从《你当像鸟飞往你的山》看教育对塔拉成长的影响

ChapterThreeABriefAnalysisoftheInfluenceofEducationonTara’sGrowthinEducated:AMemoirTarawasabletochangefromagirlwhoneverwenttoschoolinthemountainstoadoctor,becauseeducationplayedabigrole.Thispartwillbecombinedwiththewholebook,fromthephysicalandmentalstate,culturallevel,employmentsituationtoelaborateontheimpactofeducationonTara’sgrowth.3.1TheEffectofEducationonTara’sStateofMindandBody3.1.1ThePhysicalandMentalImprisonmentofFamilyEducationonTarainHerChildhoodThefamilyeducationTarareceivedduringherteenageyearsisverydifferentfromthetraditionalsenseoffamilyeducation.TarawasarealmountaingirlallherteenageyearslivinginBuckPeak,Idaho.HisfatherwasaloyalMormon,fieryandfeudal.Hedidn’ttrustgovernment,hedidn’ttrusthospitals,hekeptgunsandammunitioninhishouseinthehopethatonedaythegovernmentwouldbreakintohishouse,andevenmoreabsurdly,hesawpublicschoolsasagovernmentplottoleadhischildrenawayfromGod.Herfather’sfeudalmentalitykeptTarafromgettingabirthcertificateuntilshewasnine.Andthesekidscan’texpecttogotoschool,theydon’tevenknowwhatit’slike.Hermother,amidwife,clungtoherhusband’sarmandwassubmissive.LiZhonglusaidthatparents’nurturingbehaviorandeducationalsupportforchildrencancultivatechildren’sstudyhabitsandaffecttheiracademicperformance.REF_Ref8151\r\h[2]Itwasunderhisfather’scontrolthatthechildrenreceivedadifferentkindofhomeschooling.TarawouldalsobecomeaMormon,listeningtotheBiblereadbyhermother.Onlyinhersparetimecouldsheavoidherfatherandreadtheoldtextbooksinthescrapyard.Withalackofproperfamilyeducation,Tarahasalargeideologicalgapwithherpeersandherintellectualknowledgelagsbehindothers.Underherfather’scontrol,Taramovedonlyaroundthemountains.Thephysicalandmentalconfinementbroughtbyherfamilyeducationmadeheryearnforawiderworld.3.1.2ThePhysicalandMentalLiberationofSchoolEducationonTarainHerTeenageSchooleducationistheoppositeoffamilyeducation.Itisaneducationthattakesplaceinaschool.Thecharacteristicsofschooleducationareasfollows:therearefixedplaces,specialteachersandacertainnumberofstudents,andtherearecertaintrainingobjectives,managementsystemsandprescribedteachingcontents.Schoolcameintobeingafterthedevelopmentofsocialproductiveforcestoacertainextent,theemergenceofsocialdivisionoflaborandsurplusproducts,andthedevelopmentofliteratureisrelativelymature.Schoolscanbedividedintoprimaryschools,secondaryschoolsandhigherschoolsaccordingtotheirlevels.Schooleducationisalsodividedintopreschooleducation,primaryeducation,secondaryeducationandhighereducation.AlthoughGrandmahadarguedwithTara’sfatherasachildthatchildrenshouldgotoschoolinsteadofroamingthehillslikewildmen,Taradidnotlearnaboutschoolinguntilshewasyoung.Inheradolescence,herfather’sunquestionedpositionbegantoshakeinheryoungheart.Shewasdisappointedwithherfamilywhenherfatherignoredhersafetyrepeatedlypushedhertotheroaringscissorsthatalmostbitoffherhead.WhenherbrotherSeanfrequentlyexposedhisviolenttendency,pushedherheadintothetoilet,beather,claimedshewasamonsterandcalledherprostitute.ThereunionwithTaylortoTaralikeadyingfishintherain.TaylorwastheonlyfamilymemberwithacollegeeducationpriortoTara.Taylorescapedhisfather’scircleafewyearsagoandwalkedoutofBuckPeak.Taraknewthatthelightbegantoshineonherlife.Taylorurgedhertogotoschool,tolearnfromrealtextbooks,touseeducationtosaveherlife.“It’stimetoleave,Tara,”Taylorsaid.“Thelongeryoustay,thelesslikelyyouaretoleave.”[1]35Tayloradded,“Thisistheworstplaceforyou.GowhereIgo.Gotocollege.”[1]35WithTaylor’spatientpersuasionandencouragement,Tarahasherfirstsenseofdirection,andinordertogooutintotheworld,shesecretlystudiesherselfforthecollegeentranceexambetweenworkingforherfather.Aftermonthsofhardwork,shereceivedproofofherefforts:acollegeadmissionletter.Attheageof17,TarawasinfluencedbyTaylortoleavethehomewhereshewasphysicallyandmentallyimprisoned.SheescapedfromthescrapyardandwalkedoutofBarker’sPeakwhereshehadstayedformorethantenyears.Throughtheclassroomtrulycontactwiththestrangeandbrightworld.Theschooleducationmadeherbecomeanexcellentstraight-Astudentstepbystepfromapoorstudentwhocouldn’tevenrememberhernotesandfailedherexams.SheevengotthechancetobeanexchangestudentinCambridgeUniversity.It’sfairtosaythatyouthschoolingwasakeystepinTara’sliberation.AsJiLulusaid,howmuchextentcaneducationchangeapersonandchangehisdestiny?Tara’sexperienceexplaineditindetail.EducationmadeTarafromagirlwhoobeyedherfatherunconditionally,spirituallyimprisoned,agirlwithnohopeintoawomanwithhopeandfaith,andkeptherlifefromgoingto“cage”.REF_Ref3256\r\h[8]3.2TheInfluenceofEducationontheLiteracyLevelofTara3.2.1BackwardFamilyEducationandLowEducationalLevelInhisfather’smind,childrendonotgotoschoolwhentheyareold,andcannotgotohospitalwhentheyaresick.Undertheinfluenceofherfather’sbackwardthinking,Tarareceivedabackwardfamilyeducation.GrandmaonceaskedTara,Doyouwanttogotoschool?Tara’sanswer:Idon’tlikeschool.Tara’sboundmindmadeGrandmafeelweak.Younevertriedit,shecried.Howcanyounotlikeit?Taratriedtopicturetheschool,butshecouldn’t.Becauseherupbringingdidn’tallowhertoimagineschool.Shethoughteverythingherfathersaidwastrue.Whenshewasbadlyinjuredinthescrapyardshegotupthecouragetosaytoherfather,Iwanttogotoschool.Herfathersaid:Inthisfamily,weobeyGod’scommandments.SoTaraneverwentbeyondBuckPeak.Sheneverevenlearnedhowtotalktopeoplewhoweren’tlikethem,whowenttoschoolandwenttothedoctoranddidn’tprepareeverydayfortheendoftheworld.WhenTaraaskedherpianoteacherifshecouldteachherpianoformoney,theteacheraskedherifshehadevergonetoschool.Taralied.Tarawasnotalone.Livinginsuchafamily,Tara’sbrotherswerenothighlyeducatedexceptforTaylor,whovoluntarilylefthomeandranawayfromthemountains.Herbrother,Sean,isjustasirascibleandcontrollingasherfather.HerbrotherSeanbeatherupinspiteofhimself,untilsheranintoTayloragain,whotoldheritwastimetogotocollege.Butinthoseseventeenyearsshehadneverhadarealeducation.Whenshewenttobuyamathbook,sheaskedhermotherwhatalgebrawas,andwhenhermotherpickedupthepentowritethequestions,thefirstfivequestionswereallwrong.Atthebeginningofthebook,shedidnotevenknowanythingaboutaddition,multiplicationanddivision.Duringtheexam,shedidnotknowwhattheanswersheetwas,andhadtofillintheanswersheetundertheguidanceoftheexaminer.ItcanbeseenthattheeducationallevelofTaraisverylowunderthebackwardfamilyeducation.3.2.2AdvancedSchoolEducationandHighLevelofEducationHoldingtheuniversityadmissionletter,Taraexcitedlyenteredthestrangeandbrightuniversitycampus.However,shejustbarelygot28pointsintheexamandgottheadmissionnotice.Whenshefirstheardthecoursesintheuniversity,shefeltthatshewaslisteningtoabookfromheaven.Shecouldnotkeepupwiththenotesandfailedthescientificexamination.Shecouldn’tevenspelltheauthor’snamewhenshetooktheWesternCivilizationexam.Whenshefailedanexamandneededsomeonetotalkto,shecouldn’tevencallTaylor,thelightwhohadguidedhertocollege,becauseoftheshame.Afterfailingmostofherexams,Tarabecameanxious.Shebegantostayuplateandmeditateoverhertextbooks.Shecouldn’tdoalgebra,soCharlestoldhertoaskprofessorforhelp.Tarawent,andtheprofessortoldherthatifshegotaperfectscoreonherlasttest,shecouldstayinschool.Sufferingfromstomachulcers,sheliveduptoher100marks.Butshewaspoor,sopoorthatatonepointshecouldnotaffordhertuition.TheBishopwaskindenoughtopatientlylistentoTara’sstoryandtellTarathatsheneededagrant.Withthehelpofthefinancialaid,Tarawaswellonherwaytocollege.Thepathoutofignoranceisnoteasy.Throughperseveranceandfaith,TaranotonlyfailstobecomeastraightAstudent,butalsolearnsalotthroughhercollegeeducationthatisdifferentfromwhatshehadheardfromherfatherbefore.ShealsowonanexchangeatCambridgeUniversity,whereshewentontostudyforamaster’sdegreeandbecameavisitingscholaratHarvardUniversity.BythetimeTarahadcompletedherstudies,herrelationshipwithherfatherhaddeteriorated,andwhensherefusedhisblessing,shewouldloseherfamily.Shefinallybrokedown,andTaylorhelpedheragain.Afterayearoftherapy,Tarawasabletoconcentrateonherreading.AfterrereadHume,Rousseau,Smith,Godwin,Wollstonecraft,andMill,Tarathoughtofherownfamily:Whatshouldamandowhenhisdutytohisfamilyconflictswithhisdutytohisfriends,tosociety,tohimself?ShewroteFamily,Morality,andSocialScienceinAnglo-AmericanCooperativeThought,1813--1890.Withthispaper,shebecameDr.Westover.Ascanbeseenfromtheabove,inadditiontoTara’sownefforts,advancedschooleducationhastaughtTaratheawarenessofcrisisinlearning,taughtherknowledge,taughthertopersistandbestrong,andgivenheracertainwarmth,whichhasgreatlyimprovedherculturallevelandfinallymadeherafamousdoctor.3.3TheImpactofEducationonTara’sEmploymentSituation3.3.1FamilyEducationandLimitedJobOpportunitiesTaragrewupinafeudalMormonfamilyandreceivedaverybackwardandconservativeupbringing.Inherfather’smind,hischildrencouldnotanddidnotneedtogotoschoolbecausethatwouldbeabetrayalofGod.SotheyhadtoreadtheBibleandtheOldTestamentathome,andthekidshadtoavoidhimiftheywantedtoreadthebooks.Hermotherhadbeentoschoolbefore,butshehadforgottenitunderthepressureoflife.SoTara’sfamilyeducationisevenmoreminimal,mentallyconstrained,soherfamilyeducationisonlymanuallabor.Herfathertaughtheronlyhowtoworkinthescrapyardandhowtotamethegreatirontongswhoserumblingnoisewouldhavebrokenherhead.Becauseofthis,therearefewjobsavailableforTarabecauseshedoesn’thaveadegree.Whenshewasyoung,sheliedaboutheragesothatotherswoulddaretohireher.Sheworkedasababysitterandlongedtoplaythepianowhileworkinginotherpeople’shomes,sosheaskedheremployertoteachhertoplaythepianoandpaidforherownbabysitting.Shealsosellsatthegrocerystore.WhenshewenttoworkintheCDstore,themanagertookgoodcareofher,butherfatherdidnotallowhertocontinuetowork,andscoldedhertocomebacktohelphim,soshehadtogobacktotheshabbyscrapyard,riskingherlifetoburyinallkindsofwaste.Becauseshedidn’tgotoschool,becauseshegrewupinsuchafamilyenvironment,becauseshereceivedapoorfamilyeducation,Taradidn’thavetheopportunitytochoosethejobsshewanted,andthejobsshecouldfindwerelimitedmanuallabor.3.3.2SchoolEducationandMoreJobOpportunitiesInspiredbyTaylor,TaratooktwoyearstogetintoBrighamYoungUniversity,akeystepinhernewlife.Hereshereceivedanunprecedentedhighereducation.Itwasthekindofschoolingshecouldnothaveimagined.Beforeshewenttouniversity,sheknewverylittleabouthistory.Forexample,shedidnotknowabouttheHolocaustmentionedbyDr.Kerry.SoDr.KerryguidedhertostudyinCambridgeUniversity.TaraunderstoodwhatDr.Kerryseemedtobesaying:Findoutwhatyoucandobeforeyoudecidewhoyouare.TarawenttoCambridgetomeethertutor,ProfessorSteinbergREF_Ref22913\r\h①,whotaughthertowriteessaysinabasicway:punctuation.Whenshespentweekswritingapaper,sheexpectedtobetoldoffbyherprofessor,buthepraisedher.Forher,ProfessorSteinbergwasawarmpredecessor,andshefeltmoreimportantthanshehadeverfeltbefore.SteinbergalsohelpedhercorrectthefalseimpressionoftheHolocaustREF_Ref22926\r\h②inFrance.ProfessorSteinbergtoldhertogotoHarvardasagraduatestudentwithouthavingtoworryabouttuition.ProfessorSteinbergalsotoldherthestoryofthePygmalionREF_Ref23138\r\h③.HetoldTarathattheflowergirlwasjustaLondonerinabeautifuldress.Untilshebelievesinherself.Bythen,itdidn’tmatterwhatshewaswearing.TarahadanEpiphany.GettingahighereducationhelpedTaraunderstandthatshewasmorethanjustascrapyard,aconstructionsite,acrane.Shewentfromafailingstudenttosomeonewhocouldwinahigh-endGatesscholarship.Fromagirlwhoneverwenttoschooltobeingadmittedtouniversityforhighereducation,becomingagraduatestudentandfinallybecomingadoctor,thisisabloodyandtearfulhistoryofTara’shardstudy.ButthereisnodoubtthathighereducationopenedTara’snewlifeandhelpedherachievenirvana.Withanadvanceddegree,Tarahadmorejobopportunitiesbecauseshestartedatahigherlevel.Shecouldchooseajobsheliked,liveonbonuses,earnmoneywithherdegree,writeautobiographicalnovels,givelectures.ChapterFourTheImplicationsofTara’sEducationforWomen’sGrowthTara’spursuitofeducationwasnoteasybutshesucceededintheend.TherearemanyuneducatedwomenintheworldlikeTara.ThispartwillexplaintheenlightenmentofTara’seducationexperienceonwomen’sgrowthfromthreeaspects:defendingtherighttoeducation,havingthecouragetopursueeducation,cherishingtheopportunitiesofeducation.4.1DefendingtheRighttoEducationTherighttoeducationisoneofthebasicrightsofcitizens.Itisacitizen’srighttoeducationrecognizedandguaranteedbytheConstitution.Inourcountry,theConstitutionaffirmstherightanddutyofcitizenstoreceiveeducation.Thatistosay,citizenshavetherighttoacquireculturalandscientificknowledgeandtocontinuouslyimprovetheirideologicalconsciousnessandmorallevel,andeverycitizenmustreceiveeducationinaccordancewiththelaw.Sowomenhavethebasicrighttobeeducated.Everywomangrowingupmuststandupfortherighttoeducation.Everywoman’ssituationinlifeisdifferent.Therearewomenwhocan’taffordtogotoschoolduetoeconomicdifficultiesinlife,womenwhoaredeprivedoftherighttoeducationduetogenderdiscrimination,andwomenwhoaretooprivilegedtolearnandhavenoskills.Thereasonsfornotbeingabletoreceiveeducationaredifferentforeachwoman,butnomatterwhat,itisundeniablethateverywomancan’tbewithouteducationwhengrowingup.Becauseeducationisespeciallyimportantforwomen.Educationcanemancipatewomenphysicallyandmentally,improvewomen’sculturallevel,andchangetheiremploymentsituation.Thesethreearejustafewofthemanyeffectseducationhasonwomen.Tara’sexampleisatestamenttotheprofoundimpacteducationhasonwomen.AlthoughTarawasboundbyherfamilywhenshewasateenagerandherfatherrestrictedheropportunitiestogooutforschooleducation,sheneverstoppedstudyinghardbyherselfsecretly.Shewantedtohavealookattheworldbeyondthemountainsandtemporarilyleaveherinjuredfamily,soshegatheredallthecouragetopursueeducation.Althoughtheroadofpursuingeducationisfullofthorns,therelationshipbetweenTaraandherfatherwasoncetroubledandeventherewastheriskthatTaradidnotbelongtotheirfamily,butTaraobeyedherheartinthedilemma,andshebravelychoseeducation.Thankstoherdeterminationtodefendherrighttoaneducation,shewasabletosucceedinherstudies,andherrelationshipwithherfamilyfinallyeased.4.2HavingtheCouragetoPursueEducationTara’stransformationfromamountaingirlwhohadtoworkinascrapyardtoahighlyeducatedyoungwomanwriterisamagnificenttransformation.Whatsustainedhertomakethecomeback?Theansweristhecouragetopursueeducation.Itwasthiscouragetopursueeducationthatsupportedhertofinishherstudy.Whetherwomenwhohaveneverbeeneducatedtodayshouldreflectonthemselves:doIhavethecouragetobeeducated,eveniftheroadaheadisdifficulttotheend?Ithinkthoseeconomicallypoorwomen,eveniftheyhavenoeconomicfoundation,aslongastheyarenotmentallypoor,theywillhavethecouragetopursueeducation,andthenthroughtheirowneffortstoearntheeconomicfoundationeveniftheydoverytiringmanuallabor,theywilluseittosupporttheireducation.However,thosewomenwhoaretreatedwithgenderdiscriminationcanonlymusterupthecouragetobestrong,believeinequalitybetweenmenandwomen,believethatwomenalsohavetherighttoeducation,andeventuallywillbeabletoovercomealldifficultiestowintheopportunitytoreceiveeducation.Women’sgrowthprocessisnottoostraight,theremaybealotofstumbling,wemayfeeltired,evenafterafall,buteducationisalightontheroadtoourgrowth,whentheroadaheadisdarkandconfused,guideustothedirectionoflight.Tara’sexampleinspireswomentohavethecouragetopursueeducation.IhopeallwomencanfindtheirownlightsuccessfullylikeTara.4.3CherishingtheOpportunitiesofEducationPeopleareborndifferent.Somewomenarebornrich;othersarebornpoor;Somewomenliketolearntoswimintheoceanofknowledge,whilesomegirlsturntheirnosesupatlearning.Butsowhat,sincetheyhavetherighttoeducation,everyoneshouldcherishtheopportunityofreceivingeducation.Womenwhohavemoneybutdon’tstudyhardanddon’tappreciatetheopportunitytogetaneducationneedtorealizetheirmistakesandtakeadvantageoftheopportunitytogetaneducation.BecausetherearemanyplacesintheworldbesidesChina,whichisanopenandcivilizedcountry,thatrestrictwomen’saccesstoeducation.Womenlivinginthesecountriesdarenotexpectanything.Comparedwiththis,thebehaviorofwomenwhohavemoneybutdonotstudyseemsveryirresponsible.EverywomantodayneedstogrowuplikeTara.Tarahadnopurposeandnofuturewhenshewasachild.ThereappearanceofTaylorarousedherhope,soshebegantocherisheverychancetolearnsecretly.Asateenager,whenTaraenrolledatBrighamYoungUniversityandlackedthemoneytopayforhereducation,herfatherofferedtogiveherthemoneytocontinueherstudiesonlyifshewentbacktoworkeveryvacation.Taradidnotgiveintomoney.Sheknewitwasnoteasytogetintocollegeandshecherishedthechancetoreceivehighereducation.AstimewentonandTaraenteredherteenageyears,shedidn’tstopbecauseshecouldn’tfigureouthowtowriteapaperthatwasdifficulttounderstand.Sheeventuallybecameadoctor.Asmentionedbefore,therearebarrierstoeducationateverystageofawoman’sdevelopment,butifwomenwanttoultimatelysucceed,theyneedtoappreciatetheopportunitiesforeducationasTaradid.ChapterFiveConclusionEducationisaveryimportantfactorinawoman’sdevelopment.Educationhasavitalimpactonwomen’sdevelopmentatallstages.Forexample,fishcan’tlivewithoutwater,birdscan’tflywithoutwind,andwomencan’tlivewithouteducationiftheywanttogrowupactively.Attheearlychildhoodstage,educationmainlyplaysanenlighteningroleinthegrowthofwomen,enlighteningtheircognitiveabilityandlearningability.Educationislikethesunpromotingthegerminationofseedlings.Atthistime,familyeducationplaysamajorroleineducation.Duringtheteenageyearsoffemaledevelopment,itismainlyschoolingthatplaysarole.Intheprocessofgoingtoschool,womencangetthedevelopmentofthefivequalitiessimultaneously,namely,moral,intellectual,physical,beautyandlabor.Inyoungadulthood,educationcanplayaroleinhighereducationorsocialeducation.Highereducationistheeducationreceivedintheuniversity.Asthenameimplies,socialeducationreferstothesocialeducationactivitiesthataffectthephysicalandmentaldevelopmentofindividualsinparallelwithschooleducationandfamilyeducation.Thetargetaudienceofsocialeducationisnotonlywomenwhohavenotbeenadmittedtouniversity,butalsothegrowthanddevelopmentofwomeninsocialeducation.Womenwhohavenotbeentouniversitycanreceivesocialeducationintheiryouth.Thisshowsthatwomencannotleaveeducationatanystageofgrowth.Butifweareforcednottoreceiveeducation,wewomen,likeTara,todefendtheirrighttoeducation,couragetopursueeducation