TOW #24 Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman

In a Jewish Orthodox community girls have extremely strict rules to follow all throughout their life. These customs allow women of all ages to be mistreated, emotionally hurt, and even harassed. When Deborah Feldman escaped her community she reflected on her past by publishing a book. Primarily she instructs about the life behind closed doors, that of an Orthodox woman, but also she enlightens young women about gaining the power to be one's true self. Feldman uses extended metaphors to explain her dual purpose in the book Unorthodox.

Using metaphors, Feldman reveals personal information and authentic stories of life in a Orthodox society. Often, things she experienced as young women were unlike those of a normal American citizens, however in attempt to make her story relatable she describes situations in metaphors. Feldman had an arranged marriage to a man who she did not love and this stressed her constantly. She described these feelings were like “the fight of someone under siege who knows she will run out of energy before her enemy will and that defeat is inevitable.” (Feldman 181). Although in today’s society many people do not have arranged marriages, her comparison allows anyone to understand the message. Feldman’s use of this language allows people outside of the Orthodox community to understand the complexities of it.

Throughout the text, Feldman describes an empty, unfillable hole she felt in her stomach that she ties to her secondary purpose. She wants girls, those in her position or not, to understand that they will only feel whole when they stay true to herself. As a young child Feldman kept many secrets of her desire to study english and read books. She felt a “burning hunger inside that gnaws at me when I think it isn’t satisfied” (Feldman 239). Growing up, as she attempted to fill this hole, she only felt the need to hide more and more of her life until she was living a double life, until her life became “an exercise in secrets, the biggest secret being my true self” (Feldman 233). Through metaphoric and descriptive language Feldman attempts to teach girls and women to be who they are.

In a memoir, Feldman describes her life through metaphors to teach her readers two important lessons. By making her story relatable she makes more people aware of the unique Orthodox community. Additionally, she shares her story to inspire girls to speak for their true selves. Unorthodox ties the two purposes into one into an interesting story about escaping one community to obtain real happiness.

Goals:

Good thesis statement

Strong analysis of rhetorical device