In the novel The Rules Of Survival by Nancy Werlin, a boy named Matthew writes a letter to his little sister Emmy detailing their abuse from their mother and how they survived it all. One theme that is often visited is the idea of freedom. Although it seems like freedom might come for Matthew, Callie, and Emmy when their abusive mother is away, the only time they truly feel free from the confines of Nikki’s powerful grip is when she is locked up in jail. To these children, imprisonment is a synonym for their mother, and freedom represents everything that is good in their life, or everything she has ever tried to take from them. Matthew is over-protective and living in fear until Nikki is imprisoned, locking away his past along with her. Imprisonment
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When their mother is imprisoned, however, they feel the most free. Matthew writes,“The college kids who rented the first-floor apartment had all left for the holidays, and so we felt completely free in that house in a way we never had before. There was lots of running up and down the stairs, and lots of shouting up and down, too.” (35.3) At this point in time, they had to stay with their Aunt, who didn’t treat them like slaves. She treated them like the kids they were. They finally got a taste of what freedom was for the first time in a long time. When Nikki returned however, they had to return to her with the hopes that the plan the adults had conjured up would work. Matthew writes,“The rest of the winter passed. You and Callie and I lived like hostages in enemy territory. Aunt Bobbie and Ben plotted strategy with Murdoch, and kept watch. And Murdoch was literally besieged—followed, watched, and randomly attacked.” (37.1) While they were being looked after by Nikki, there was an elaborate plan to help take them from that situation. The exploration of this theme throughout the book suggests a bit of a deeper meaning. Though it seems quite clear that Nikki was their captor, it also seems as though her character was just a physical representation of the effects abuse has on the mind. It wraps chains of harmful, degrading words around the mind, squeezes tight, and locks them together so you can’t escape without
When their mother is imprisoned, however, they feel the most free. Matthew writes,“The college kids who rented the first-floor apartment had all left for the holidays, and so we felt completely free in that house in a way we never had before. There was lots of running up and down the stairs, and lots of shouting up and down, too.” (35.3) At this point in time, they had to stay with their Aunt, who didn’t treat them like slaves. She treated them like the kids they were. They finally got a taste of what freedom was for the first time in a long time. When Nikki returned however, they had to return to her with the hopes that the plan the adults had conjured up would work. Matthew writes,“The rest of the winter passed. You and Callie and I lived like hostages in enemy territory. Aunt Bobbie and Ben plotted strategy with Murdoch, and kept watch. And Murdoch was literally besieged—followed, watched, and randomly attacked.” (37.1) While they were being looked after by Nikki, there was an elaborate plan to help take them from that situation. The exploration of this theme throughout the book suggests a bit of a deeper meaning. Though it seems quite clear that Nikki was their captor, it also seems as though her character was just a physical representation of the effects abuse has on the mind. It wraps chains of harmful, degrading words around the mind, squeezes tight, and locks them together so you can’t escape without