The Struggle In Rachel In The World, By Jane Bernstein

Introduction: Throughout Rachel in the World by Jane Bernstein, the reader watches as Jane and Rachel attempt to cope with the challenges of Rachel’s development into adulthood. Finding a home for Rachel for when she finishes school is a challenge that weighs heavily on Jane’s mind throughout the memoir. Jane desperately wants to find the perfect housing situation for Rachel because she feels like she can no longer take care of Rachel and give her everything that she needs. Rachel also is not terribly thrilled to be living with her mother. One reason Rachel does not care to live with Jane is because Rachel is not able to be herself while her mother has her own wishes for Rachel. This causes a rift in their relationship as mother and daughter …show more content…
The circle of courage, which is adapted from a Native American principle to represent the wholeness of life. Independence is one of the values included in the circle of courage and it “refers to the need of individuals to feel in control of themselves and their lives. That is, the need to take responsibility for their behavior and learning, to have meaningful choices, to set their own goals, to problem solve around their choices and goals, and to advocate for themselves.” (p. 5) Living on her own is something that Rachel wants desperately. She wants to be able to live and not have her mother telling her what to do all the time. She wants to be able to eat potato chips and soda whenever she pleases. She wants to be able to talk as much as she can. Jane also wants Rachel to be happy and she knows that while Rachel is living with her, Rachel will not be completely happy. It is challenging for Rachel as well as Jane to see Rachel being held back from getting to be herself. Jane subconsciously reinforces what society expects of Rachel, in terms of behavior and health, but this holds her back from what she wants to do. There are times when Rachel admits that she would rather be anywhere than with her mother and is constantly saying that she hates her. This is hard for Jane to hear all the time, as it would be hard for anyone, even though she knows that Rachel does not mean it completely. It is also important for Jane to have some independence from Rachel. Jane admits to the reader that, “The endless cycles of caring for her had worn me down. I knew I needed my freedom from her” (p. 99) When Jane and Rachel go to live in Israel temporarily, Jane is able to see what Rachel living on her own would be like. Jane does not like the idea of Rachel being isolated from society but it is a place