January Book Review

Character Study: January Book Review
Ghost Girl by Torey Hayden is different from any other book I have ever read especially because of its unique topic. Since the story is actually not fiction at all, but based on true events from the author’s life, I found that the descriptions of the characters were crucial in the way the story was presented and the way it affected me as a reader. Two main characters are the focus of this book: the author herself, a psychologist and teacher, and a little girl in the special education class at her new school named Jadie who Torey is helping to get through her elective-mutism and trauma from abuse.
1. Jadie’s appearance is vividly described as messy, disheveled, and uncared for. She has dark scraggly hair and mysterious eyes, but there is still an eerie beauty about her. Her posture is also strange in that she hunches herself over as far as she can and, therefore, is forced to tilt her head upward in an awkward position to look at anything. Although the author does not describe her own appearance, I imagine her as an average looking woman with a caring, soft look in her eyes. I actually didn’t realize until I had read quite a few pages into the book that it was based on true events in the author’s life. At first, I thought that the narrator was a man.
2. Jadie’s personality is complicated and influenced by numerous factors. She seems shy and sad at first, but at times shows that she is wild and child-like. Her personality, to me, is kind-of all over the place. There is no telling what she is actually thinking or what is just her reaction to the abuse she endured. Torey’s personality is evident in the way she treats her coworkers and students. She is loving, caring, and compassionate. Everything she did was honest, and she always seemed to follow her gut feelings. By not ignoring the horrible things that Jadie confessed to her, she showed that she is a person who always attempts to do good and help others. She was also very honest with people and true to herself even when it was difficult to confront certain issues. Her work also plays a large part in her personality, and she, as a character, was portrayed as someone who works hard, cares about the people involved in her job, and lives in her job, it being the most important aspect of her life.
3. The abuse is an obvious motivation for Jadie. Her elective-mutism, her stories, her behavior, her demeanor, and everything else is all a result of the abuse and the impact of her abusers. She does what they tell her and learns about life and actions from them, but she also expresses feelings against them as well. Being hurt and miserable was probably the biggest motivation for her to reveal her secret along with the comfort and reassurance that Hayden provided for her. Hayden’s motivations lie in her nature. She could not allow the abuse to go on any longer because in her eyes it was wrong. Her desire to help Jadie motivated her to pursue the matter until it was taken care of.
4. Jadie faces what could even be a life or death conflict. Her abuser’s threats forced her not to tell on them and save herself and others from the abuse while Torey’s advice persuaded her towards bringing matters out into the open. She had to choose between allowing her life to continue down the road that haunted her or to fight it and completely start over. She did eventually choose to confide in Torey and to improve her life, even if it was difficult. This decision had a wonderful outcome. Jadie was able to move on with her life and be happy (helping her sisters as well). Torey faced even more difficult decisions along with pressures from everyone around her. The way everything made her look and other’s opinions of her and her ordeal played a major role in her actions. Eventually she followed her own beliefs and did everything in her power to bring the case to light how she believed it really was despite the feelings of those involved and the community. This was successful because, although nothing was ever proven, it did allow the children to be safe and live lives with opportunities. It was lucky for the children that she chose to ignore any criticism and work to the full extent of her power to help them.
5. Jadie went from quiet and a complete mystery to a strange, wild, and provocative child. She changed her attitude and was much more open. As she progressed, she was able to overcome some of her irrational fears, and in the epilogue it is said that she now lives a successful and normal life- the result of a complete transformation. Torey changed in that she had to force herself to deal with an issue she had never faced before. Her mind opened more and more throughout the story, and she learned to deal with a whole new set of problems in a different and unique way than that of the rest of her work prior.
6. I only feel a personal connection with Jadie through her desire not to speak, even though it is not in any context near hers. I think that sometimes that does seem like the only thing to do when dealing with problems appears to difficult. I cannot relate to her abuse, but I do find it interesting and intriguing. It also makes me feel sorrow and compassion towards her and any others in her type of position. I feel much more connected with Torey through her helping other people even when it’s difficult. Empathy is something I feel for the characters whom Hayden also felt a deep consideration for. People can change lives. Just as she changed Jadie’s life immensely, I feel like, through my actions, I could also have a strong impact on the lives of others. I also recognize that her field of work has become an interest of mine as well.
7. Without these two characters there is no story. The way they were presented was so truthful and real that there could not have been any other way to portray them than what they really were. This writing could be no more effective than it is since it is a well-told story of people who actually existed as they are depicted in the book. The characters and their one-of-a-kind personalities and qualities made the book powerful in every way. The impact of the writing in this book including the character descriptions influenced me in many ways, but the fact that it is true blows me away completely.