24 Tara Westover’s Educated
In This Chapter
Author Background
Tara Westover was born in September 1986 in Clifton, Idaho, to a strict and isolated family. Her parents were devout Mormons and held extreme beliefs regarding government interference and education. Westover grew up in a household where formal education was discouraged, and she was denied access to schooling, medical care, and many modern conveniences.
Despite her lack of formal education, Westover was determined to learn. She taught herself to read and write, and her love for learning eventually led her to seek education outside her family’s influence. At the age of 17, she enrolled in Brigham Young University, where she excelled academically and began to discover the world beyond her isolated upbringing.
Writing Career
After completing her undergraduate studies, Westover went on to earn a Ph.D. in History from the University of Cambridge. Her academic achievements and the profound transformation she underwent in her pursuit of education became the basis of her memoir, Educated, which was published in 2018.
Educated became a critically acclaimed bestseller, receiving widespread praise for its powerful storytelling and exploration of themes such as family, identity, and the transformative power of education. The book resonated with readers around the world and has been translated into numerous languages.
Legacy
Tara Westover’s memoir catapulted her to international recognition and established her as a prominent voice in literature. Her work has been celebrated for its courage, vulnerability, and insight into the complexities of family dynamics and personal growth.
Since the publication of Educated, Westover has been a sought-after speaker and has appeared on various media platforms to discuss her experiences and the themes raised in her memoir. She continues to write and engage in conversations about education, resilience, and the power of knowledge.
If you are able, read Educated. At the time of publication, I could not find a free open access copy, but the book is certainly worth the purchase or a trip to your local library.
Tara Westover appeared on The Ellen Show to talk about her upbringing. You can watch Ellen’s interview with Tara here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is635n6RNR0
The following discussion questions can serve as a starting point for exploring the various themes and ideas presented in Educated by Tara Westover.
- Tara’s upbringing is filled with extreme isolation and abuse. How do you think her upbringing shaped her perspective on education and the outside world?
- Education plays a central role in Tara’s journey. How does education empower and transform her? What are the benefits and challenges she encounters as she seeks education?
- The relationship between Tara and her parents is complex and fraught with tension. How does the memoir depict the struggle between loyalty to family and the need for personal growth and self-discovery?
- Mental health is a recurring theme throughout the book. How does Tara’s upbringing affect her mental well-being? How does she navigate her mental health challenges and find healing?
- Tara faces many obstacles and prejudices as she enters formal education. How does she overcome these barriers? What lessons can we learn from her resilience and determination?
- Religion plays a significant role in Tara’s upbringing and her family’s beliefs. How does the memoir explore the intersection of faith, personal autonomy, and critical thinking?
- Tara’s transformation is not only academic but also cultural and social. How does she navigate her evolving identity and reconcile her past with her present self?
- The book raises questions about the role of education in breaking cycles of poverty, abuse, and ignorance. How does Tara’s story shed light on the transformative power of education?
Teaching Tara Westover’s memoir Educated can involve various activities to engage students and deepen their understanding of the book’s themes and content. Providing opportunities for meaningful discussions, creative expression, and deeper analysis can enhance students’ engagement with the memoir and promote a richer learning experience. The following activity ideas can be adapted based on the grade level and specific needs of students and they can also be expanded to be group activities.
- Character Analysis: Choose a character from the memoir and create a character profile or a character analysis essay. Explore the character’s motivations, actions, and growth throughout the book, and discuss the impact they had on Tara’s life.
- Reflective Journaling: Keep a reflective journal as you read the memoir. Choose your own prompts based on the discussion questions above. Share your reflections in class discussions or through written reflections to foster deeper engagement with the text.
- Visual Representation: Create a visual representation of a key scene or moment from the memoir. You can create a collage, a storyboard, or even perform a short skit.
- Socratic Seminar: Create your own student-led discussion about the memoir. Provide open-ended questions or quotes from the book for your classmates to analyze and discuss together. Actively listen, respond, and build on each other’s ideas during the seminar.
- Comparison to Other Memoirs: Pair Educated with one (or more) of the other memoirs we have read to explore similar themes such as resilience, identity, or the power of education. Read and compare these texts, identifying similarities and differences in narrative style, themes, and character development.
- Research Project: Conduct research on a key topic within the memoir (such as the history of education, the impact of child abuse on development, or the importance of mental health awareness). Conduct research, write a research paper, and present your findings to the class.
- Create a Syllabus: Construct a “syllabus” of all the texts Tara reads throughout the memoir. Then, read one of these texts and compare it to what Tara writes about it, your own opinion of the text, and how it deepens your understanding of her experiences.
Sources
“Author Tara Westover’s Incredible Story about Leaving Her Strict Survivalist Family.” YouTube, uploaded by TheEllenShow, 14 Mar. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is635n6RNR0
“Educated: A Memoir.” Teaching Books. https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=62539
“Educated: Faculty and Staff Resources.” California State University, Northridge, https://www.csun.edu/undergraduate-studies/academic-first-year-experiences/educated-faculty-and-staff-resources/%60
Parker, Kimberly N. “Educated: A Memoir Teacher’s Guide.” Penguin Random House, http://images.randomhouse.com/teachers_guides/9780399590504.pdf
Westover, Tara. Educated. Random House, 2018.
