SuitabookBurned
Ellen Hopkins
- Reading
- You could check in as you read about how the family conflict is affecting Pattyn, and pause together if it brings up concerns that feel personal.
- Themes
- Family abuse and alcoholism: Pattyn’s father is described as alcoholic and abusive; she temporarily escapes him while staying with her aunt. This is a serious family situation at the centre of Pattyn’s circumstances.
- Identity, family and faith: Pattyn struggles to find her place in a large Mormon family and questions her family and faith. These questions frame her search for belonging, but do not by themselves establish a judgement about Mormon faith or family life.
- Love and acceptance: At her aunt’s ranch, Pattyn finds love and acceptance, which she later loses when she returns home. The contrast makes acceptance important to the story, without establishing the nature or outcome of Pattyn’s relationships.
- Worth knowing
- The story includes an alcoholic, abusive father and family problems. These are substantial themes; consider how directly they may feel relevant to your reader.