Breaking Night Liz Murray Analysis

Liz Murray, like several children in the United States, had several struggles throughout her youth that made it very difficult for her to succeed in life. Her parents were both drug addicts, she did not go to school for several years, she was homeless for most of her teen years jumping from different friends houses, as well as several other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Despite all of these obstacles that occurred in her life she kept moving forward trying to get a job, caring for her sick mother with AIDs, and trying to provide food for her family. She eventually decided she wanted to go back to high school and get her high school degree and then continue on and get her college degree from Harvard. Murray was able to accomplish so …show more content…
Adverse childhood experiences include “being a victim of abuse or neglect as well as growing up in households in which there are issues such as domestic violence or adult substance use problems, long-term mental health conditions or criminal behaviour leading to incarceration of family members,” as well as several other events that occur during a person’s childhood (Bellis, 2017, p2). Studies show that a range of factors can help children develop resilience toward their ACEs. Cultural traditions, better developed self regulation skills and a sense of having some control over personal circumstances have all been associated with moderating the negative impacts of childhood adversity and childhood adverse experience (Bellis, 2017). Murray at an early age developed self regulation skills as well as having a sense of control over her personal circumstances that happened in her life. She developed resilience at an early age, which helped her go further in life and become a successful person in society (Murray, 2010). Several other young people have a harder time developing this resilience because they are not introduced to cultural traditions, self regulation skills, and self