“Stolen” by Lucy Christopher is about a girl named Gemma, who kidnapped by a man named Ty. Ty has taken Gemma out to the middle of an Australian desert, to a house that he made himself, and expects her to be happy and calm about the fact that she was kidnapped. In the book both Ty and Gemma have to change as a character in order for there to be comfortability in the household. Gemma has to become more open minded and Ty has to be more open about the questions that Gemma asks.
Gemma has a lot of trust issues, although you shouldn’t blame her. She was drugged and taken to the middle of a desert by a man who she has no idea who he is. But her trust issues are hurting not only Ty, but also her. “‘It’s no use,’ you yelled. ‘You won’t find anything. You won’t find anyone.’/ I started to cry then, great sobs coming out of me like they’d never stop. You open the door [of the car] and grabbed my T- shirt at the back of the neck. You pulled me towards you, my elbows scraping against the ground. I turned my head and bit your hand. Hard. You swore. I know I drew blood. I tasted it.” This is an example of how because Gemma is being so resistant she isn’t only hurting herself, like how she scraped her elbow on the ground, and she really hurt Ty, while he was just trying to keep her safe because Gemma wouldn’t survive outside in the desert without food or water. In this situation she just has to believe that she won’t be harmed by Ty and that he is actually a good thing. Another example of Gemma struggling to have trouble is when Ty finally gets Gemma into the house and he puts her into the bathroom and expects her to clean herself, but instead she does more harm to herself. “What do you want?’ I was sobbing now, curled up tightly. I dabbed the book on my feet, scratches in the mess I'd made from running./ I heard you slam your hand, or your head against the bathrooms door. I heard the rasp in your voice./ 'I won't kill you,' you said 'I won't, OK?'/ But my tears only came heavier. I didn't believe you." Here is another example where Ty is trying really hard to make Gemma's stay enjoyable, but Gemma's lack of trust is making her feel more harm than comfort. But if Gemma had more trust she wouldn't be hurting herself or Ty, so if Gemma had a more open mind about Ty, she wouldn't be in so much pain. If Gemma views Ty as someone who is caring and trying his hardest to make her happy, Gemma wouldn't be making such a fit over being in Australia.
In conclusion because Gemma didn't have an optimistic view what Ty was doing she caused herself pain, and not only in this situation but others as well throughout the book. From this we can be taught that although we may be really upset about something, you should think about how much effort there was done to make this happen and you should eventually come to realize that you have to be more open to ideas and that whatever made you upset was actually done as a good thing.
I must disagree and say Gemma was doing the right thing by resisting because in kidnapping cases with strangers you must expect the worst for survival. If a few scrapes were to get her away from that dangerous man then she had to suffer through them.
ReplyDeleteElla,
ReplyDeleteSomething that I didn't tell the readers is that Ty has been stalking and following Gemma for 6 years so what seems like a stranger to Gemma, Ty is just used to seeing her face. Another thing is that Ty was keeping her safe and trying to make her happy as can be. My point is that Gemma is making herself more miserable than she needs to be.