize its impact on most of our day-to-day activities.

Sources:

Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. (n.d.). Evaluating Internet resources. GALILEO. https://www.usg.edu/galileo/skills/unit07/internet07_01.phtml

Jasanoff, S. (2016). The floating ampersand: Sts past and sts to come. Engaging Science,
Technology, and Society, 2, 227–237. https://doi.org/10.17351/ests2016.78

[Written for SOC 3690 class UVU Spring 2024]
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Two Women, Two Trails, One Shared Spirit: A Reflection on Grandma Gatewood's Walk and Wild

I’m an avid hiker and have always dreamed of hiking the Appalachian Trail. After going through a divorce following a 20-year emotionally abusive marriage, my sister recommended I read Grandma Gatewood’s Walk. I found the audiobook and was hooked immediately—I loved every minute of it. Emma Gatewood is absolutely amazing, and one day I hope to be just like her. Hearing all she endured gave me hope for my own life. Every avid—and even aspiring—hiker should read or listen to her incredible story. Hiking the Appalachian Trail remains on my bucket list, and I’m more determined than ever to follow in her footsteps. A year later, I was introduced to Wild by Cheryl Strayed and absolutely fell in love with that story as well.

Emma “Grandma” Gatewood was the first woman to solo thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. She did so in Keds, without a tent, carrying only a denim shoulder sack she sewed herself—all at the age of 67. The trail stretches 2,168 miles from Georgia to Maine. In Grandma Gatewood’s Walk, Ben Montgomery beautifully recounts her early life, the hardships she faced, and her brutal trek along the trail in 1955. Gatewood endured 30 years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse from her husband while raising 11 children, running a household, and working the fields. In a time when divorce wasn’t considered an option, she found solace in long walks, sometimes with her children in tow. After reading about the trail in a 1949 issue of National Geographic, she attempted her first hike in 1954 but got lost in Maine. She tried again in 1955 and succeeded, completing the trail in 146 days. She went on to hike the trail two more times and even walked 2,000 miles of the Oregon Trail in 1959. Her hikes brought media attention to the poor condition of the Appalachian Trail, and her influence helped inspire the passage of the National Trails System Act of 1968, ensuring trails remain accessible to people of all ages and abilities.

In contrast, Wild by Cheryl Strayed is a memoir chronicling her 1,100-mile solo hike on the Pacific Crest Trail as a journey of personal healing. At 26, Strayed was grieving the sudden death of her mother, coping with a fractured family, and struggling with addiction and the collapse of her marriage. Feeling broken and lost, she decided to hike the PCT—despite having no prior hiking experience. She began in the Mojave Desert and hiked through California and Oregon, ending at the Bridge of the Gods in Washington. Along the way, she faced harsh weather, exhaustion, wildlife, strangers, and emotional reckonings. Strayed’s story is raw, honest, and deeply emotional, resonating with readers everywhere. She was more prepared than Gatewood, carrying modern gear and relying on resupply boxes she mailed ahead.

Both women undertook long-distance hikes alone, which was rare and groundbreaking in their respective eras. Their stories brought national attention to the trails they hiked—Gatewood to the Appalachian Trail and Strayed to the Pacific Crest Trail. Each hike was a form of healing and empowerment: Gatewood left behind an abusive marriage, while Strayed confronted grief and addiction. Their journeys inspired bestselling books, and in Strayed’s case, a film adaptation starring Reese Witherspoon.

Publication & Adaptation Details

• Wild by Cheryl Strayed: Published March 2012
• Wild (film): Released December 2014
• Grandma Gatewood’s Walk by Ben Montgomery: Published April 2014

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One Battle After Another - Movie Review

 

This review contains plot details and character analysis that may reveal key moments from One Battle After Another. Read at your own discretion if you haven’t seen the film yet.

I really enjoyed this nearly 3-hour movie. It maintained great pacing throughout and never felt boring. The storyline combines unsettling and complex themes that are highly relevant today, including white supremacy, immigration, racism, and trauma. These social and political topics were addressed thoughtfully, without coming across as preachy. The film included a few well-executed jump scares that were unexpected but added to the tension. A gripping car scene early in the movie and another spectacular one near the end were definite highlights for me. The dialogue felt real, raw, heightened, and eccentric – adding depth to the characters and their relationships. Action, suspense, and comedy were seamlessly blended by a brilliant cast, making this an epic rollercoaster ride of a movie. The music score was terrific, setting the tone and amplifying the paranoia and emotional tension in every scene. I also really enjoyed the cinematography as the scenery was beautiful and added visual depth to the story.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays a revolutionary fighter turned father, trying to do his best, and he shines in the role - you can’t help but root for him. Benicio Del Toro brings a calm, collected energy, appearing disinterested yet unwavering in his fight. He balances DiCaprio well, and together they add moments of unexpected humor. Regina Hall is powerful and captivating - I wish she had more screen time. Chase Infiniti brings quiet strength to her role, and I am excited to see more of her in future projects. Teyana Taylor plays a revolutionary fighter who is not yet ready to be a mother; her performance is intense and unforgettable – you want to hate her, but you can’t look away. The standout performance comes from Sean Penn. He is unrecognizable, spectacular, and legendary. His portrayal of the villain is chilling and precise, delivering a performance that feels like an Oscar-worthy one.

This film contains a moderate amount of sex, nudity, violence, gore, alcohol, drugs, smoking, fighting, and intense scenes. The profanity is severe.

Viewed in Theater: October 7, 2025
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Written by: Paul Thomas Anderson, inspired by Vineland by Thomas Pynchon
Music by: Jonny Greenwood
Cinematography: Michael Bauman
Release Date: September 26, 2025

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Chaos, Creation, and the Limits of Divine Power

Week 4 in my Religious Studies class felt different as the campus was slowly reopening after last week's tragic event. With no class on Monday, we only had one class day on Wednesday to get all of the readings in. I read The Problem of Evil in Process Theism and Classical Free Will Theism by William Hasker and chapter two of The Providence of God by Paul Helm. At the end of the week, I was then asked to read Creation out of Nothing by David Griffin. After reading Griffin, I was asked to first concisely summarize his key points in 200-250 words, and then I was asked how Griffin would respond to William Hasker's central arguments in 250-300 words. Here is my submission for the assignment:

    David Ray Griffin argues that the traditional Christian doctrine of creatio ex nihilo and divine omnipotence make the problem of evil something we cannot solve. He proposes a different theodicy called process theism, that is rooted in the creation out of chaos. Process theism reimagines the nature of God – not as a source of evil, but as a loving and active presence striving to bring about good. Instead of creation out of nothing, God organized the world from pre-existing chaotic matter, which had its own tendencies and freedom. This way evil can exist without making God morally responsible for it. Griffin rejects God as omnipotent in the classical sense and calls his power persuasive, not coercive. He mentions that reality consists of autonomous agents (including humans and other entities) that God influences but cannot control. When it comes to evil, Griffin insists that evil is real and tragic, not illusory or necessary for a greater good. “Genuine” evil are events categorized as things that would be better if they had not occurred. Griffin’s view on divine power is also different as he sees God as perfect in love and wisdom but not all-powerful. He believes that evil arises from the freedom and unpredictability of the world, not from the divine will.

    David Griffin’s views stand in contrast to those of William Hasker, particularly in how each theologian understands divine power and the origin of evil. Griffin identifies as a process theologian and so he rejects the idea of God as omnipotent in the classical sense. He believes that if God had the power to prevent evil but chose not to, then God must not be good. He also believes that the traditional view of free will allows God to intervene which He chooses not to, which Griffin sees as morally problematic. Griffin supports creation out of chaos instead of creation out of nothing. If God created everything from nothing, then God is still responsible for creating beings capable of evil. Creation out of chaos avoids this by stating that freedom and unpredictability are built-in from the start. Hasker argues that natural evils are part of God’s necessary plan, but Griffin sees this as a troubling limitation on divine power. In open theism God created the world from nothing and could have designed it differently and so God is ultimately responsible for the evil that stems from it. In process theism God is part of the process of reality and constantly working to bring about good, but he cannot unilaterally prevent evil. The difference here makes it that God is not morally responsible for evil in the same way that open theism’s God might be.

References:

Griffin, D. R. (2006). Creation out of nothing: A biblical, philosophical, and scientific exploration. Westminster John Knox Press.

Hasker, W. (2000). The problem of evil in process theism and classical free will theism. Process Studies, 29(2), 194–208.

Helm, P. (1994). The providence of God. IVP Academic.

[Written for PHIL 366R class UVU Fall 2025]
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From Classroom to Crisis: The Unthinkable After the Lecture

In week 3 of my Religious Studies class, we read chapter 1 of Divided by Faith by Benjamin J. Kaplan and chapter 2 of Jihad and the Struggle for Islam by John Esposito. After class on Wednesday, September 10, our University was shut down and classes were cancelled as tragedy struck and a life was taken too soon. 

The fact that we had been talking about religious intolerance and violence just 25 minutes earlier was surreal and heartbreaking to me. There was no assignment for this week, and no other readings were assigned until the middle of next week to give faculty, staff, and students time to grieve and process what happened on our campus, where safety had now been shattered.

References:

Esposito, J. L. (1996). Jihad and the struggle for Islam. In The religion factor. Westminster John Knox Press.

Kaplan, B. J. (2007). Divided by faith: Religious conflict and the practice of toleration in early modern Europe. Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.

[Written for PHIL 366R class UVU Fall 2025]
aB . All Rights Reserved . 2025

No Swords, No Oaths: The Radical Reformation's Peaceful Protest

With Labor Day falling on one of our class days, week 2 of my Religious Studies class was significantly shorter. We were only assigned to read chapter 9 out of Fields of Blood by Karen Armstrong, and then for the weekly assignment, I read the Schleitheim Confession of 1527, and The Radical Reformation by Brad S. Gregory, which is chapter 4 in the Oxford History of the Reformation. I was then posed three different questions to answer in 500-600 words. Here are the questions:

What was the Radical Reformation? What makes this group distinct in relation to broader Reformation movements? Why is the Schleitheim Confession important in understanding core themes in our class?

Here is my assignment submission that answers those three questions:

    The Reformation started in the early 16th century when key figures like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Huldrych Zwingli challenged practices within the Catholic Church that they believed needed reform. While many traditions remained, their critiques led to the formation of new denominations such as Lutheranism and Calvinism, which emphasized that salvation comes through faith in Christ alone and that the Bible is the sole source of religious truth.

    However, other reformers diverged from this mainstream movement to push for even deeper changes. These leaders sought to create a completely new, purified church based solely on New Testament teachings, rejecting any involvement with the state. Thomas Muntzer, Menno Simons, and other Anabaptist leaders rejected infant baptism in favor of adult baptism, believing faith must be a personal and conscious decision. Their beliefs were considered radical and heretical by both Catholics and mainstream Protestants.

    One of the most important documents outlining Anabaptist beliefs is the Schleitheim Confession (1527), written during a time of persecution and theological confusion. It clarified their core principles so others could understand their distinct approach to Christianity.

1. They believe that only adults need to be baptized, and only those who choose it.
2. Members of their church who sin need to be corrected with love. If they don’t change then they should be excluded from the community only after repeated warnings.
3. Only those who are part of the community (baptized adults) should have communion as it is a symbol of unity and commitment to Christ.
4. Good Christians should live differently than the rest of society. They should avoid things that go against God’s teachings, including corrupt politics and false religion.
5. Pastors are chosen by the church and should live a simple life. Their role is to teach, guide, and care for the church. It is not to seek power or wealth.
6. Christians should not use violence or serve in the military. Christians believe in peace and following Jesus’ example of love and forgiveness.
7. Christians should not swear any oaths. They should always speak truthfully, so oaths are never necessary.

    Anabaptists were considered radical because they went far beyond the reforms proposed by Luther and Calvin. They challenged long-standing religious traditions, especially baptism, and redefined them. Unlike Lutherans and Calvinists, Anabaptists believed the church should be entirely separate from political power. They refused to swear oaths of allegiance or serve in government roles, which meant they received no political support.

    In a time when religion and warfare were deeply intertwined, most Anabaptists were strict pacifists, refusing to bear arms, participate in war, or use violence – even in self-defense. Their commitment to peace and voluntary faith made them targets of persecution from both Catholic and Protestant authorities.

    The Reformation had unintended consequences that led to deep divisions. While Martin Luther aimed to correct major problems within the Catholic Church, he did not intend for religion to lose its public role. However, once people began interpreting the Bible for themselves, disagreements multiplied. Many Protestant groups claimed to have the “correct interpretation,” leading to religious conflict and political instability.

    As religion and violence increasingly affected society, the need for tolerance became clear. People could not be forced to believe the same way. To stop the fighting, freedom of religion became essential. Over time, this led to the idea that religion should be less central to public life, paving the way for secularization.

References:

Armstrong, K. (2014). The arrival of religion. In Fields of blood: Religion and the history of violence. Alfred A. Knopf.

Gregory, B. S. (2022). The radical reformation. In P. Marshall (Ed.), The Oxford history of the Reformation (pp. 144–190). Oxford University Press.

Sattler, M. (1527). The Schleitheim Confession. Swiss Brethren Conference. (Original work translated by J. C. Wenger, 1945)

[Written for PHIL 366R class UVU Fall 2025]
aB . All Rights Reserved . 2025