Powerful Influences; The Book and The Movie
The Book
Reading a personal narrative can be quite a powerful and compelling experience. “Cut Me Loose” by Leah Vincent, a nonfiction intimate story about a young girl leaving the ultra-orthodox Jewish community opened my mind and captivated my emotions in a truly profound manner. Leah walks the reader in vivid detail, from her childhood in a family with eleven children, through her gradual rebellion/emancipation during her teenage and young-adult years. It is an amazing account of pain, struggle, and the eventual emergence of a free, successful, and accomplished individual that rose and prevailed in spite of the many challenges she faced.
By the time Leah wrote her book she had already graduated with a master’s in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. Perhaps this is part of why the vocabulary and superior command of the English language is quite noticeable in her writing. While reading Leah’s story, I found myself looking up many definitions of unfamiliar words in order to keep up with the narrative. As I learned more new words, I developed an appreciation for the ability to articulate properly in writing, and a thirst to expand the range of my own vocabulary.
Another aspect of the book that added to my appreciation for the written form of storytelling, is the depth that can be brought to bear. As I read through the book I was able to learn, not only about the externalities of what was taking place, but also the thoughts, emotions, and feelings that accompanied the events she shared. Whether it was regarding how she was treated when her clothes were not “modest” enough, or the fact that she exchanged love notes with a boy, something that was entirely forbidden the community the was from, the author continuously provided insight into the inner conflicts and turmoil she experienced as they unfolded. This book definitely served as a gateway to many other books that I have read since.
The Movie
I was about 16 years old when I chanced upon my first truly impactful movie. Given my ultra-orthodox Jewish background, I never went to a theatre or even watched any secular movies at home. Consequently, the only time movies were available to me was when traveling long distances by plane. On this particular plane trip, I happened to be alone which gave me the opportunity to watch whatever I wanted without any oversight or comments from my family. The movie I decided to watch was “The Notebook.” I remember being so captivated and mesmerized. It goes without saying that the structure and sequence of events in the (book and) movie were so well written and portrayed. For me, however, there was much more going on.
Up until this point in my life, my knowledge and understanding of sex and sexuality were distant and rather vague. My information came mostly from what I have encountered in Jewish texts, and things I have heard from “less religious” friends. Additionally, the fact that sex and sexuality were extremely taboo resulted in them carrying a somewhat vulgar and unrefined connotation. Yet there I was watching Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams on the small airplane screen making love in a most beautiful way. This was my first time witnessing anything related to the act of having sex. It completely shifted my perspective. I recall my thoughts going “so that’s what it looks like… Wow…” Through this movie, I discovered a new, much more positive view on something once obscure and left in the shadows. I realized that there is much to learn, and movies are often not a bad place to acquire knowledge and gain new perspectives in life.