Jennifer Decker's story about Sunset Song
« Back to The Book That Changed My Life
Author: Lewis Grassic Gibbon
SynopsisYoung Chris Guthrie lives a brutal life in the harsh landscape of northern Scotland, torn between her passion for the land, duty to her family and her love of books. When her mother, broken by repeated childbirths, takes her own life and poisons her two youngest children, Chris is left with her father to run the farm on her own. Soon, she is alone, and for the first time can choose how to spend her life. But, as the First World War begins, everything changes, and the young men leave Scotland for battle.
My Story
The story of a Scottish girl torn between two worlds - the life on the farm or escaping to the city to become a teacher, really resonated with me. As a teenager, and perhaps even now, I feel torn between the life I am expected to lead and another life I would like to lead. This book made me realise other people felt this way. All her life she struggles and talks about 'the other Scottish Chris' , the girl who wants to stay on the farm. But she wants to get away from the life that drove her mother to her death. My turmoil is less serious, just caught between the role society expects - hardworking and well behaved, when I'd like to cut free and run to the ends of the earth seeing new places and experiencing other lives.
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